The Village (1993 TV series)


The Village is a television series about the life and times of the villagers of Bentley, Hampshire, from 1993 to 2001.
It was initially broadcast as a radio programme on BBC Radio 4, Christmas 1990, and continued in 1991, 1992 and 1993 - a total of 50 radio broadcasts. A book was also written by Nigel Farrell, covering the original Radio 4 episodes: The Village: The Early Years.
Due to the success of the radio broadcast, the TV series began filming in summer 1993 and was broadcast on 3 October 1993 by ITV Meridian, later to be shown on BBC 2 and Sky. It was also exported to Australian and Norwegian TV. The series was produced by Paul Sommers for Tiger Aspect Productions. It was directed and narrated by Nigel Farrell. It ran for 102 episodes.

Cast

The Top 10 Cast
NameDescriptionEpisodes
Simmi PlayerSwiss Beautician76
Tony HolmesFarmer74
Pinkie SalmonPoliceman34
Mary ThomsonCaptain Thomson's wife62
Captain Andrew ThomsonSubmarine Captain 62
Terry CoxBentley Stores delivery man46
Joan CoxTerry Cox's wife35
Jumbo FullerTony Holmes' brother in law45
DaveThe Plumber / Elvis impersonator39
Les PlayerSoftware developer and entrepreneur63

