The Brittas Empire (1991)
The Brittas Empire is a British sitcom created and originally written by Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen. Chris Barrie plays Gordon Brittas, the well-meaning but incompetent manager of Whitbury New Town Leisure Centre. The show ran for seven series and 53 episodes — including two Christmas specials — from 1991 to 1997 on BBC1. Norriss and Fegen wrote the first five series, after which they left the show. The Brittas Empire enjoyed a long and successful run throughout the 1990s, and gained itself large mainstream audiences. In 2004 the show came 47th on the BBC's Britain's Best Sitcom poll, and all series have been released on DVD. The creators Andrew Norriss and Richard Fegen often combine farce with either surreal or dramatic elements in episodes. For example in the first series, the leisure centre prepares for a royal visit, only for the doors to seal, the boiler room to flood and a visitor to become electrocuted. Unlike the traditional sitcom, deaths were quite common in The Brittas Empire.
-
Episode 1 - Not a Good Day ...
Release Date: 1994-01-10It's Life Cycle Week at Whitbury Newtown Leisure Centre and Sebastian Coe MP has come to the centre to broadcast the news on this occasion. Then there's a shock when a cyclist dies and the cyclist's wife gets very upset. Meanwhile Ben manages to make his way to the vents and Carole and Helen try to get him out of there. Then a centurion has a fight with Gordon because his son has be arrested. Then the centurion and the 'Classical War Society' start a war which brings disaster to the centre.
-
Episode 2 - The Christening
Release Date: 1994-01-17Gordon and Helen are having their children being baptised on their big day. The practicing somehow goes wrong and then Carol has a problem with the Christening cake, getting dirty water on it. Meanwhile Heratio comes to see Gordon and tells him that he is in love with a girl he has meet. Gordon is very proud and then there's a shock when the babies go missing. Will the Christening go well?
-
Episode 3 - Biggles Tells a Lie
Release Date: 1994-01-24It's Gordon's day off and Colin puts on a suit, but it looks like he is the manager of the centre. This is because Colin's daughter Stephanie is coming to Whitbury Newtown Leisure Centre so she can see her father. He wants everyone to think that he is the manager for just one day. Everyone agrees and soon everything is running well, that is until Gordon turns up and then things go from right to wrong. Soon everyone learns that telling lies is the wrong thing to do.
-
Episode 4 - Mr Brittas Changes Trains
Release Date: 1994-01-31Things are getting rather strange at Whitbury Newtown Leisure Centre. Carole seems to be croaking a lot while talking, Linda does nothing but bark about a lot and keeps talking in dog language and Colin keeps telling everyone that he loves everyone and keeps taking his trousers off. All of this is making Gordon very cross so he decides to call the hypnotist and put everyone back to normal. This then gets Laura thinking.
-
Episode 5 - Playing With Fire
Release Date: 1994-02-07Gordon is doing a survey on how much electricity is being used and writes out a lot of forms for the staff. Colin meanwhile does an experiment which involves using the lavatories. Then Gavin gets a big shock when his old girlfriend Jenny comes to the centre to see him, but it comes as a surprise to Gordon which really upsets Tim a lot. Then Gavin tells the secret to Laura and to everyone and then realises that she came from a clinic. It also comes to a shock when he finds out she isn't cured. Then Gordon gets things out of control when he makes Jenny very angry.
-
Episode 6 - Shall We Dance?
Release Date: 1994-02-14Gordon seems to be spending a lot of time with Laura while Helen and the children are on holiday. Everyone thinks that there is something going on between Gordon and Laura. Gordon is planning to take Laura to the dance which is being held at the centre. Then Laura's ex-husband Michael unexpectedly turns up and it looks like he wants to see Laura. Gordon gets very cross and thinks that things might go wrong with his plans. What will happen?
-
Episode 7 - The Chop
Release Date: 1994-02-28Gordon is teaching the staff how to play the 'Game of Life' which actually is a real game. Then Councillor Drugget arrives to the centre and tells Gordon that he is going to be given the sack. Gordon is cross and ignores him, then Councillor Drugget finds out that Helen borrowed £300 pounds for a dog that then causes trouble around the centre. Now Gordon has to choose: either he quits his job or Helen goes to jail.
-
Episode 8 - High Noon
Release Date: 1994-03-07One day Laura arrives at a gas station and discovers that Gordon is now working there. He is causing more trouble then ever and is holding up lots of people. Meanwhile the new manager Alan Digby is having trouble when Gordon gets on his nerves. Gordon has brought a present for the staff, a clock which came all the way from Italy. Then a gas leak is found and then there's a large explosion which brings the entire centre down. Everyone is clear but Gordon is no where to be seen, Could this be the last of Gordon Brittas?