Are You Being Served?: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

This comedy series, which follows the exploits of employees at London's Grace Brothers department store, is full of sexual innuendo, slapstick, visual gags and double entendres. Much of the show's humor parodies Britain's class system, with the characters rarely calling their co-workers by their given names. Many of the show's characters are based on stereotypes, including the effeminate Mr. Humphries and the rich-but-stingy store owner.

Series details

• Title: Are You Being Served?
• Format: Scripted
• Language: English
• Genres: Comedy
• Premiere date: 1972-09-08
• Final broadcast date listed: 1985-04-01
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: BBC One
• Network country: United Kingdom
• Typical episode runtime: 30 minutes
• TVmaze community rating: 8.1/10
• TVMaze ID: 4529

Cast and credited roles

• Sherrie Hewson — Mrs. Betty Slocombe
• Mollie Sugden — Mrs. Betty Slocombe
• Jason Watkins — Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries
• John Inman — Mr. Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries
• John Challis — Captain Stephen Peacock
• Frank Thornton — Captain Stephen Peacock
• Wendy Richard — Miss Shirley Brahms
• Niky Wardley — Miss Shirley Brahms
• Justin Edwards — Mr. Cuthbert Rumbold
• Nicholas Smith — Mr. Cuthbert Rumbold
• Arthur Smith — Mr. Beverley Harman
• Arthur English — Mr. Beverley Harman

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 1972-09-08; final listed air date 1973-04-18; episode order: 6.
• Season 2: premiered 1974-03-14; final listed air date 1974-04-11; episode order: 5.
• Season 3: premiered 1975-02-27; final listed air date 1975-12-22; episode order: 9.
• Season 4: premiered 1976-04-08; final listed air date 1976-12-24; episode order: 7.
• Season 5: premiered 1977-02-25; final listed air date 1977-04-08; episode order: 7.
• Season 6: premiered 1978-11-15; final listed air date 1978-12-26; episode order: 6.
• Season 7: premiered 1979-10-19; final listed air date 1979-12-26; episode order: 8.
• Season 8: premiered 1981-04-09; final listed air date 1981-12-24; episode order: 8.
• Season 9: premiered 1983-04-22; final listed air date 1983-05-27; episode order: 6.
• Season 10: premiered 1985-02-18; final listed air date 1985-04-01; episode order: 7.

Source and licence

Adapted from Are You Being Served? on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.