Episodes

The date shown is the date first broadcast on Meridian TV. The events in the series had occurred in the previous 6–12 months prior to broadcast.
SeriesEpisodeDateContent
113 October 1993The Village Fete 1993. Simmi joins a dating agency. A new village bobby appears in the village.
1210 October 1993Simmi goes on first date at agency. Pam Holmes plans parachute jump
1317 October 1993Terry Cox planning to win cup at Fete. Preparations for the fete start
1424 October 1993Pam Holmes makes parachute jump. Bentley Fete opens. Cow Pat lottery with Claire the Coe. Simmi does face painting at fete.
1531 October 1993Hop pickers arrive. Simmi meets John on second data at fete - but it's the last. Alan Wheatley has doubts about future of the village stores.
167 November 1993Alan Wheatley plans to cut the stores in half. Simmi searches the dating agency again. The by-pass work starts.
2120 April 1994The Star pub changes gets a new landlord. Elvis looks at Pinkie's plumbing.
224 May 1994Pinkie lies in wait for burglars at Bentley stores. The threat to local business by the new bypass. Pinkie shops for baby clothes.
2311 May 1994Debbie Salmon is pregnant. The pheasant shoot.
2418 May 1994Tony wants to dig gravel from his land to build a by-pass, but neighbour and brother-in-law, Jumbo objects.
2525 April 1994The Balloon flight. Chris Holmes plans his marriage – but to Sarah a 'townie'
261 June 1994
3130 October 1994Dave the Plumber announces marriage to Dee. Jumbo plans action against gravel extraction to build by-pass.
326 November 1994The girl with no belly button.
3313 November 1994Simmi's new boyfriend has a surprise for Simmi. Les moving from Germany to Bentley to set up new business. Elvis sings.
3420 November 1994Will Les propose? Simmi's mum arrives from Switzerland to meet Les. Simmi and Les view new offices on Bentley Industrial Estate. New police woman arrives in Bentley.
3527 November 1994WPC Woodcock arrives. Les and Simmi's software arrives and move into new offices. Chris Holmes's stag night
364 December 1994Preparations for Froyle pantomime – with WPC Sue Woodcock as Mother Goose
4115 March 1995Simmi and Les employ new staff, but no money to pay wages. Tony Holmes goes on fox hunt. Mary at The Bull pub needs staff. Chris Holmes's wedding preparations in Wales.
4222 March 1995Chris and Sarah's wedding in Wales. Simmi and Les prepare for computer fair at Olympia, London.
4329 March 1995Simmi and Les finally sell software at Olympia. Final rehearsal for Mother Goose. WPC Sue Woodcock gets bad news from Australia.
4412 April 1995WPC Sue Woodcock mother has heart attack in Australia. Mother Goose performs. Farmer Colin Meatyard announces end of his marriage. James Campbell the new vicar announced.
4519 April 1995Simmi and Les discuss the effects of contraception – and vasectomy. Colin Meatyard to sell dairy herd to settle his divorce. Will the bypass mean the end of Bentley stores?
4626 April 1995Les decides to have vasectomy. Bentley Bypass opens.
515 November 1995Les has the vasectomy. Campaigns for local election candidates starts. Preparations for 100th villager fete starts.
5212 November 1995Simmi rushes to Switzerland to see her ill father. Local elections. Colin finds Lorraine in "lonely hearts" in Farmers Weekly.
5319 November 1995Election results. Simmi returns from Switzerland after her father dies. Marion explains about dyslexic children.
5426 November 1995Nicholas Parsons opens 100th Bentley fete. Marion to go to House of Lords to appeal against dyslexia laws. Thefts from allotments.
553 December 1995Marion wins appeal at House of Lords re dyslexia laws and celebrates. Simmi's mum comes to stay. Tony wins election.
5610 December 1995WPC Sue Woodcock can't raise air fare to Australia. Simmi and Les expand office. Does Colin need to sell farm to pay ex-wife?
616 October 1996Sue arrives in Australia to visit dying mother. Peter Blackman is new taxi driver in village. Simmi and Les take staff to Chequers pub. CSA chases Les.
6213 October 1996Letter from CSA for Les upsets Simmi. Sue asks why did her mother abandon her and move to Australia. Sarah announces that she will not give up Jon in London.
6320 October 1996Mark Christmas, on morale high due to Lords judgement gets new girlfriend. Star landlord to leave.
6427 October 2006Sue returns from Australia Nicky wants to be new landlord of Star pub. Marion meets Marks new girlfriend. Les divorce delayed. Tony Holmes has a weight problem.
653 November 1996Bob Wilson and Nicky Meatyard are new landlord of the Star. Will Adrian the PI sponsor the Bentley football team. Bentley loses 6-2 leaving sponsorship is in doubt.
6610 November 1996Tony Holmes is diabetic. Sue investigates local signs being stolen. Star opens with Nicky and Bob as landlords.
6717 November 1996Les has problems collecting from bad debtors. Simmi has car crash and has to wear neck brace. Chequers get new French chef. Lorraine plans party for Colin.
6824 November 1996Les gets response from CSA. Colin has birthday party. Bentley cook book launched.
691 December 1996Great crested newt found in the pond - but this is a problem for the ducks.
6108 December 1996Duck & Newt story gets into national press. Cook book content continues to grow.
61115 December 1996Is the Chequers haunted? Ducks get a reprieve. Les arranges printing of the Bentley cook book Tony Holmes's Sarah is pregnant.
61222 December 1996Cook book sales go well. Medium arrives at the Chequers.
715 October 1997Simmi and Les decide to renovate their cottage, but wants ex-husband to do the work. Dave the Plumber has an accident.
7212 October 1997Simmi's ex Dick starts work on the cottage. Dave the Plumber goes to police station to explain what happened on stage.
7319 October 1997Les is critical about work by Dick at the cottage. Dave visits his solicitor about assault incident. Terry persuades Joan to go to the races. Dave sings at village show.
7426 October 1997Sue sings at village show. Andrew narrates at show.
752 November 1997Lorraine wants to join the police force. Huge ugly surgery sign appears. Les and Simmi plan to expand the software business
