I was rifling through a few old
Love Thy Neighbour was a Thames TV production screened on
the ITV network that would certainly never see the light of day in these more liberated
times.
Starring Jack Smethurst and Rudolph Walker (now featuring as
Patrick in BBC’s flagship soap ‘EastEnders’ - see right), it was the story of two couples
living next door to each other. One couple were black while the other were
white and it brought to the fore the animosity held between the two male
characters, meanwhile their character wives were great friends.
Racist Overtones
The racist overtones expressed quite freely throughout the
programme were, in my opinion, even totally unacceptable back then and the
reason the show has not seen a more recent airing on the numerous satellite
channels we now have, bears witness that this holds true, if not more so, to
this day.
Sequel Down Under
But I was unaware that the show, like other 70s sitcoms
actually received a sequel ‘Down Under’ as it was produced in Australia after
its run in the UK came to a close.
Again it featured Jack Smethurst, this time
playing the same Eddie Booth character who had supposedly emigrated to the
other side of the world and was awaiting his family to join him.
The difference however, was that his neighbours were white
and consequently it was just based on two sets of home dwellers not getting on
and nothing to do with colour as in its UK version.
Other 70s Sitcoms in Australia
Other UK
shows that have made it to the other side of the world for Australian series in
addition to their UK
predecessor include such greats as ‘Doctor in the House’ (as ‘Doctor Down
Under’), ‘Father Dear Father’ and ‘Are You Being Served’.
‘Love Thy Neighbour in Australia ’ is available to watch on
YouTube should you so desire, though somehow I don’t think I will bother tuning
in.
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