Our take
An extended Christmas Eve special that takes the gang out of the flat and into a cold, creaking country house, and the change of scenery pays off with a ghost-story twist. It sits between the flat-share years and the family years, with Lucy's parents now central, and the in-law sparring is as sharp as the spooky set pieces. Lee Mack later picked it among his favourite episodes.
What happens
In an effort to give Lucy the perfect Christmas, Lee invites her parents, Geoffrey and Wendy, to join the two of them and Daisy at a snug old house in the country that used to belong to his dear departed aunt, and he soon has his hands full keeping Lucy's parents happy. But the Christmas spirit is in short supply. Lucy discovers that the house has not been lived in for years, and there appears to be a spooky presence in the old place, which does nothing for anyone's festive mood. Lee's dad Frank is also part of the Christmas, and a child in Victorian clothes is among the episode's guest characters.
Can the kids watch it?
Rated 12 by the BBFC for moderate sex references, so best for 12 and over.
Cast and crew
Starring
- Lee Mack as Lee
- Sally Bretton as Lucy
- Geoffrey Whitehead as Geoffrey
- Deborah Grant as Wendy
- Bobby Ball as Frank
- Katy Wix as Daisy
Guest stars
- Jane Lowe as Carol
Writer
- Lee Mack
Director
- Ed Bye