769 November 1997Lorraine takes police exam. Joan taken to hospital. Petition to remove ugly village road sign.
7716 November 1997Lorraine fails police entrance exam. Alan makes plans for the shop. Bentley road sign is removed.
7823 November 1997PC Sue Woodcock plans her retirement from police force. Simmi and Les announce their wedding plans. Les proposes on holiday in Turkey.
7930 November 1997Penny makes her will. Bentley fete opens. Les converting part of his office in the industrial estate for Simmi new salon. Sue in the stocks. Simmi and Les prepare their wedding list. Penny goes gliding.
7107 December 1997Tony in hospital. Andrew inspects sea cadets. Simmi and Les in-laws meet. Sue and Lorraine discuss strange lights in the sky. UFO in Hampshire?
71114 December 1997Sue believes lights are a UFO. Simmi's mum has doubts about wedding. Peter Blackman want to run the pub. Simmi and Les design their engagement ring. More UFOs.
71221 December 1997Peter Blackman is the new landlord of The Star. Sue plans her farewell party. Simmi listens to an old clairvoyants tape recording. Les picks up engagement ring. Sue has her party at The Star.
814 October 1998Simmi and Les disagree about wedding. Sue moves out. WPC Sarah Wilcox comes to village. Dave wants to go to Gracelands.
8211 October 1998WPC Wilcox arrests someone for slashing tyres in village. Peter plans B&B in Bentley at The Star. Lorraine inherits some money and wants to invest in The Star pub.
8318 October 1998Dave is scared of flying to USA. Les and Simmi have their engagement dinner. Simmi plans to expand her salon.
8425 October 1998Dave books tickets for fear of flying course. Sarah and Phil move into the police house. Simmi plans her radio broadcasting career. Peter cleans up the B&B in The Star.
851 November 1998Catherine passes her driving test. The Star gets its first B&B customer. Dave goes on his fear of flying course at Heathrow.
868 November 1998Simmi records her pilot radio show - but it can't be edited. WPC Sarah issues speeding tickets in Bentley.
8715 November 1998Simmi's radio show gets rejected. Sue Woodcock opens the village fete. Simmi hears her mum has cancer and returns home to Switzerland. Tony and Jumbo go to paint ball range.
8822 November 1998Sarah gets married. Andrew gets upset about plan to build 100 homes in Bentley. Peter starts to receive nuisance calls. Simmi returns home to Bentley after her mum has operation.
8929 November 1998Hilda is upset by careless dogs and their owners fouling the footbaths. Campaign against new development continues. WPC Kedge identifies the nuisance calls to Peter.
8106 December 1998Will Tony sell land for development? Village pond needs cleaning, but there are no volunteers.
81113 December 1998The dog fouling officer starts fining offenders. Dee needs a hysterectomy. Community service offenders clean pond. Les plans Simmi 40th birthday to.....
81220 December 1998Tony collects his restored Morris Minor. Dee's operation is a success. Simmi and Les set off on surprise trip - 1st class.
9113 October 1999Les takes Simmi to Paris for 40th birthday, but Simmi just wast to go shopping. Les has problems with his French. Les proposes to Simmi. Colin sells his dairy herd.
9220 October 1999Colins language puts off buyers. Alan seeks loan from bank to improve the village stores. Tony and Jumbo have a car race.
9327 October 1999Alan has meeting with bank manager and gets loan. The great car race continues.
942 November 1999Tony wins the great car race. Alans starts to split his shop into two – but there are delays. Simmi and Les argue about details of their marriage plans.
9510 November 1999Les and Simmi choose outfit for the wedding - but Les must lose weight. Terry and Joan have their 50th wedding anniversary party.
9617 November 1999Les continues his diet and takes up exercising. Peter starts clamping non patrons in the pub car park. Dave fails to get on Stars in their Eyes. Mary works on Simmi's wedding dress
9724 November 1999Les loses enough weight to get married. Jumbo discovers a strange plant in garden - is it legal? Dave performs as Elvis at The Star pub. Colin parks his tractor in pub car park.
981 December 1999Les and Simmi check out wedding venues and then collects Simmi's mum from airport. As Simmi invites her ex-husband, Les invites his ex-wife Melanie to Wedding. WPC Sarah announces she is pregnant.
998 December 1999The Star loses customers to The Chequers. Andrew and Mary prepare surprise for Hilda's 80th. Les goes to his quiet stag night while Simmi has a wild hen night.
91015 December 1999Simmi has a hangover from the hen night. Hilda's surprise party with a "This is Your Life" presentation.
91122 December 1999Simmi is nervous prior to the wedding, while Les has to work late. Peter upgrades the facilities at The Star.
91229 December 1999Simmi's and Les' wedding.
10119 October 2000The not blinking competition announced. Les and Simmi get stressed in their software business, but Simmi introduces Feng Shui.
10226 Oc6 2000PC Pinky leaves the police to run the local pub. Simmi applies Feng Shui. Terry relives his life driving a steam train.
1032 November 2000
1049 November 2000
10516 November 2000
10623 November 2000
10730 December 2000
1087 December 2000
10914 December 2000
101021 December 2000
101128 December 2000
10124 January 2001
11116 August 2001
11223 August 2001
11330 August 2001
1146 September 2001
11513 September 2001
11620 September 2001
11727 September 2001PC Sarah moves out of the police house. Tony discusses his portrait. Bob plans his taxi trap.
1184 October 2001Bob meets his competition. Simmi and Les plan to rescue the village fete's lack of a cow.
11911 October 2001
111018 October 2001
111115 November 2001Hop picking. Captain Thompson and Mary continue to edit their Bentley book. Pinkie, the Star pub landlord, receives hate mail. Simmi and Les decide on future of the software business.
111222 November 2001Les gets overwhelming interest at exhibition. Pinkie suspects everyone as source of poison-pen letter. Captain Thompson completes his Official History of Bentley book. Mary remembers times past.