David’s back in business…
…but lynda won’t be on hand to take his pulse
Sir David Jason will once again star as miserly grocer Granville in a new series of Still Open All Hours, but sadly Lynda Baron won’t be reprising her role as Nurse Gladys Emmanuel.
Lynda, who first played the formidable character in 1976 when Arkwright (Ronnie Barker) was running the corner shop, was upset that other commitments meant she couldn’t be part of the third series, which begins with a Christmas special.
‘I was thrilled by the huge success of Still Open All Hours and was very happy to be part of it. However, this year it just isn’t possible to fit it in with my schedule.
‘I’m disappointed, not least because it’s beyond doubt the nicest cast and crew a girl could wish for. There are as many laughs off the set as there are on.’
Sir David, meanwhile, assured fans there would be plenty of the
latter, revealing that Roy Clarke, who recently penned Young Hyacinth – a prequel to Keeping Up Appearances – had delivered a hugely funny set of stories.
‘Roy has once again written seven fantastically warm, funny and inventive scripts, full of the humour and eccentric characters that the nation has come to love,’ said the 76-year-old, who has already starting filming on location in Doncaster.
The festive special will see Granville and Gastric (Tim Healy) doing a spot of marriage counselling, while Leroy (James Baxter) adopts a seasonal disguise to avoid relationship trouble of his own.
Other regulars returning to the fray are Stephanie Cole as
Mrs Featherstone, Johnny Vegas as Eric and Maggie Ollerenshaw as the love of Granville’s life, Mavis.