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News Archive - 2005

Holiday Schedules

Set your videos for a Dad’s Army holiday season. Over the Christmas and New Year there is plenty to choose from:

Dec 27th, BBC2, 19.30 Turkey Dinner Dec 28th, BBC 2, 16:00 Dad’s Army feature film 1st Jan, BBC 2, 20:00 Everybody’s Trucking 2nd Jan, Ch 4, 22:15 (repeated 4th & 8th Jan on More4) The Ultimate Sitcom featuring Dad’s Army 3rd Jan, ITV1, 19.30 After They Were Famous featuring Bill Pertwee Plus episodes of the Dad’s Army radio series on BBC7 on the 23rd and 29th Dec and 5th Jan

Avril Angers

We are sad to announce the death of Avril Angers on the 10th October. Avril played Walmington-on-Sea’s telephone operator in the TV episodes The Lion Has Phones and Put That Light Out; she also featured in four of the Dad’s Army radio recordings. Although her roles in Dad’s Army (and later in Are You Being Served) were minor Avril Angers was an extremely successful actress and comedienne, appearing regularly in the West End and has been dubbed as England’s answer to Lucille Ball. You can read full obituaries in The Stage and in The Daily Telegraph.

Complete Release of Dad’s Army Episodes on DVD

The entire Dad’s Army TV catalogue is to be released on DVD in the form of a part-series. The DVDs will accompany a magazine published by GE Fabbri Ltd in conjunction with the BBC. Each magazine will come with a DVD with three remastered episodes of the series but not in chronological order. The publishers promise that every existing episode will be included which would mean an official release for the rare episode The Battle of the Giants.

The magazine promises behind the scenes insights, interviews and photographs. The first issue is priced at a discounted £3.99 with the remaining episodes at £7.99. The first five issues are available now with new issues weekly. You can get more information and place back orders at the magazine site dadsarmydvd.com. Mysteriously, however, you can only subscribe if you live in the WestCountry TV area.

New Dad’s Army Radio Release

For radio fans Dad's  Army 16 is out in August. Available on CD or cassette this selection of Jimmy Perry and David Croft's classic wartime comedy features four brilliantly funny episodes  with Captain Mainwaring's Home Guard. Keep Young and Beautiful (6 April 1976), The Captain's Car (17  August 1976), The Two and a Half Feathers (28 August  1976), and Turkey Dinner (10 August 1976). So join  Walmington's finest and discover the reason why Mainwaring's  men attempt to look younger, what happens when a staff car gets donated to the war effort, why Jones feels the need to set the record straight concerning his past, and the consequences of Jones accidentally shooting a turkey.

Dad’s Army Hotel Set for Demolition

The Anchor Hotel in Thetford, scene of the very first scene of Dad’s Army and one of the two hotels used by the cast and crew during filming, is under threat of demolition. The hotel which is located on Bridge Street in Thetford regularly housed members of the cast and production crew staying in Thetford during the regular location filming visits to the town. However it was also the setting for the very first moment in The Man and the Hour - the introductory I’m Backing Britain scene which was filmed in the hotel’s Norvic room.

According to a BBC report, confirmed by the Eastern Daily Press, the hotel building has become too expensive to maintain and the owners are intending to sell to developers who are likely to demolish the building.

Last Updated 31 Dec, 2005