Each week, we will be taking an in depth look at some of the best sitcoms and comedy shows from both the UK and the USA.

Today we will be looking at a comedy that ran for two seasons but had a great audience following –  Phoenix Nights

Opening title Sequence / Theme Tune

About the Show

Summary of Plot

The misadventures of club owner Brian Potter who is determined to make The Phoenix Club the best working men’s club in Greater Manchester.- IMDb

Number of Seasons / Episodes

2 Seasons

Characters:

Peter Kay – Brian Potter, Max, Paul Le Roy

Dave Spikey – Jerry Dignan

Justin Moorhouse – Young Kenny

Paddy McGuinness – Paddy

Archie Kelly – Kenny Senior

Trivia

• The characters from Phoenix Nights first appeared in the pilot episode of That Peter Kay Thing (2000), however the club in that episode was called the Neptune Club, which burnt down at the end of the episode. When Peter Kay was approached to come up with an idea for a sitcom, he brought the characters back feeling that he could expand them and give them more depth and he also gave them a new club.
• Nearly all the scenes throughout both series (including when the bouncers went to France) are filmed in or around Bolton.
• The series was filmed in a real club in Bolton.
• The scene in which Keith Lard and Brian are together in shot in Episode 1.3 is the first time two of Peter Kay’s characters are seen on screen in the same shot, when both are played by Peter Kay (rather than using stand ins in one of the roles).
• Bullseye presenter Jim Bowen made a guest appearance in series 2. Dave Spikey, who played Jerry St. Claire, later went on to present the 2006 Bullseye revival.

Classic Clips

Best Bits