

Hi-de-Hi!
Hi-de-Hi! is a British sitcom set in Maplins, a fictional holiday camp, during 1959 and 1960, and was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who also wrote Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum amongst others. It aired on the BBC from 1980 to 1988. The series revolved around the lives of the camp's management and entertainers, most of them struggling actors or has-beens. The inspiration was the experience of writers Perry and Croft: after being demobilised from the army, Perry was a Redcoat at Butlin's, Pwllheli during the holiday season. The series gained large audiences and won a BAFTA as Best Comedy Series in 1984. In 2004, it came 40th in Britain's Best Sitcom and in a 2008 poll on Channel 4, 'Hi-de-Hi!" was voted the 35th most popular comedy catchphrase.
Cast

Ruth Madoc
Gladys Pugh

Paul Shane
Ted Bovis

Su Pollard
Peggy Ollerenshaw

Jeffrey Holland
Spike Dixon

Felix Bowness
Fred Quilley

Nikki Kelly
Sylvia Garnsey

Diane Holland
Yvonne Stuart-Hargreaves
David Griffin
Clive Dempster
Ben Aris
Julian Dalrymple-Sykes
Chris Andrews
Gary

Linda Regan
April
David Webb
Stanley Matthews
Tony Webb
Bruce Matthews

Kenneth Connor
Sammy
Ken Barrie
Singing Narrator (uncredited)
Seasons

E1Hey Diddle Diddle (Pilot)
Jan 1, 1980
It is 1959. Tired of academia, Cambridge University archaeology professor Jeffrey Fairbrother goes to Maplin's Holiday Camp as the new Entertainments Manager, a job he looks forward to with idealised optimism. Camp host, Ted Bovis, instructs his new recruit, camp comic Spike Dixon, in how to succeed at Maplin's. The pilot would subsequently be shown consecutively with the first series, although repeated broadcasts on television were edited to reduce the runtime down to a more standard half-hour format.
E2Desire in the Mickey Mouse Grotto
Feb 26, 1981
Jeffrey is implicated when Ted is spotted entering a chalet with a girl camper.
E3The Beauty Queen Affair
Mar 5, 1981
Jeffrey is called upon to judge the Holiday Princess Competition. Meanwhile, Ted teaches Spike how to make the most of the campers' generosity.
E4The Partridge Season
Mar 12, 1981
Mr. Partridge's drinking is getting worse, and Jeffrey's untimely decision to give him an advance on his wages doesn't help matters.
E5The Day of Reckoning
Mar 19, 1981
Fred's past comes back to haunt him, causing the staff - Peggy and Spike in particular - several difficulties.
E6Charity Begins at Home
Mar 26, 1981
Joe Maplin ordains that each Thursday should be Sunshine Smile Day, encouraging Ted to indulge in a money-making scheme.
E7No Dogs Allowed
Apr 2, 1981
Jeffrey's marital problems start to interfere with his work, and scandalous rumours are soon circulating around the camp.
E1If Wet - In the Ballroom
Nov 29, 1981
The alarming amount of rainfall is disrupting the Maplin's schedule endlessly.
E2Peggy's Big Chance
Dec 6, 1981
Peggy's burning ambition to be a Yellowcoat may be realised when she is asked to take part in the latest pool wheeze.
E3Lift up Your Minds
Dec 13, 1981
Jeffrey feels the 'Who's Got The Wrong Trousers On?' competition is not catering for the cultural needs of the campers, and resolves to do something about it.
E4On With the Motley
Dec 20, 1981
Ted feels his big chance has come when he is asked to perform some dates at the local golf club dinners.
E5A Night Not to Remember
Dec 27, 1981
Jeffrey gets lead astray by some campers, and ends up a little worse for wear. Naturally, Gladys is eager to take advantage of the situation.
E6Sausages or Limelight
Jan 3, 1982
Spike is forced to make an impossible decision when his girlfriend's father issues an ultimatum.
E1Nice People With Nice Manners
Oct 31, 1982
Yvonne and Barry decide to hold a party in their chalet for the more distinguished among the staff.
E2Carnival Time
Nov 7, 1982
It is time for the annual town carnival, and Jeff is looking to Ted for ideas for the Maplin's float.
E3A Matter of Conscience
