Parents of the Band

2008 British sitcom

Parents of the Band

Genre| Sitcom
Created by| Jimmy Nail
Tarquin Gotch
Written by| David Cummings
Dick Clement
Ian La Frenais
Directed by| Dominic Brigstocke
Starring| Jimmy Nail
Peter Losasso
Theme music composer| Gary Kemp
Jimmy Nail
Opening theme| "I Cry (Don't You Read the Papers?)"
Composer| Mark Hinton Stewart
Country of origin| United Kingdom
Original language| English
No. of series| 1
No. of episodes| 6
Production
Executive producers| Kenton Allen
Jimmy Nail
Tarquin Gotch
Producer| Charlie Hanson
Cinematography| Martin Hawkins
Editor| Richard Halladey
Camera setup| Louise Edmunds
Running time| 30 Mins
Production companies| BBC Vision Productions
Serious Entertainment Productions
Original release
Network| BBC One
Release| 28 November 2008 (2008-11-28) –
9 January 2009 (2009-01-09)

Parents of the Band is a 2008 British comedy television series, created by Jimmy Nail and Tarquin Gotch and shown on BBC One. The show stars Jimmy Nail, and is set around a teenage musical band, which each band member's parents are trying to manage.

## Plot

[edit]

Phil Parker (Nail) is the father of Jack (Peter Losasso), who is a drummer in a teen band with a number of his friends. Phil is recently separated from his wife Marketa (Young) and was in a 'one-hit wonder' band in the 1980s, with the song "I Cry". Jack and his band simply want to jam and have fun, but their parents are standing in the way, not because they disapprove, but because they also want to be a part of the rock-star lifestyle. Ultimately the band enter into a talent contest.

## Development

[edit]

The six-episode series was commissioned by Lucy Lumsden, BBC Controller, Comedy Commissioning. The show was a co-venture between BBC Vision Productions and Serious Entertainment Productions. The latter company is owned by the series co-creators, Jimmy Nail and Tarquin Gotch. The series was written by David Cummings, and the script was edited by the writing partners, Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. The producer is Charlie Hanson and executive producer is Kenton Allen, BBC Creative Head of Comedy Talent and Comedy North.[1]

Jimmy Nail composed the theme music with Gary Kemp, of the eighties synth-pop band Spandau Ballet. A music video for the song "I Cry" was also posted on the show's BBC website.

## Cast

[edit]

* Jimmy Nail as Phil Parker
* Peter Losasso as Jack Parker
* Nina Young as Marketa
* Cascade Brown as Shania
* Niky Wardley as Sandy Soutakis
* David Barseghian as Eddie Soutakis
* Lucinda Dryzek as Lucy Soutakis
* Nicola Hughes as Carmen Cunningham
* Colin McFarlane as Ashton Cunningham
* Franz Drameh as Granville Cunningham
* Michael Karim as Adi Kundra
* Geoffrey McGivern as Kipper Hitchcock

## Broadcast

[edit]

The first episode aired on 28 November 2008 at 8:30pm on BBC One. On BBC One Scotland, and BBC One Northern Ireland however, the show aired at various times on Fridays. Each episode of Parents of the Band also aired in High-definition on BBC HD a week after its BBC One showing. The first episode received 2.61 million (11.2%) viewers.[2] Episode 2 gained an additional 250,000 viewers, with 2.86m (12.7%).[3] The final episode of series one aired on 9 January 2009.

## Episodes

[edit]

No.| Title| Written by| Original release date| UK viewers
(millions)

|
|
|
|

1| "Episode 1"| David Cummings, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais| 28 November 2008 (2008-11-28)| 2.61[4]

Jack and his friends form a band, and while practising their parents decide to become the band's management.

2| "Episode 2"| David Cummings, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais| 5 December 2008 (2008-12-05)| 2.86[5]

The band cannot decide on a name for themselves, even though they have their first gig. It is at Adi's birthday party, which he insists that he sings at. Phil gets hit by a chair at the end and goes to hospital.

3| "Episode 3"| David Cummings, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais| 12 December 2008 (2008-12-12)| N/A

The school has a work experience week, and the band each go to work with each others' parents. Phil discovers that Jack has been smoking, and agrees to give up coffee if he stops smoking.

4| "Episode 4"| David Cummings, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais| 19 December 2008 (2008-12-19)| N/A

A Danish singer called Inge is asked by Phil to be the new singer for the band, but he does not consult the other parents.

5| "Episode 5"| David Cummings, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais| 2 January 2009 (2009-01-02)| N/A

Jack's father Phil gets the band to play for his parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Phil's father passes out during the performance.

6| "Episode 6"| David Cummings, Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais| 9 January 2009 (2009-01-09)| N/A

The band, now called One, Two, Three, Four, enter a talent contest at their school, while getting the attention of a competing girl group. Klariza Clayton guest stars.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Jimmy Nail returns to BBC One in Parents of the Band". BBC Press Office. 19 March 2008. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
2. ^ "Sluggish start for new Nail comedy". Digital Spy. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
3. ^ "10m see Swash win 'I'm A Celebrity'". Digital Spy. 6 December 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
4. ^ "Sluggish start for new Nail comedy". Digital Spy. 30 November 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008.
5. ^ "10m see Swash win 'I'm A Celebrity'". Digital Spy. 6 December 2008. Retrieved 6 December 2008.

## External links

[edit]

* Parents of the Band at BBC Online
* Parents of the Band at BBC Online
* Parents of the Band at IMDb
* Parents of the Band at British Comedy Guide

* v
* t
* e

Works by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais

Sitcoms|

* The Likely Lads (1964–66)
* Further Adventures of Lucky Jim (1967)
* Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads? (1973–74)
* Porridge (1974–77)
* Thick as Thieves (1974)
* Going Straight (1978)
* The Further Adventures of Lucky Jim (1982)
* The Old Boy Network (1992)
* Tracey Takes On... (1996–99)
* Parents of the Band (2008–09)
* Henry IX (2017)

Other series|

* Auf Wiedersehen, Pet (1983–2004)
* Lovejoy (1986–94)
* Full Stretch (1993)
* Archangel (2005)
* The Rotters' Club (2005)
* Spies of Warsaw (2013)

Films|

* The Jokers (1967)
* Otley (1968)
* Hannibal Brooks (1969)
* To Catch a Spy (1971)
* Villain (1971)
* The Likely Lads (1976)
* Porridge (1979)
* The Prisoner of Zenda (1979)
* Never Say Never Again (1983)
* Bullshot (1983)
* Water (1985)
* Vice Versa (1988)
* The Commitments (1991)
* Excess Baggage (1997)
* Still Crazy (1998)
* Honest (2000)
* Goal! (2005)
* Flushed Away (2006)
* Across the Universe (2007)
* The Bank Job (2008)
* Killing Bono (2011)

Theatre work|

* Billy (1974)

Clement alone|

* Anyone for Denis? (1982)

La Frenais alone|

* Percy's Progress (film, 1971)
* The Other 'Arf (1980–84)
* Spender (1991–93)

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