Are You Being Served?
Are You Being Served?

Are You Being Served? (1972)

7.310 seasonsComedy

This comedy series, which follows the exploits of employees at London's fictional "Grace Brothers" department store, is full of sexual innuendo, slapstick, visual gags, and double entendres. Much of the show's humor parodies Britain's class system, and many of the show's characters are based on stereotypes of the period, including the effeminate Mr. Humphries and the rich, but stingy, store owner.

📺 Seasons & Episodes

Specials17 episodes
The Best of  Are You Being Served

1. The Best of Are You Being Served

30 min

When Mr. Humphries' mother is asked to write a book, she and her son stroll down memory lane as they recall his old experiences at Grace Brothers'.

Funny Turns:  John Inman

2. Funny Turns: John Inman

30 min

A Tribute to British comedy legend John Inman featuring classic clips from 'Are You Being Served?' (including the rarely seen pilot episode) and 'Grace and Favour'. As well as discussing his most famous camp character, Mr Humphries, Inman is also shown in drag performing in pantomime. Co-stars and friends talk affectionately of him and there are excerpts from his lesser-known TV shows including 'Odd Man Out' (1977) and 'Take a Letter Mr Jones' (1981).

Funny Women:  Mollie Sugden

3. Funny Women: Mollie Sugden

30 min

A Tribute to British comedy legend Mollie Sugden featuring classic clips from 'Are You Being Served?' (including the rarely seen pilot episode) and 'Grace and Favour'.

Celebrating Mollie Sugden: An 'Are You Being Served?' Special

4. Celebrating Mollie Sugden: An 'Are You Being Served?' Special

90 min

A tribute to the legendary actress who brought Mrs. Slocombe to life in AYBS? and Grace and Favour. The special also includes clips from her other series (such as Hugh and I), reminiscences from her AYBS? co-stars, and glimpses into her roles as wife, mother, and expert cook.

Are You Being Served?: The Movie

5. Are You Being Served?: The Movie

90 min

When Grace Brothers closes for redecoration, Young Mr. Grace send the staff on holiday to Costa Plonka, where they find themselves in the middle of a revolution

The Story of Are You Being Served?

6. The Story of Are You Being Served?

30 min

Documentary telling the story of the long-running farce set in the clothing section of a dilapidated department store.

Pilot (colour restored)

7. Pilot (colour restored)

30 min

Although the pilot was produced in colour, the videotape was wiped in the 1970s leaving only a 16mm black-and-white film telerecording. In 2009 the pilot episode was restored to full colour using the colour recovery technique previously used for the Dad's Army episode Room at the Bottom. The restored version was first shown on BBC2 on January 1, 2010 as part of an Are You Being Served special night.

Grace and Favour

8. Grace and Favour

30 min

No description available.

Wendy Richard - A Life on the Box

9. Wendy Richard - A Life on the Box

30 min

From 'Are You Being Served?' to 'EastEnders,' Wendy Richard has lived her life on the Television screen. Now, get up close and personal in this exclusive documentary, featuring interviews with such 'Are You Being Served?' alumni as John Inman, Mollie Sugden and Trevor Bannister!

Christmas Crackers (1975 Christmas Special)

10. Christmas Crackers (1975 Christmas Special)

30 min

The staff are called to an early morning meeting to decide on ways to boost Christmas sales figures. However, Young Mr. Grace has already decided that all the floor staff will have to wear novelty costumes, something which none of them are too happy about. This is the final appearance of Mr. Mash.

The Father Christmas Affair (1976 Christmas Special)

11. The Father Christmas Affair (1976 Christmas Special)

30 min

Grace Brothers decides to have electric Father Christmas models, but this is soon cancelled when they go wrong. Young Mr. Grace then decides to offer £50 to a member of the department, including Mr. Rumbold, to dress up as Father Christmas and give gifts to the children. Young Mr. Grace gets a young boy to decide which one of the staff will be Father Christmas. Meanwhile, Mr. Grainger is worried about his annual performance to entertain the residents of an old people's home.

Happy Returns (1978 Christmas Special)

12. Happy Returns (1978 Christmas Special)

30 min

It is Young Mr. Grace's birthday, and the staff sing the traditional birthday song for him and enjoy the traditional free lunch. They later rehearse their cabaret performance for Young Mr. Grace's birthday party, a ballet called The Ballet of the Toys. A professional cabaret troupe will also be performing at the party, and when the troupe arrives, it turns out they themselves will be performing The Ballet of the Toys, which forces the staff to go to Plan B. Last appearance of Mr.

