Number 73

Series 3

April - August 1983

BEHIND THE SCENES

This series saw big changes for the programme, as the decision was taken to network it across all the ITV regions. To facilitate this the show moved from TVS's Southampton studios to their new complex at Maidstone (the studio at Russell Street in Dover being far too small).

ON SCREEN

The move to Maidstone created a lot of unanswered questions for regular viewers in the TVS region, such as the change of address and phone number. But possibly the oddest was the fact that Percy Simmonds had now become Alec Simmonds, and had also acquired a Scottish accent. Viewers who wrote in about this were told that Alec was Percy's long lost identical cousin from Scotland... In actual fact, it was just a concession to let actor Patrick Doyle speak with his own accent rather than pretending to be from Southampton.

SERIES 3 FASCINATING FACTS!

The new postcode was the legendary ME15 6RS (me-fifteen-six r's).
The set was basically the same as before, but there were four panes in the window above the door, rather than five. Apparently.