Built on solid foundations QUICK FACT

The successful writing partnership of Essexborn Dick Clement and Whitley Bay-born Ian La Frenais were behind Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. The duo, pictured, also wrote The Likely Lads and Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads and Porridge. The Likely Lads reached 27 million viewers at its peak.

and Ian La Frenais scripted the series, filling it with colourful characters like Denis, family man Neville, Oz, Brummie electrician Barry, Moxey, carpenter Wayne and Bomber, an ex-wrestler from Bristol.

Jimmy Nail originally went to apply as an extra and ended up playing the outspoken, lager-swilling Oz.

Graffiti was even found on the Berlin Wall shortly before it came down saying “built by Germans, demolished by Oz”.

The first series saw the lads working in Dusseldorf and became a surprise hit for ITV. The theme song, That’s Livin’ Alright, sung by Joe Fagin, even became a chart hit.

Borehamwood was used as the setting for the German building site and was later transformed to become Albert Square for BBC soap Eastenders.

Viewers were gripped by the hourlong episodes and the series ran until 1986 before the BBC carried on the story of the guys in 2002 after a 16-year gap.

It saw Noel Clarke playing Wayne’s son Wyman. Gary Holton, who played Wayne, died in 1985, aged

CEMENTING THEIR FAME:

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet stars, from left: Gary Holton, Kevin Whately, Tim Healy, Pat Roach and Jimmy Nail

just 33. Fellow cast member Pat Roach, who played Bomber, died of cancer in 2004, aged 67.

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet ended in 2004 with a two-part Christmas special called Au Revoir which saw members of the building crew returning to Germany to work once more after dealing with everything from a bomb blast to a ransom demand.