The Punch and Judy Affair (1979 Christmas Special)

13. The Punch and Judy Affair (1979 Christmas Special)

30 min

The Gentlemen's and Ladies' departments become pariahs when they choose not to take part in a company-wide strike. In an attempt to regain favour, the departments stage a life-sized Punch and Judy show to entertain the children of the store's staff. Mr. Humphries directs, Mr. Lucas and Miss Brahms play the title roles, and Mrs. Slocombe brings convincing masculinity to the role of policewoman. Last appearance of Mr. Lucas and Mr.

Roots? (1981 Christmas Special)

14. Roots? (1981 Christmas Special)

30 min

It is Old Mr. Grace's birthday, and the department want to bring a musical tribute to the Grace family. Mr. Rumbold's brother Mycroft (played by Nicholas Smith in a double role) then sets out to trace the Grace family tree, which leads to Wales, Scotland, Somerset and, ultimately (apparently), deepest Africa. The title of the episode is a nod to the 1977 American TV mini-series Roots, based on Alex Haley's book of the same title, which aired in Britain shortly afterward. Last appearance of Young Mr. Grace, Old Mr. Grace and Mr.

You Can't Teach a New Dog Old Tricks

15. You Can't Teach a New Dog Old Tricks

30 min

The classic British sitcom returns for a celebratory special. Picking up where Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft's classic comedy left off, the show brings some of the nation's all-time favourite sitcom characters back to life with an all-star cast.

We Love Are You Being Served?

16. We Love Are You Being Served?

50 min

Grace Brothers shut up shop over thirty years ago but for one night only we are reopening that infamous department store, climbing into the lift and going up to celebrate everything we love about Britain's brashest bawdiest sitcom, Are You Being Served?. Featuring side-splitting clips and behind the scenes footage, prepare to have your ribs well and truly tickled as we pay tribute to the true-blue sitcom phenomenon that is Are You Being Served?

Secrets & Scandals of Are You Being Served?

17. Secrets & Scandals of Are You Being Served?

45 min

Are You Being Served? is one of the most popular and most outrageous British sitcoms of all time. For more than a decade, millions of viewers tuned in for its smutty innuendo and the electric chemistry between the cast. But behind the laughter were plenty of secrets and scandals.

Series 16 episodes
Are You Being Served? (Pilot)

1. Are You Being Served? (Pilot)

30 min

A reorganization within the store forces the staff of the gentlemen's ready-to-wear department to share their floor space with the Ladies' Department. Mrs. Slocombe, head of the Ladies, and Mr. Grainger, head of the Gents, immediately come to loggerheads over control of the center floor display. Mr. Grainger refuses to take down his trousers and put Mrs. Slocombe's underwear in its place. Undaunted, she goes over his head to Captain Peacock, and then to Mr. Rumbold.

Dear Sexy Knickers...

2. Dear Sexy Knickers...

30 min

Mr. Lucas attempts to send Miss Brahms a love letter suggesting an after-work "get it together". Confusion on who sent the letter and to whom it was intended sets the stage for a lot of misunderstanding. There's also the customers to contend with and Mr. Lucas has a devil of a time fitting them into clothing.

Our Figures Are Slipping

3. Our Figures Are Slipping

30 min

The Department figures have taken a dive and so Mr. Rumbold decides to convene a sales conference amongst the staff. Since the meeting is taking place after hours and off the clock, no one is very motivated to provide any solutions. If something isn't done, someone might lose their job, and that someone is clearly Mr. Lucas.

Camping In

4. Camping In

30 min

A transport strike leaves the staff stranded at the store, so Young Mr. Grace offers to let them spend the night on the floor. Tents are set up, but Mr. Lucas has trouble keeping his up. A "campfire" sing along leads to talk of the last World War and the experiences some of them had.

His and Hers

5. His and Hers

30 min

Mr. Grainger's trousers are missing, along with the central display. The staff learns that the space was freed up for the "His & Hers" fragrance display. Mrs. Slocombe is outraged that they went her to take down her underwear and put perfume there in its place. The glamorous salesgirl causes stirrings in the trouser department. When it's discovered that free stockings and ties are given out with every scent purchase, both departments formulate a plan to oust the intruder.

