Mornin’ Sarge – Nostalgia Central

1 9 8 9 (UK)
7 x 30 minute episodes

This BBC-2 comedy series began life as a one-off episode of Comic Asides in June 1989, with Constable Kevin Robinson (Pete McCarthy) – who used to be a geography teacher but couldn’t stand the violence and bad language – facing his first day on duty at the police station in the small provincial town of Middleford. 

His most serious problem seemed to be a woman with a tree stuck up her cat.

The BBC then commissioned a series, which premiered in November of the same year, beginning with a repeat of the Comic Asides episode (‘The New Constable’).

Working alongside Kevin were WPC Wendy (Rebecca Stevens) – the best copper at Middleford Broadway nick, who was an ace at finding missing husbands and lost cats but couldn’t find a boyfriend (the only men who didn’t mind her being a policewoman were traffic wardens) – and Detective Ted (Robin Driscoll), who believed in bullying, the verbals, and a bit of the physicals.

The three of them worked under ‘Sarge’ (Paul Brooke) – who often nodded off at his desk – and Inspector Ben (Tony Haase), who conducted Wagner in his office and was as mad as the rest.

Guests in the seven episodes included Robert Llewellyn, Janine Duvitski, Julie T. Wallace, Gerald Flood, Rosalind Knight, and Brian Pettifer.

Driscoll, Haase, McCarthy, and Stevens had all been members of the Cliffhanger Theatre Company and had previously written and starred in the surreal 1984 comedy series They Came from Somewhere Else for Channel 4 (also set in Middleford and featuring Rebecca Stevens as a policewoman named Wendy).

WPC Wendy
Rebecca Stevens
Constable Kevin Robinson
Pete McCarthy
Detective Ted
Robin Driscoll
Sarge
Paul Brooke
Inspector Ben
Tony Haase

Episodes

The New Constable | Perverts | Operation Football Match | I Blame the Parents | Internal Investigation | Family Planning | Stan the Knife

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