"It Never Rains"

25th November 1982

Del, Rodney and Grandad are off to Benidorm! Naturally, it’s a chance for Del to show off his French. "Defense de fume!" is just one of the muddled exchanges he makes when trying to chat up a "foreign" lady.

As the episode begins, Rodney is trying to sell "genuine Italian sun hats" in the pouring rain.

It’s off on holiday for some "current bun"

It’s been raining for four days at the start of the episode, and the Trotter’s have spent the time sheltering in pubs and cafes.

In 1936, Grandad was deported from Spain during the Spanish Civil War. The Trotter family lived in Peabody Buildings, Peckham Rye at this time. Grandad and Nobby Clark ran off to join the French Foreign Legion, but ended up being deported for gun-running!

Interestingly, Grandad mentions he "put his name on the housing list" on his return, perhaps suggesting that this was when the famous flat in Nelson Mandela House was first acquired.

Oh and "Us Trotters have never made good sailors" is very much a portent for the future!

Del doesn’t get his large dranbuie with lime, soda, ice, lemon and a cherry.

Alex the travel agent provides the Trotters with their cheap holiday…

This could be the first time Del informs us that "he who dares wins"!

Watch very closely during the montage sequence at the airport. Could that possibly be Graham Cole (veteran monster-actor, also in "Shada") aka PC Stamp from "The Bill" checking the Trotters’ passports?

Spain looks very much like Brighton (or even Jaywick Sands). The gag involving Del deflating the bully’s lilo with his cigar is a nice idea, but unfortunately said inflatable is not very big and the actor has to make quite an effort to "tumble" off it!

"You were gun-running in the middle of a civil war?"

"That’s the best time to do it Rodney!"

A bit of a disappointing episode, albeit a memorable one.