Diamonds Are a Man's Best Friend

6. Diamonds Are a Man's Best Friend

30 min

It's pay day at Grace Brothers and the staff realize that their money just doesn't go very far. An opportunity for a bonus arises when a customer loses a diamond and offers a £100 reward. Greed gets the better of everyone, except Mr. Grainger, and soon they're conspiring behind each others backs. Mr. Mash throws a wrench in the search after he damages a jeweled dress, causing a multitude of "diamonds" within the department.

Series 25 episodes
The Clock

1. The Clock

30 min

It's Mr. Grainger's 37th anniversary at Grace Brothers and the Department hosts a celebration dinner for him. It's a time of happiness, and dread, for if he receives a cuckoo clock then it means he's to be retired.

Cold Comfort

2. Cold Comfort

30 min

A fuel shortage grips the country and Grace Brothers, so the stores furnaces are shut down for the day. The staff are freezing and soon develop unique ways to keep warm.

The Think Tank

3. The Think Tank

30 min

Sales are falling once again and so Mr. Rumbold calls together a "think tank", a suggestion he "borrowed" from Captain Peacock. The staff decide that a fashion show would be the answer, but when Young Mr. Grace won't cough up the dough to hire proper models, the staff are forced to put on the show themselves.

Big Brother

4. Big Brother

30 min

There's trouble afoot at Grace Brothers! Someone's been lifting Mrs. Slocombe's skirts and putting their hands in Mr. Grainger's drawers. Shoplifting has struck the store and Mr. Rumbold installs a store detective and a video surveillance system. It goes off track for awhile, as Mr. Rumbold turns into a voyeur and the staff act like they're on television. Ultimately, the staff decide to do in the scheme and prey on Mr. Rumbolds hypochondria to accomplish it.

Hoorah for the Holidays

5. Hoorah for the Holidays

30 min

The Store's redecoration plans threaten to interfere in the staffs vacations. Everyone is now expected to take the same two weeks off and there's disagreements on how to handle it. Grace Brother's Tour Group Company offers some package deals, but they are far from First Class.

Series 39 episodes
The Hand of Fate

1. The Hand of Fate

30 min

Mr. Humphries begins displaying his ability to read palms and tell the future. He sees that Captain Peacock will soon be "climbing the ladder and wearing a new hat". Everyone takes this to mean a promotion, especially now that there's a vacancy on the Board of Directors and Mr. Rumbold is in line for it. Captain Peacock expects to take Mr. Rumbold's job. The department staff soon all imagine moving up.

Coffee Morning

2. Coffee Morning

30 min

Mr. Grainger is 5 minutes late coming back from his coffee break and this sets in motion a management scheme to monitor all breaks. The staff must sign in and sign out when they leave and return to the department. The department staff revolt and union action is taken

Up Captain Peacock

3. Up Captain Peacock

30 min

Captain Peacock is celebrating his 20th year at Grace Brothers, and while his request for a raise has been turned down, he has been given a key to the Executive Wash Room and the privilige of eating in the Executive Dining Room. He lords this over the department staff and Mr. Grainger decides to make some trouble.

Cold Store

4. Cold Store

30 min

Illnesses strike the Department, and Mr. Lucas decides to fake his to get the day off. His plan backfires as he is assigned to the Ladies Counter as a sort of "quarantine".

Wedding Bells

5. Wedding Bells

30 min

Naughty sayings on her underwear push Mrs. Slocombe to the brink of giving her notice, but then it's discovered that Old Mr. Grace plans to ask a member of the staff to marry him. When he calls for Mrs. Slocombe, everyone assumes she's the one.

German Week

6. German Week

30 min

Grace Brothers hosts a week long sales event by selling only German goods. The staff, however, find that the German customers they are getting only want British goods. Captain Peacock objects to the "uniform" he's expected to wear and Mrs. Slocombe gets into the German wines.

Shoulder to Shoulder

7. Shoulder to Shoulder

30 min

The Ladies Department is temporarily closed due to refurbishing, so Mrs. Slocombe and Miss Brahms are given counter space over in the Gents. However, the men aren't very happy at having to share their area and do their best to make them unwelcome.

New Look

8. New Look

30 min

An after-hours staff meeting produces an idea to introduce background music and a recorded voice; the only question is--whose voice?

Christmas Crackers

9. Christmas Crackers

30 min

Mr. Grace has an idea to improve Christmas sales--all the staff are to wear novelty costumes, much to their annoyance.

Series 47 episodes
No Sale

1. No Sale

30 min

When Mr. Grace decides to open the store early, the staff set out to sabotage the new policy.

