Bread
Series Overview
Bread is a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991. The series focused on the devoutly-Catholic and extended Boswell family of Liverpool, in the district of Dingle, led by its matriarch Nellie through a number of ups and downs as they tried to make their way through life in Thatcher's Britain with no visible means of support. The street shown at the start of each programme is Elswick Street. A family called Boswell had also featured in Lane's earlier sitcom The Liver Birds and Lane admitted in interviews that the two families were probably related. Nellie's feckless and estranged husband, Freddie, left her for another woman known as 'Lilo Lill'. Her children Joey, Jack, Adrian, Aveline and Billy continued to live in the family home in Kelsall Street and contributed money to the central family fund, largely through benefit fraud and the sale of stolen goods.
Broadcast Schedule & Network Information
Airing status, episode counts, upcoming schedule, and network syndication.
7 Seasons • 74 Episodes
30 min per episode
1986 – 1991
Premiered: Thu, May 1, 1986
Carla LaneLatest Aired Episode
Season 7, Episode 10: “Episode 10”
Seasons & Episodes Breakdown
Cast & Creators
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Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Carla Lane
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Bread.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Bread
Key facts, seasons breakdown, and credits for search engines and AI assistants.
What is Bread about?
Bread is a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991. The series focused on the devoutly-Catholic and extended Boswell family of Liverpool, in the district of Dingle, led by its matriarch Nellie through a number of ups and downs as they tried to make their way through life in Thatcher's Britain with no visible means of support. The street shown at the start of each programme is Elswick Street. A family called Boswell had also featured in Lane's earlier sitcom The Liver Birds and Lane admitted in interviews that the two families were probably related. Nellie's feckless and estranged husband, Freddie, left her for another woman known as 'Lilo Lill'. Her children Joey, Jack, Adrian, Aveline and Billy continued to live in the family home in Kelsall Street and contributed money to the central family fund, largely through benefit fraud and the sale of stolen goods.
How many seasons does Bread have?
Bread comprises 7 seasons available to explore.
Who stars in Bread?
Key cast members in Bread include Jean Boht, Bryan Murray, Graham Bickley, Nick Conway, Jonathon Morris.
Who created or directed Bread?
Bread was developed and directed by Carla Lane.