Was Porridge filmed in a real prison?
The BBC production team had planned to film Porridge in a real prison. However, before filming began the Home Office refused, so the BBC improvised. They used the main gatehouse of former St Albans Prison at Victoria Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire as the main gate of “Slade Prison”.
What was the name of the prison officer in Porridge?
Henry Barrowclough
Henry Barrowclough is a prison officer, portrayed by Brian Wilde. Unlike Mr Mackay, whose harsh and confrontational methods he disapproves of (though he dare not make this known to Mr Mackay), Barrowclough is a timid, sympathetic man who firmly believes that the role of prison is to rehabilitate rather than punish.
Was Porridge filmed at Leavesden Hospital?
It was shot mainly on location at Chelmsford Prison, Essex, which was unoccupied at the time because it was being refurbished after a fire in one of the wings.
Who was the black guy in Porridge?
| Norman Stanley Fletcher | |
|---|---|
| Ronnie Barker as Fletcher. | |
| Porridge/Going Straight character | |
| Portrayed by | Ronnie Barker Shaun Williamson |
| Duration | 1974–1978, 2003 |
Why is Porridge called prison?
The show’s title is a reference to both the traditional breakfast that used to be served in British prisons, and a 1950s British slang term for a prison sentence. Porridge was critically acclaimed and is widely considered to be one of the greatest British sitcoms of all time.
Is Slade prison a real prison?
porridge. Inmates at category B Chelmsford, in Essex, moan “child-sized” dollops leave them hungry. Even staff criticised the portions at the prison, which doubled for fictional HMP Slade in the 1979 movie version of Ronnie Barker’s hit BBC sitcom.
Why was lukewarm called lukewarm in Porridge?
Back then it was still unusual for a gay character to appear in a sitcom. I ended up playing him a bit like me. I used to like knitting so I suggested Lukewarm – who got his nickname from working in the prison kitchen and always preparing tepid food – should knit.
Where were the outside scenes of porridge filmed?
Instead the main gatehouse of the disused St Albans prison (in the town’s Victoria Street) was used in the opening credits. Exteriors were first filmed at a psychiatric hospital near Watford.
Where is the new porridge filmed?
Porridge is a BBC Studios production filmed in front of a studio audience at dock10 in Media City, Salford.
How many years did Fletcher get in Porridge?
five years
Norman Stanley Fletcher you are an habitual criminal who accepts arrest as an occupational hazard and presumably accepts imprisonment in the same casual manner …” So says the judge at the beginning of each episode of Porridge – the celebrated prison sit-com set in fictional HMP Slade – as he sentences “lovable …
Is oatmeal served in prisons?
Porridge used to be a significant part of a prisoner’s diet, but news has emerged that the breakfast food has now been banned in prisons for over a decade.
What is a wet cell in prison?
Areas holding higher security inmates are often equipped with wet cells. Correctional officers do not want to escort high-risk inmates to and from the toilet, as too much can go wrong in that journey from cell to toilet. For this reason, day spaces flanked with wet cells are seen as the easier model to supervise.