Bread

1986•30m•7.0/10

Comedy

Ratings

🎬TMDb

7.0/10(25)

Bread is a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991. The series focused on the devoutly-Catholic and extended Boswell family of Liverpool, in the district of Dingle, led by its matriarch Nellie through a number of ups and downs as they tried to make their way through life in Thatcher's Britain with no visible means of support. The street shown at the start of each programme is Elswick Street. A family called Boswell had also featured in Lane's earlier sitcom The Liver Birds and Lane admitted in interviews that the two families were probably related. Nellie's feckless and estranged husband, Freddie, left her for another woman known as 'Lilo Lill'. Her children Joey, Jack, Adrian, Aveline and Billy continued to live in the family home in Kelsall Street and contributed money to the central family fund, largely through benefit fraud and the sale of stolen goods.

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Language

Status

Ended

First Aired

May 1, 1986

Last Aired

November 3, 1991

Networks

BBC One

Created By

Carla Lane

Where to Watch

Region US · Lang EN

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Available in Your Library

Seasons & Episodes

Select a season to view episodes. Reddit links may contain spoilers.

Season

Episode 1

Air date: 1986-05-01

The family talks about their dreams and what they hope to achieve in the future. Over breakfast discussions develop about working and what the individual members of the Boswell family do. None appear to have any sort of regular income except Adrian who is in real estate.

Episode 2

Air date: 1986-05-08

Billy buys a ring for Julie, but later learns that opals are bad luck and is told to get rid of it.

Episode 3

Air date: 1986-05-15

Freddie Boswell makes a return to his family home. He gets a cool reception from his wife and children.

Episode 4

Air date: 1986-05-22

A photographer suggests Aveline should pose topless and wishes he hadn't. Jack makes an unsuccessful entry into the art world.

Episode 5

Air date: 1986-05-29

Freddie's sea-faring brother has died and the Boswells decide to arrange a burial at sea.

Episode 6

Air date: 1986-06-05

Billy finds out that he is to become a father, Joey learns of his dad's gambling debt, Adrian is made redundant, Aveline's nude pictures are published and Jack buries a stolen candlestick in his Grandma's grave.