Top Hat and Tails

2. Top Hat and Tails

30 min

Mr. Humphries' background as a dance instructor is called upon when the Ladies' and Gents' Wear departments form a team to compete in the inter-store ballroom dancing competition.

Forward Mr. Grainger

3. Forward Mr. Grainger

30 min

Mr. Grainger is selected to fill in for Mr. Rumbold while he is away; the staff wonder whether they should take advantage of Mr. Grainger's good nature, only to discover to their horror that he doesn't have one when he sacks Mrs. Slocombe.

Fire Practice

4. Fire Practice

30 min

After finding that Grace Brothers' fire precautions leave a lot to be desired, Mr. Harman helps out training the staff in fire preparedness and a fireman gives Mr. Humphries a lift.

Fifty Years On

5. Fifty Years On

30 min

After Mrs. Slocombe starts dropping hints that it's her birthday, the staff calculate that she is 50 and plan an appropriate party.

Oh What a Tangled Web

6. Oh What a Tangled Web

30 min

Rumors fly when Captain Peacock gets too friendly with Mr. Rumbold's secretary at the Christmas party, and things get really out-of-hand when it seems they might have spent the night together.

The Father Christmas Affair

7. The Father Christmas Affair

30 min

When the mechanical Father Christmas proves that it can't be trusted, Mr. Grace offers a bonus for one of the staff to portray the store Santa. Meanwhile, Mr. Humphries and Mr. Lucas attempt to help Mr. Grainger prepare for a song-and-dance show at an old-folks' home.

Series 57 episodes
Mrs. Slocombe Expects

1. Mrs. Slocombe Expects

30 min

The staff have kittens when Mrs. Slocombe announces she's expecting a happy event, but it turns out that it's merely her cat that's pregnant; when she refuses to leave Tiddles unattended, she braves the ire of Captain Peacock by smuggling the cat into the ladies' fitting room.

A Change Is As Good As a Rest

2. A Change Is As Good As a Rest

30 min

When Mr. Grace announces that he plans on temporarily reorganizing the departments, the staff are indignant, but find that work can be a lot of fun...if you're working in the toy department.

Founder's Day

3. Founder's Day

30 min

To celebrate Mr. Grace's 80th birthday, the staff organize This is Your Department, a spoof of This is Your Life.

The Old Order Changes

4. The Old Order Changes

30 min

Young Mr. Grace returns from a trip to the U.S. with a host of new sales techniques that he is eager to implement.

Take-over

5. Take-over

30 min

The staff prevent another firm's hostile takeover of Grace Brothers by impersonating the shareholders. Mr. Harman gives a rousing speech, and Grace Brothers is saved.

Goodbye Mr. Grainger

6. Goodbye Mr. Grainger

30 min

Mr. Grainger's temper has become extremely short. The staff, in a private meeting with Mr. Rumbold, decide he must go. However, when he wins the lottery, his bad mood vanishes and he makes his peace with the staff and stays on.

It Pays to Advertise

7. It Pays to Advertise

30 min

The staff star in a TV commercial for Grace Brothers, produced by Mr. Humphries. Could Mr. Grace's cheapness be the reason for using his staff in such fashion?

Series 66 episodes
Series 78 episodes
The Junior

1. The Junior

30 min

Mr. Goldberg is hired as a junior after having recently run his own small tailoring business. To Captain Peacock's chagrin, the staff learn that Mr. Goldberg had served under the Captain but recalls those army days differently.

Strong Stuff, This Insurance

2. Strong Stuff, This Insurance

30 min

The staff must take physicals to get insurance. Listening through the door of Mr. Grace's office, they hear Mr. Harman describing the state of the furniture, which they misunderstand as being the results of their physicals.

The Apartment

3. The Apartment

30 min

By permission of Mr. Grace, Mrs. Slocombe moves into a display apartment in Grace Brothers, because her new home is occupied by squatters. Due to a transport strike, Mr. Humphries seeks to join her in her new accommodations.

Mrs. Slocombe, Senior Person

4. Mrs. Slocombe, Senior Person

30 min

Mrs. Slocombe temporarily takes the place of Mr. Rumbold, who has taken ill . She eats the cream cakes she finds in his office. But she then gets a call from the hospital warning that the ice cream is what made him ill.

The Hero

5. The Hero

30 min

Captain Peacock is challenged to a boxing match by a member of another department. He backs out, and Mr. "Hugger" Humphries is "elected" to take his place in a wrestling match. He loses that match, but Mrs. Slocombe enters the ring and defeats the challenger.

