About this season
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.
Episodes (11)
1. Episode 601
Aired 9 September 1990 • 30 min
When Leonora arrives to take up residence in Billy's former home, Jack and Adrian are besotted but Billy is horrified as Julie neglected to tell him she was moving. Shifty returns full of apologies and gets a final chance from the family. To add to an eventful 24 hours, their pet dog Mongi has died and the family buries its ashes - then Aveline is rushed to hospital as she is about to give birth.
2. Episode 602
Aired 16 September 1990 • 30 min
A double celebration for the Boswells when Aveline brings her baby home in style and Leonora offers Adrian a job as her chauffeur - even though it is Jack she is interested in. Lilo Lill returns to put another spanner in the Boswell works, just as Joey sets his dad up in business.
3. Episode 603
Aired 23 September 1990 • 30 min
To everyone's amazement Shifty has got a job as a bus driver, while Jack and Leonora's relationship is growing ever stronger. Lilo Lill confides in Freddie that she is suffering an incurable illness and hasn't got long to live!
4. Episode 604
Aired 30 September 1990 • 30 min
Shifty tries to convince Martina that he has changed but ends up taking his passengers on an unexpected trip. Adrian and Jack are both competing for Leonora's affections.
5. Episode 605
Aired 7 October 1990 • 30 min
Billy's van has been broken in to and Joey's new shop has been vandalized - the culprits are unknown. Aveline has decided to leave Oswald and return home to her mother, with her baby. The sibling rivalry over Leonora comes to a head when Jack tells Adrian that he has slept with her.
6. Episode 606
Aired 14 October 1990 • 30 min
Billy's constant complaint of being neglected forces him to make an important decision. Nellie makes plans to go away with Derek, Shifty pledges his love to Martina and Lilo Lill plans a candlelit supper for Freddie.
7. Episode 607
Aired 21 October 1990 • 30 min
Nellie is away with her "friend" and finding the experience very uncomfortable; meanwhile, the family try to manage without her. Her absence becomes more acute when Grandad has a fall and breaks his leg!
8. Episode 8
Aired 21 October 1990 • 30 min
9. Episode 9
Aired 28 October 1990 • 30 min
10. Episode 10
Aired 4 November 1990 • 30 min
11. Another Christmas with the Boswells
Aired 25 December 1990 • 30 min
Mrs Boswell finds that little things can cause enormous problems when all should be peace and tranquility.