Finding your next obsession
Finding your next obsession

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.
LUXEN Decision Guide
A lighter series choice built around character chemistry, recurring situations, or an easier episode-to-episode rhythm.
Best fit
Who it is for
Best suited to viewers who want something approachable that can work as a relaxed or repeat watch.
Commitment
Long-form commitment · 7 seasons
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Read the synopsis.
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The series
6 episodes
1986
6 episodes
1987
13 episodes
1987
14 episodes
1988
14 episodes
1989
11 episodes
1990
10 episodes
1991
Cast
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