Our take
An hour-long Christmas Eve special with a cracking set-up: three elderly Father Christmases rattling collecting tins and getting nowhere, until a rival Santa turns up. It is broad and busy, with most of the regular cast and a couple of famous faces among the guests. The water bed subplot is pure village farce. A good choice for a family evening, and one of the four specials on the Christmas Specials DVD.
What happens
Compo, Clegg and Seymour dress up as Father Christmases to collect for the church social, but cannot understand why they are having so little success. Then a chance sighting of a fourth Father Christmas gives them a clue. Meanwhile Barry has a secret: he wants to give Glenda the water bed of her dreams for Christmas, which is easier planned than delivered.
Can the kids watch it?
Rated PG by the BBFC for infrequent mild language and innuendo; fine for most families.
Cast and crew
Starring
- Bill Owen as Compo
- Peter Sallis as Clegg
- Michael Aldridge as Seymour
- Kathy Staff as Nora Batty
- Mike Grady as Barry
- Sarah Thomas as Glenda
- Jean Fergusson as Marina
- Robert Fyfe as Howard
Guest stars
- Jane Freeman as Ivy
- Jean Alexander as Auntie Wainwright
- Juliette Kaplan as Pearl
- Gordon Wharmby as Wesley Pegden
- Thora Hird as Edie Pegden
- Danny O'Dea as Eli Duckett
- Jim Bowen as Man in Street
- Eli Woods as Drunk
- Ina Clough as Lady Passer-by
Writer
- Roy Clarke
Director
- Alan J. W. Bell