"Hole In One"

7th March 1985

Nags Head landlord Mike is after Del’s blood for a dodgy fat fryer he’s sold him. Meanwhile, Rodney has capitalised on the deep frost by using the last of Trotters Independent Traders’ capital to buy £500 worth of sun tan lotion. The boys need cash fast!

Uncle Albert has joined the regulars in the title sequence.

Certain scenes in this episode were filmed with Leonard Pearce as Grandad, before he died and they had to begin again from scratch with Uncle Albert.

This episode is set four weeks after "Strained Relations". Rodney is stated to be the firm’s accountant, and Soli Atwell is the family solicitor. The Trotter’s full address is given: 368 Nelson Mandela House, Dockside Estate, Peckham.

Albert’s middle name is Gladstone. He spent most of the war stationed in a storage depot on the Isle of Wight. Grandad used to look after Albert when they were boys [suggesting that Albert is the youngest of the two brothers].

In May 1944, Albert was seconded to a marine parachute training division where he learnt to fall without injuring himself. He subsequently swindled the following establishments (and probably many more) out of compensation money: The Victory Inn in Portsmouth (1944), The Coach and Horses in Peckham Rhye (1951), The Cross Keys Off License in Graves End (1949), Thatched Inn in Canning Town and the Brunswick Club in New Cross.

"An investment? Menage a trois!"

Most of the best lines are Albert’s:

"One minute I was walking along, on me way to post me application form for the Krypton Factor…"

and when the barrister questions the Isle of Wight being "overseas":

"You want to try walking it son!"

Rodney describes Albert’s naval career thus: "Every single ship he ever sailed on got torpedoed or dive bombed. Two of them, in peace time!"

"He might have hit his head and got… percussion!"

Maureen’s horrid pink and white candy-striped jumper… and matching headband! It must be the eighties.

"All you can think about is your rotten Gregory!" (Gregory Peck, neck)

Another brilliant episode, crowned off by one Mother of a great twist at the end.