Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film also titled Porridge. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland. "Doing porridge" is British slang for serving a prison sentence, porridge once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons. The series was followed by a 1978 sequel, Going Straight, which established that Fletcher would not be going back to prison again. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms.

Cast & crew

Dick Clement

Creator

Ian La Frenais

Creator

Ronnie Barker

Norman Stanley Fletcher

Richard Beckinsale

Lennie Godber

Fulton Mackay

Mr. Mackay

Brian Wilde

Mr. Barrowclough

Sam Kelly

Warren

Tony Osoba

McLaren

M

Michael Barrington

Governor Venables

Christopher Biggins

Lukewarm

Ken Jones

Ives

P

Paul McDowell

Mr. Collinson

David Jason

Blanco

Patricia Brake

Ingrid Fletcher

Brian Glover

Heslop

Ronald Lacey

Harris

Peter Vaughan

Harry Grout

Graham Ashley

Mr. Appleton

E

Eric Dodson

Mr. Banyard

Maurice Denham

Rawley

Paul Angelis

Navy Rum

R

Ralph Watson

Landlord

Seasons

18 episodes

Series 11974 · 6 episodes

Series 21975 · 6 episodes

Series 31977 · 6 episodes