User Reviews

I have unfortunately not seen this episode of 'Down The 'Gate', an underrated ATV sitcom starring the late Reg Varney as Billingsgate fish porter Reg Furnell, as the first series has been wiped from the archives in its entirety. Fortunately, all the scripts are available to read on the DVD release of the show, so I am constructing a review based on my opinion of the script alone.

The episode starts of with Reg's world falling apart around his ears. There's no hot water on the tap, the toaster burns the bread and to make matters worse his wife Irene ( the late Dilys Laye ) starts nagging him to have central heating installed. Reg is reluctant however Irene is insistent, so much so that she uses their holiday money as a deposit.

However, at the market, Reg's mates Len Peacock ( Tony Melody ) and Old Wol ( Reg Lye ) give him a tip on a nag called 'Anvil Chorus'. Unable to resist, Reg squanders the money on the horse but it comes in second, so now Reg has to break this terrible news to Irene.

Luck comes Reg's way however when the winner of the race is disqualified due to a steward's inquiry, meaning Reg is quids in.

This could easily have been an 'On The Buses' script. Both Stan Butler and Reg Furnell are suckers for a gamble, both are victim to circumstance, and both end up down holes which they inadvertently dig themselves. Nonetheless, if the script is anything to go by, this is a good opener and it is such a shame that the show never found the audience it deserved. Reg's boss here is Mr. Davies, played by Kevin Brennan ( who appeared alongside Varney as Mr. Jenkins in 'Mutiny On The Buses' ), Davies seems alot more laid back than his successor, Mr. Preston ( played excellently by Percy Herbert ), who would replace him in series two.

Funniest bit - in the middle of the night, Reg hears a commotion in the kitchen. Darting downstairs, he is horrified to find a group of stray cats ( who have crawled in through the open kitchen window ) are gleefully devouring a pair of salmon Reg has brought home from his work!

The first season of 'Down the 'Gate' no longer exists in the archives. Fortunately, I watched it at the time, and the scripts are to be found on the Network D.V.D. The late Reg Varney plays 'Reg Furnell', Billingsgate fish porter, a cheerful chappie who takes in his stride whatever problems life throws in his way. He is happily married to the lovely 'Irene' ( Dilys Laye ), who is constantly trying to improve their social standing. In the first episode, she wants a new central heating system installed, but her husband cannot afford the £60 - a lot of money back then - deposit. She suggests using their holiday money and the savings he keeps in his gardening boot ( which she is not supposed to know about ). Hearing of a horse called 'Anvil Chorus' in a race at Windsor, Reg puts half the money on it. It comes in second. How is Reg going to explain this disaster to his wife?

'Down The 'Gate' took Varney back to the world of sitcom, which he'd avoided since leaving 'On The Buses' two years before. It was clearly intended to recapture that flavour of that show, with Reg being one of a group of men working in a close-knit environment, and domestic scenes featuring his family. Australian actor Reg Lye played 'Old Wol', with whom Reg had a father/son relationship, and in the first season, Tony Melody portrayed 'Len Peacock', a man who had a habit of landing Reg in hot water. The scripts were by Roy Tuvey and Maurice Sellar. The producer of the first season was William G. Stewart, of 'Bless This Home' fame. Despite its many good points, the show refused to gel, coming across for the most part as a half-hearted 'On The Buses' rehash. The second season went even further down the Buses road by bringing in a 'Blakey' type authority figure in the formidable shape of 'Mr.Preston' ( Percy Herbert ). Reg tries to get his money back by purchasing two prime salmon from his employer and attempting to sell them to a local publican, only to find Len has beaten him to it. Luckily, a Steward's Enquiry means that the winner of the race is disqualified, and Reg cops £630 in winnings.

Funniest moment - the opening scene with Reg having a bad morning. The house is freezing, the pop-up toaster turns the bread, and the cutlery drawer falls on the floor when he tries to open it. We've all had mornings like that...