Hardwicke House
Encyclopedia
Hardwicke House was a 1987 seven-episode sitcom produced by Central Independent Television
for the ITV network. It was so negatively received that only the first two episodes were transmitted.
of the title, the staff of which were as dysfunctional as the pupils. One teacher was a multiple murderer, while the deputy headmaster lusted after male pupils. One teacher, Moose Magnusson, was on an extended exchange placement, as his own school in Iceland
refused to have him back.
for the week of the first two episodes - a double-length premiere and a "regular" episode - which were shown on consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with later episodes scheduled for subsequent Wednesdays. However, the public and press outcry against the series was so great that the series was pulled and replaced with re-runs of Chance in a Million
. Work on a second series was immediately halted. It was initially claimed that Central had wiped the master tapes of the whole first series, but this was later revealed to be untrue.
The remaining five untransmitted episodes included cameos from John Fortune
, Bryan Pringle
and - in the roles of highly dangerous boys recently released from borstal
- Rik Mayall
and Adrian Edmondson
.
The series has never been transmitted outside the United Kingdom (although it was offered for overseas sale by Central), nor yet released on any home video format.
Central Independent Television
Central Independent Television, more commonly known as Central is the Independent Television contractor for the Midlands, created following the restructuring of ATV and commencing broadcast on 1 January 1982. The station is owned and operated by ITV plc, under the licensee of ITV Broadcasting...
for the ITV network. It was so negatively received that only the first two episodes were transmitted.
Plot and episode titles
The series was set in the large comprehensive schoolComprehensive school
A comprehensive school is a state school that does not select its intake on the basis of academic achievement or aptitude. This is in contrast to the selective school system, where admission is restricted on the basis of a selection criteria. The term is commonly used in relation to the United...
of the title, the staff of which were as dysfunctional as the pupils. One teacher was a multiple murderer, while the deputy headmaster lusted after male pupils. One teacher, Moose Magnusson, was on an extended exchange placement, as his own school in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
refused to have him back.
- Episode 1 - The Visit (24 February 1987)
- Episode 2 - The First Day of Term (25 February 1987)
- Episode 3 - Interview Day (scheduled for 4 March 1987)
- Episode 4 - Prize Giving (scheduled for 11 March 1987)
- Episode 5 - Old Boys (scheduled for 18 March 1987)
- Episode 6 - Inspector Calls (scheduled for 25 March 1987)
- Episode 7 - Passion Play (scheduled for 1 April 1987)
Pre-publicity, broadcast and aftermath
The series was extensively trailed and featured on the front cover of the TV TimesTV Times
TVTimes is a television listings magazine published in the United Kingdom by IPC Media, a subsidiary of Time Warner. It is known for its access to television actors and their programmes. In 2006 it was refreshed for a more modern look, increasing its emphasis on big star interviews and soaps...
for the week of the first two episodes - a double-length premiere and a "regular" episode - which were shown on consecutive Tuesday and Wednesday nights, with later episodes scheduled for subsequent Wednesdays. However, the public and press outcry against the series was so great that the series was pulled and replaced with re-runs of Chance in a Million
Chance in a Million
Chance in a Million was a British sitcom broadcast between 1984 and 1986, produced by Thames Television for Channel 4.The series was co-written by Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen and starred Simon Callow and Brenda Blethyn....
. Work on a second series was immediately halted. It was initially claimed that Central had wiped the master tapes of the whole first series, but this was later revealed to be untrue.
The remaining five untransmitted episodes included cameos from John Fortune
John Fortune
John Fortune is a British satirist, comedian writer and actor, best known for his work with John Bird and Rory Bremner on the TV series Bremner, Bird and Fortune. He was educated at Bristol Cathedral School and King's College, Cambridge, where he was to meet and form a lasting friendship with John...
, Bryan Pringle
Bryan Pringle
Bryan Pringle was a British actor who appeared in television, film and theatre productions.Born in Tamworth, Staffordshire but raised in the Lancashire town of Bolton he trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. In 1958, he married character actress Anne Jameson; together they had...
and - in the roles of highly dangerous boys recently released from borstal
Borstal
A borstal was a type of youth prison in the United Kingdom, run by the Prison Service and intended to reform seriously delinquent young people. The word is sometimes used loosely to apply to other kinds of youth institution or reformatory, such as Approved Schools and Detention Centres. The court...
- Rik Mayall
Rik Mayall
Richard Michael "Rik" Mayall is an English comedian, writer, and actor. He is known for his comedy partnership with Ade Edmondson, his over-the-top, energetic portrayal of characters, and as a pioneer of alternative comedy in the early 1980s...
and Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Edmondson
Adrian Charles "Ade" Edmondson is an English comedian. He is probably best known for his comedic roles in the television series The Young Ones and Bottom , for which he also wrote together with his long-time collaboration partner Rik Mayall.-Early life:Edmondson, the second of four children, was...
.
The series has never been transmitted outside the United Kingdom (although it was offered for overseas sale by Central), nor yet released on any home video format.