Nov 14, 1982
When Joe Maplin realises that the council's idea for a new hospital threatens his plans for the camp, he advises the staff of what action they must take.
E4The Pay-Off
Nov 21, 1982
In spite of the staff's efforts, the local council remains unfazed by the prospect of having Joe Maplin as a neighbour for the proposed hospital, so Joe takes drastic action.
E5Trouble and Strife
Nov 28, 1982
Ted's ex-wife is causing him grief by demanding her maintenance money. When she arrives at the camp in person, Ted is forced to act quickly.
E6Stripes
Dec 5, 1982
Joe Maplin decides that Gladys should hold the newly-created title of Head Yellowcoat. However, someone who looks likely to threaten her new position arrives at the camp.
E1Co-Respondent's Course
Dec 12, 1982
Jeffrey's wife is anxious to acquire a divorce. Unfortunately, he is not very co-operative when it comes to giving grounds.
E2It's a Blue World
Dec 19, 1982
Ted arranges a special late-night showing of a blue movie for the male campers.
E3Eruptions
Dec 26, 1982
Ted is fed up with his act being constantly interrupted, distracting his audience, and decides it's time Jeffrey did something about it.
E4The Society Entertainer
Jan 2, 1983
A female camper captures Spike's heart, making him eager to impress her - even if his act suffers as a result!
E5Sing You Sinners
Jan 9, 1983
The chaplain retires from his camp duties, leaving the Sunday Half-Hour in need of a replacement.
E6Maplin Intercontinental
Jan 16, 1983
Joe Maplin is opening a new camp in the Bahamas, and decrees that the winner of the 'Most Popular Girl Yellowcoat of the Season Competition' will fulfil a post there.
E7All Change
Jan 23, 1983
With the camp filled to capacity, Jeffrey is less than delighted to learn that he has to re-accommodate the entire entertainments staff to make way for the new Yellowcoat Supervisor.
E1Concessions
Nov 27, 1983
Ted deceives Jeffrey in order to keep a private booking at a local function.
E2Save Our Heritage
Dec 4, 1983
Joe Maplin commands Jeffrey to assist with the demolition of a nearby cottage, which stands in the way of the camp's new extension.
E3Empty Saddles
Dec 11, 1983
Fred is in for a devastating blow when Joe Maplin makes a decision concerning the camp's horses.
E4The Marriage Settlement
Dec 18, 1983
Jeffrey finally agrees to divorce his wife, but in order to do so, he will require the help of a highly improbable source.
E5The Graven Image
Jan 8, 1984
The camp is all prepared for the unveiling of the new Joe Maplin statue. Alas, several factors, including Spike's uncharacteristic drunkenness, ensure that the ceremony does not run smoothly.
E6Peggy's Pen Friend
Jan 15, 1984
Peggy raises a few eyebrows among the staff when she informs them she has a new boyfriend.
E7The Epidemic
Jan 22, 1984
The staff are expecting a visit from Joe Maplin, when there is an outbreak of 'chads' - a form of graffiti. As an indirect result, Barry injures his back.
E1Together Again
Nov 3, 1984
The Maplin's staff assembles at the start of the new season to find a few surprises awaiting them.
E2Ted at the Helm
Nov 10, 1984
Ted is excited at the prospect of becoming the new entertainments manager, especially when he is summoned to Maplin's Head Office.
E3Opening Day
Nov 17, 1984
The opening day of the season has arrived and the staff prepare to greet the first batch of campers at the station.
E4Off With the Motley
Nov 24, 1984
When the post of Stores Supervisor becomes vacant, Peggy is promoted.
E5Hey Diddle Diddle, Who's on the Fiddle?
Dec 1, 1984
Peggy and Spike uncover evidence that suggests Joe Maplin gave Clive a job in order to spy on the staff.
E6Raffles
Dec 25, 1984
When Ted remembers that he has an old car "identical to Clive's" gathering dust, he comes up with a devious scheme to make some money.
E1The Great Cat Robbery
Dec 25, 1985
When Peggy recognizes a picture of a recently-deceased cat burglar in the newspaper to be a former camper, Ted lets his imagination run wild.
