No Commitments
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| Genre | Comedy drama |
|---|---|
| Running time | 30 minutes |
| Country of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Language(s) | English |
| Home station | BBC Radio 4 |
| Starring | Rosemary Leach Nicola Pagett Angela Thorne Celia Imrie Josie Lawrence Felicity Montagu Lisa Coleman Jonathan Coy Bill Nighy |
| Created by | Simon Brett |
| Written by | Simon Brett |
| Produced by | Paul Schlesinger Anne Jobson Maria Esposito Simon Brett |
| Original release | 9 January 1992 – 16 May 2007 |
| No. of series | 13 |
| No. of episodes | 78 |
| Audio format | Stereophonic sound |
| Website | BBC website |
No Commitments is a radio drama written by Simon Brett, originally broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and now on BBC Radio 4 Extra. It ran for 13 series, starting in 1992. The sitcom portrays the day-to-day lives of three very different sisters. All 13 series are now available as audiobooks.
Main characters[edit]
- Anna is the eldest and most level-headed of the three sisters. Having cared for her father for some years, on his death she inherited the family home. Generally happy and contented with life, she suddenly finds herself free to put herself first for once, now she genuinely has No Commitments, despite her sisters' belief that she requires their assistance in managing her personal life. She works as receptionist to Eddie, a misogynistic dentist.
- Victoria lives out her rôle as the middle class housewife in Beckenham, a London suburb. With her dull long-suffering financial director husband Roger, and their three children, Emily, Harriet and Benjy, she tries to maintain the family's social reputation, at all costs. Emily (who over time grows from a child to a young mother) finds her aunt Anna a more sympathetic confidante than her mother. Of the other children, Harriet features once and Benjy is not heard from at all in the series.
- Charlotte is the youngest sister, and longs to be a famous actress. Lacking somewhat in both talent and self-awareness, she stumbles from one small acting rôle to the next, finally finding a small amount of success in a little-known television soap opera. She seems to progress through serial lovers at about the same rate, often with the expectation that the casting couch will lead to the bed, or vice versa. She has one daughter, Gisele, the result of a brief marriage to an Australian actor, who has more success in her parents' profession after a period working for charities in Africa. Like Benjy, Gisele is never heard from directly.
Cast and crew[edit]
Regular cast[edit]
- Anna – Rosemary Leach
- Victoria
- Nicola Pagett (series 1–5)
- Angela Thorne (series 6–13)
- Charlotte
- Celia Imrie (series 1, 3–8, 10, 12)
- Josie Lawrence (series 2)
- Felicity Montagu (series 9, 11, 13)
- Roger
- Stephen Moore (series 1)
- Roger Lloyd-Pack (series 2)
- Jonathan Coy (series 3, 4, 12, 13)
- Bill Nighy (series 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
- Eddie – James Greene
- Delia (series 1) – Maxine Audley
- Emily
- Lisa Coleman (series 2–4, 6–13)
- Natalie Walter (series 5)
- Nick – Kieran Hill (series 10–13)
Production[edit]
- Music – Elizabeth Parker of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop
- Producer
- Paul Schlesinger (series 1, 2)
- Anne Jobson (series 3, 4)
- Maria Esposito (series 5, 6)
- Simon Brett (series 10–13)
Episode list[edit]
| Series | Episode | Title | First broadcast | Additional cast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Sisters Of Mercy | 9 January 1992 | |
| 2 | Empty Vessels | 16 January 1992 | Patrick – Andrew Wincott | |
| 3 | A Nice Civilized Evening | 23 January 1992 | Dr Fenton – Benjamin Whitrow, Melvyn – Ronald Herdman, The Two Hilarys – Mark Straker, Theresa Streatfeild | |
| 4 | Cracks In The Varnish | 30 January 1992 | Malcolm – Robert Bathurst, Dr Radford – Peter Penry-Jones, Georgio – Nicholas Murchie | |
| 5 | Old Embers | 6 February 1992 | Guy – David Swift, Wilson – Neil Roberts | |
| 6 | A Complete Break | 13 February 1992 | Patrick – Nicholas Murchie, Mrs Motson – Alison Reid | |
| 2 | 1 | Frail Memorials | 29 July 1993 | Judy – Theresa Gallagher, John Lassiter – Dominic Letts, Jeremy – Ronald Herdman |
| 2 | Bright Lights | 5 August 1993 | Jeremy – Ronald Herdman, Georgio – Dominic Letts | |
| 3 | The Big Break | 12 August 1993 | Dan – Andrew Wincott, Terry – Theresa Gallagher | |
| 4 | Bed And Breakfast | 19 August 1993 | Lady Dunn – Jilly Mears, Gareth – William Osborne, Sir James – Philip Anthony | |