Anything You Can Do

6. Anything You Can Do

30 min

The standard of the canteen food of Grace Brothers is rapidly going from bad to worse. After confronting the catering workers with their complaints, the staff are told to get on with the food preparation on their own.

The Agent

7. The Agent

30 min

Mr. Goldberg runs an agency to get the staff better jobs. After Captain Peacock and Mr. Rumbold become aware of this, Mr. Humphries and Mrs. Slocombe are given raises, and decide to stay with the store.

The Punch and Judy Affair

8. The Punch and Judy Affair

30 min

When the staff of the Ladies' and Gents' departments don't participate in a strike, relations between them and the rest of the store's employees become understandibly bitter. In order to improve the mood, the staff presents a life-size Punch and Judy show for the other employees' children.

Series 88 episodes
Is It Catching?

1. Is It Catching?

30 min

The staff contract a strange tropical illness, Marine's Disease, from Mr. Humphries. They are quarantined in the basement until the disease is past.

A Personal Problem

2. A Personal Problem

30 min

Captain Peacock's wife works at Grace Brothers, as Mr. Rumbold's secretary. He is intensely jealous and is absolutely convinced that the two of them are having an affair.

Front Page Story

3. Front Page Story

30 min

Mr. Humphries is made editor of the new staff magazine. The 1st Floor staff is not pleased with the stories he writes about them causing friction in the relations between floors.

Sit Out

4. Sit Out

30 min

The staff go on strike after being threatened with a pay cut or being moved to the bargain basement. They stage a protest on the roof which is interrupted by a fire which destroys the basement.

Heir Apparent

5. Heir Apparent

30 min

Old Mr. Grace becomes convinced that Mr. Humphries is his long-lost son. Mrs. Humphries (also played by Mr. Inman) arrives, and shows that she has never had relations with Mr. Grace.

Closed Circuit

6. Closed Circuit

30 min

Grace Brothers has decided to enter the video age and display advertisements on closed circuit television throughout the store. Meanwhile, there is a new face in Menswear.

The Erotic Dreams of Mrs. Slocombe

7. The Erotic Dreams of Mrs. Slocombe

30 min

Mrs. Slocombe has dreams in which she and Mr. Humphries become romantically embroiled. When she attempts to turn fantasy into reality, the situation becomes most difficult to handle.

Roots?

8. Roots?

30 min

The staff decide to obtain a coat-of-arms for Old Mr. Grace's 90th birthday, but problems arise when they're unable to figure out exactly from where his ancestors came.

Series 96 episodes
Series 107 episodes
Goodbye Mrs. Slocombe

1. Goodbye Mrs. Slocombe

30 min

Mrs. Slocombe is forcibly retired from her position. Mr. Humphries and Captain Peacock get her job back, but they are retired in the same manner. They end the show as the cleaner and the lift operator.

Grounds for Divorce

2. Grounds for Divorce

30 min

When Captain Peacock tries to salvage his marriage, he resorts to radical measures to discourage an admirer.

The Hold Up

3. The Hold Up

30 min

When the store is robbed late one night, the staff determine to capture the burglars themselves.

Gambling Fever

4. Gambling Fever

30 min

Security cameras are again installed at Grace Brothers, and when the staff bet their bonuses on a horse race, it's up to Mr. Humphries to mime the race to them by closed-circuit.

The Night Club

5. The Night Club

30 min

When Old Mr. Grace decides to allow the staff to use the store for after-hours money-making, they decide to open a nightclub. However, the advertising campaign has some rather unexpected results.

Friends and Neighbours

6. Friends and Neighbours

30 min

When traveling to and from work becomes difficult, the staff threaten to resign unless they receive a travel allowance. Old Mr. Grace offers them the empty apartments on the top floor as living space, but they soon discover cohabitation isn't what it's cracked up to be.

The Pop Star

7. The Pop Star

30 min

This episode we find Mr. Spooner is about to be discovered by a record company. One problem is that his voice keeps giving out. Mr. Humphries gives him a tonic and he recoveres for a little while. While auditioning on tv with Grace Brothers Staff, his voice gives out.

Cast

Frank Thornton

Frank Thornton

Captain Peacock

John Inman

John Inman

Mr. Humphries

Mollie Sugden

Mollie Sugden

Mrs. Slocombe

Wendy Richard

Wendy Richard

Miss Brahms

Nicholas Smith

Nicholas Smith

Mr. Rumbold

Mike Berry

Mike Berry

Mr. Spooner

Arthur English

Arthur English

Mr. Harman

Similar Shows