E2It's Murder
Jan 5, 1986
It seems the campers are no longer prepared to put up with Mr. Partridge's behaviour towards their children. So the staff are faced with a predicament when he goes missing.
E3Who Killed Mr. Partridge?
Jan 12, 1986
Ted and Spike have discovered Partridge's dead body floating in the pool. They, and the rest of the staff, have to conceal his apparent murder from the campers.
E4Spaghetti Galore
Jan 19, 1986
Gladys finds herself very much in demand on the night of her birthday, with two offers of dinner... that she knows about!
E5A Lack of Punch
Jan 26, 1986
Head Office decides not to replace Mr. Partridge until the end of the season, and tells the staff that they are to stand in for him in the meantime.
E6Ivory Castles in the Air
Feb 9, 1986
Gladys gets the wrong idea when Clive takes her to visit his family estate.
E7Man Trap
Feb 16, 1986
Joe Maplin's press release angers its subjects, Gladys and Spike, whose relationships with Clive and April, respectively, look set to suffer.
E1Pigs Might Fly
Nov 8, 1986
The shock departure of Barry turns his partner Yvonne into a recluse in her chalet, and leaves the entertainments programme one act short.
E2The New Broom
Nov 15, 1986
The unexpected arrival of the new camp controller catches everyone off guard, and Alec Foster does not pull any punches...
E3Orphan of the Storm
Nov 22, 1986
The staff rallies round when Alec Foster sacks Peggy. But it seems as though nothing can be done to save her job.
E4God Bless Our Family
Dec 6, 1986
Fed up with Clive's irresponsible behaviour, his entire family turns up at the camp to try and talk some sense into him.
E5Only the Brave
Dec 13, 1986
Spike thinks the staff should do something special for April's birthday. But with Ted organising the occasion, things are unlikely to go as intended.
E6September Song
Dec 27, 1986
Ted has a new love interest: a young pianist whom he plans to marry. Elsewhere, Julian is hoping romance will blossom for himself and Yvonne, and takes her to visit his farm.
E1Tell It to the Marines
Dec 26, 1987
A Royal Marines sergeant antagonises Ted, causing him to make a rash statement he may have cause to regret.
E2Marry Go Round
Jan 2, 1988
The campers are complaining about how unfunny the camp comic is. Spike believes it's because his engagement to April is preying on his mind and attempts to find a cure.
E3The Perils of Peggy
Jan 9, 1988
In spite of her coldness towards him, Clive is desperate to win Gladys back - but he requires the help of Ted and Peggy.
E4Let Them Eat Cake
Jan 16, 1988
Alec Foster pays the camp another visit and Ted takes the opportunity to ask for a rise.
E5Wedding Bells
Jan 23, 1988
As Gladys and Clive prepare to take the plunge, there is a sudden panic when Clive's family finds out about the impending marriage and attempts to put a stop to it.
E6The Wind of Change
Jan 30, 1988
It's nearly the end of the season, and there are plenty of events scheduled. But when Dawn falls ill, the timetable is thrown into chaos and a replacement is needed.
Videos
Storyline
Hi-de-Hi! is a British sitcom set in Maplins, a fictional holiday camp, during 1959 and 1960, and was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft, who also wrote Dad's Army and It Ain't Half Hot Mum amongst others. It aired on the BBC from 1980 to 1988. The series revolved around the lives of the camp's management and entertainers, most of them struggling actors or has-beens. The inspiration was the experience of writers Perry and Croft: after being demobilised from the army, Perry was a Redcoat at Butlin's, Pwllheli during the holiday season. The series gained large audiences and won a BAFTA as Best Comedy Series in 1984. In 2004, it came 40th in Britain's Best Sitcom and in a 2008 poll on Channel 4, 'Hi-de-Hi!" was voted the 35th most popular comedy catchphrase.
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