| 5 | Affair Exchange | 26 August 1993 | Tim – Simon Treves, Georgio – David Thorpe | |
| 6 | Twice Bitten | 2 September 1993 | Gordon – John Baddeley | |
| 3 | 1 | Time Shift | 24 November 1994 | Will – David Antrobus, Georgio – Michael Tudor-Barnes |
| 2 | Material Values | 1 December 1994 | ||
| 3 | Talking Shop | 8 December 1994 | Lallie – Rachel Atkins | |
| 4 | An Ill Wind | 15 December 1994 | ||
| 5 | Seasonal Adjustment | 22 December 1994 | Tibor – Jonathan Keeble | |
| 6 | A Man Who Cares | 29 December 1994 | Pete – Derek Waring, Derek – Ian Masters | |
| 4 | 1 | A Nip In The Air | 24 July 1996 | Burton – Kim Wall |
| 2 | Educated Guesswork | 31 July 1996 | ||
| 3 | Faith, Hope And Very Little Charity | 7 August 1996 | ||
| 4 | One Gets Better | 14 August 1996 | Harriet – Kelda Holmes | |
| 5 | Not A Leg To Stand On | 21 August 1996 | ||
| 6 | Two At A Time | 28 August 1996 | Martin – Geoffrey Whitehead, Jason – Joshua Towb | |
| 5 | 1 | Family Business | 9 July 1998 | |
| 2 | Who You Know | 16 July 1998 | ||
| 3 | Charity Begins At Home | 23 July 1998 | Imelda – Buffy Davis, Des Kitchin – Dave Lamb | |
| 4 | Surprise Surprise | 30 July 1998 | ||
| 5 | Running In The Family | 6 August 1998 | Nigel – Jon Glover | |
| 6 | Rallying Round | 13 August 1998 | Stuart – Edward de Souza | |
| 6 | 1 | Make My Day | 14 July 1999 | Stuart – Edward de Souza, Rupert – Christian Rodska |
| 2 | Excess Baggage | 21 July 1999 | Stuart – Edward de Souza, Claudia – Joanna Monro | |
| 3 | Making It Better | 28 July 1999 | Mark – Will Ing | |
| 4 | Retiring Types | 4 August 1999 | ||
| 5 | Spreading Wings | 11 August 1999 | the secretary – Jane Gibson, the waiter – Alan Cowan | |
| 6 | Growing Away | 18 August 1999 | ||
| 7 | 1 | Supporting Parts | 31 January 2001 | |
| 2 | A Family Lunch | 7 February 2001 | ||
| 3 | Soft Soap | 14 February 2001 | ||
| 4 | Reflected Glory | 21 February 2001 | ||
| 5 | The Wedding Party | 28 February 2001 | ||
| 6 | Soap Bubbles | 7 March 2001 | ||
| 8 | 1 | Fresh Starts | 2 January 2002 | |
| 2 | New Age Differences | 9 January 2002 | ||
| 3 | My Turn Now | 16 January 2002 | ||
| 4 | Wanderlust | 23 January 2002 | ||
| 5 | Impossibly High Standards | 30 January 2002 | ||
| 6 | All Roads Lead To Rome | 6 February 2002 | ||
| 9 | 1 | Ill Of The Dead | 1 January 2003 | Vincent - Bruce Alexander |
| 2 | Changing Lives | 8 January 2003 | Peter - Colin Starkey | |
| 3 | Imaginary Friends | 15 January 2003 | Richard - Jason Done, Paula - Natalie Casey | |
| 4 | Meeting The Family | 22 January 2003 | Paula - Natalie Casey, Jonathan - Michael Jayston | |
| 5 | Houseroom | 29 January 2003 | Jonathan - Michael Jayston, Eddie - James Greene | |
| 6 | Coming Clean | 5 February 2003 | ||
| 10 | 1 | The Real World | 28 January 2004 | |
| 2 | Rules Of Engagement | 4 February 2004 | Mrs Pinchbeck – Sheila Mitchell, the vicar – Richard Syms | |
| 3 | Time With The Family | 11 February 2004 | Brian – James Vaughan, Kathryn – Bridget McConnel | |
| 4 | A Bride Too Far | 18 February 2004 | ||
| 5 | A Marriage Of Inconvenience | 25 February 2004 | ||
| 6 | The Ring Cycle | 3 March 2004 | ||
| 11 | 1 | Accentuate The Positive | 19 January 2005 | |
| 2 | Foreign Affairs | 26 January 2005 | ||
| 3 | A Life More Ordinary | 2 February 2005 | Derek – Roland Davies | |
| 4 | Hard Times | 9 February 2005 | Lydia Grucock – Richenda Carey, George – Bruce Alexander | |
| 5 | Taking Chances | 16 February 2005 | Melissa – Judy Flynn | |
| 6 | Ill Winds | 23 February 2005 | Melissa – Judy Flynn | |
| 12 | 1 | Settling Down | 26 April 2006 | French voice – Marianne Borgo |
| 2 | Darling Daughters | 3 May 2006 | Jeff – Stephen Thorne | |
| 3 | Misalliances | 10 May 2006 | Paddy – Bill Wallace | |
| 4 | Upstaging | 17 May 2006 | Brian – James Vaughan, Kathryn – Bridget McConnel | |
| 5 | Soft Soap | 24 May 2006 | Jeff – Stephen Thorne, Mr Darnley – Colin Starkey, George – Bruce Alexander, Felicity Titterill – Susan Jameson | |
| 6 | Game, Set And Match | 31 May 2006 | French voice – Marianne Borgo | |
| 13 | 1 | Age Differences | 11 April 2007 | Max – Jon Glover |
| 2 | Old School | 18 April 2007 | George – Bruce Alexander, Stranks, PW – Chris Emmett | |
| 3 | Model Behaviour | 25 April 2007 | George – Bruce Alexander, Felicity – Susan Jameson, Moira – Joanna Monro | |
| 4 | A Voice from the Past | 2 May 2007 | Brian – James Vaughan, Kathryn – Bridget McConnell, Patrick – Michael Simkins | |
| 5 | Blue Rabbits | 9 May 2007 | Patrick – Michael Simkins | |
| 6 | New Beginnings | 16 May 2007 | George – Bruce Alexander |