duty-free

Duty Free
Format	Sitcom
Starring	Keith Barron Gwen Taylor Joanna Van Gyseghem Neil Stacy
Country of origin	United Kingdom
No. of episodes	22
Production
Producer(s)	Yorkshire Television
Running time	21x30 minutes 1x60 minutes
Broadcast
Original channel	ITV
Original run	13 February 1984 – 25 December 1986

Duty Free is a British sitcom written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr that aired on ITV from 1984 to 1986. It was made by Yorkshire Television.

Cast

• Keith Barron - David Pearce
• Gwen Taylor - Amy Pearce
• Joanna Van Gyseghem - Linda Cochran
• Neil Stacy - Robert Cochran
• Carlos Douglas - Waiter
• Bunny May - Hotel manager (series 1)
• George Camiller - Hotel manager (series 2 and 3)
• Ray Mort - George (series 1 and 2)
• Hugo Bower - Zimmerman (series 1)
• Joseph Fazal - Spanish Policeman (series 2)

Plot

Duty Free is about two British couples, David and Amy Pearce and Robert and Linda Cochran, who meet while holidaying at the same Spanish hotel and the interruptive affair conducted by David Pearce and Linda Cochran during their break. Another recurring character is the hotel waiter Carlos.

Although set in Spain, the show was filmed entirely in a Leeds studio - only for the concluding Christmas special was the budget found to film some scenes in Spain.

Like many British sitcoms, there was a class-related tension between the two; with the Pearces working class socialists from Yorkshire, and the Cochrans a more affluent, middle-class Conservative couple from Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire. The character of David Pearce, much to his wife's chagrin, became uncomfortable with his own status and politics after meeting the Cochrans and tried to change his outlook.

Episodes

NOTE: These episode descriptions are taken from the sleeves of the DVD release, released by Network.

Note: all of these transmission dates reflect the transmissions in the London ITV region. Alternative screenings on other ITV regions are not listed.

SERIES ONE

Viva Espana David and Amy decide to take a Spanish package holiday - and once there, David is quickly under Linda's spell!

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Monday 13th February 1984 8:00pm

El Macho The two couples (David/Amy and Robert/Linda) take a trip to a bullfight - and Amy steps into the ring.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Monday 20th February 1984 8:00pm

Praying Mantis David is besotted by Linda, and Amy hoists storm cones.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Monday 27th February 1984 8:00pm

Spanish Lace On a trip into the mountains, money is running out and David buys one present too many.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Monday 5th March 1984 8:00pm

Bedroom Farce Amy's suspicions are aroused by David and Linda's midnight swim.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Monday 12th March 1984 8:00pm

Forty Love Amy finally has evidence of the affair, but her reaction has disastrous events for everyone.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Monday 19th March 1984 8:00pm

Hasta La Vista Linda and David decide to leave together. Robert takes to the bottle, but Amy decides to foil them.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Monday 26th March 1984 8:00pm

SERIES TWO

Manana David has been disowned by the other three and endeavours to smuggle himself past the police and out of the hotel dressed as a woman, with disastrous results.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 6th September 1984 8:00pm

Casino David feels lucky, and despite their spending money running low, decides to visit the Casino. Concentration coolness and a strong nerve are called for as he pursues a sequence of winning numbers, but will he risk all on the flip of a coin?

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 13th September 1984 8:00pm

Couples A young couple arrive from England on their honeymoon. Romance is in the air, but unfortunately the dewy-eyed lovers manage to mix and match the wrong couples.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 20th September 1984 8:00pm

El Astro There is great excitement as Frazer Hines, the famous TV star, comes to stay at the hotel. Unfortunately, one of the ladies over-reacts and the husbands become over suspicious.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 27th September 1984 8:00pm

Pepe A day trip from Spain to Tangier by boat starts a mysterious chain of events. Having agreed to carry a parcel back into Spain, Amy fears she may be carrying illegal substances. Getting rid of the evidence proves difficult.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 4th October 1984 9:00pm (screened an hour later due to the episode's content)

Snap David finds to his horror that it is a small world when he meets Kevin in the hotel. He has been dogged by Kevin all his life - at school; in the Army; and at the office. It was Kevin that was responsible for David's redundancy. Will David let this greasy toad get away with it all?

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 11th October 1984 8:00pm

Adios All good things come to an end and this is the last day of the holiday. Packing bottles of booze, the last look round, and a visit to Pedro's, the local bar, all have to be done. Unfortunately, David and Linda's lingering farewells are rudely interrupted.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Vernon Lawrence

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 18th October 1984 8:00pm

SERIES THREE

Winter Break Amy has found herself a job, but poor David is still unemployed and depressed. He decides he needs a break to get away from it all!

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Wednesday 8th January 1986 8:00pm

Deja Vu Amy has joined David for a week's holiday in Spain. She is suspicious, however, and does not trust him. Amy has the feeling that she has experienced the same situation before.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Wednesday 15th January 1986 8:00pm

Close Up The TV cameras have arrived in the hotel. Judith Chalmers and a crew from the "Wish You Were Here...?" programme have flown over to make a report. The Pearces (David and Amy) and the Cochrans (Robert and Linda) are determined to get on the screen.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Wednesday 22nd January 1986 8:00pm

The Go-Between Neville becomes inextricably involved with David and Linda. Although keen to help, poor Neville manages to get everything wrong, including an encounter with a Chimpanzee.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Wednesday 29th January 1986 8:00pm

Costa del Crime David discovers to his horror that he has mistakenly picked up someone else's tartan bag at the airport. What he and Amy find in the bag leads to a most unwelcome visit from the owners.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Wednesday 5th February 1986 8:00pm

Cause Celebre Senor Garcia, the new manager at the hotel, makes some sweeping staff changes. Not only does this upset Carlos the Waiter but also the holidaymakers. Amy encourages Carlos to make a firm stand which turns out to be a politically wise move.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Wednesday 12th February 1986 8:00pm

Party Night It's party night at the hotel. Everyone has to provide fancy dress and enter the talent contest. After much discussion The Pearces and the Cochrans surprise each other with their latent talent.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Wednesday 19th February 1986 8:00pm

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL

A Duty Free Christmas In spite of her initial protests, David manages to persuade Amy to spend a Christmas holiday in Spain. By an extraordinary stroke of coincidence, Linda and Robert have also booked in at the same hotel. David continues his amorous pursuit of Linda with hilarious results.

Written by Eric Chappell and Jean Warr

Directed by Les Chatfield

Original ITV transmission: Thursday 25th December 1986 9:00pm

Trivia

The actor Frazer Hines and television presenter Judith Chalmers made guest appearances on the show, playing themselves. The former was a hotel guest who tried to seduce Amy Pearce; the latter was filming an episode of Wish You Were Here...? from the hotel and interviewed the two couples.

External links

• Duty Free at British TV Comedy
• Duty Free at the Internet Movie Database
• Duty Free at TV.com

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