Jonny Briggs

JONNY BRIGGS
Made by: ?
Shown on: BBC
Years shown: 1985-87

Life in a northern town, eh? Trouble up mill, and then there’s no time to eat your Hovis sandwiches and drink your warm ale. Actually, Jonny Briggs was a northern (but not Geordie, as many people seem to think) kids’ drama series that put many of its poncy southern counterparts to shame. There was that title sequence, with Jonny (Richard Holian) careering down a slide with his dog, Razzle, to the sound of some slightly fruity oompa-band music. The tyke would then chase the dog back to their modest working class home, to the bosom of his slightly dysfunctional, but loving, family.

There was Mam (Jane Lowe), who wore an apron most of the time, and sorted out all of “Our Jonny’s” woes; and Dad (Leslie Schofield), who went out to work, but did bugger-all in the home except sit in his easy chair and dispense advice. Jonny was the youngest of four kids, which accounted for eighty per cent of the wrinkles on his nine year old forehead, especially as he had to share a bedroom with his two brothers. The eldest was Rita (Sue Devaney), who was about 18, and when she wasn’t working, she was involving her timid friend Marilyn in all kinds of schemes, or going to the gym for some vigorous exercise in all the latest gear. Then there was curly-haired Humphrey, who, at sixteen, was the quiet, introspective member of the Briggs household, noted for his eyebrow-wiggling abilities and the fact that he was the only one who was actually nice to Jonny. The bane of Jonny’s young life was fourteen year old Albert (Tommy Robinson), a gangly bully-boy, who was always trying to make a fast buck, at anyone’s expense, and who would do exactly what Jonny didn’t want him to do, just for the sheer pleasure of it. You couldn’t help but feel for Jonny.

He usually had it rough at school as well. His best friend was Pam, but the two of them were constantly taunted by the class cow, Ginny, and her friends. Poor Jonny was entrusted by Miss Broom (Karen Meagher) to look after the class rabbit during the school holidays; initially, Mam was horrified, but when she did relent to it the rabbit went missing (as does Razzle, in a different episode.) Similarly, Jonny’s family ate all the biscuits that he has slaved to make for the school fete. Miss Broom was always very sympathetic, and tolerant too - she needed to be with that girl in the class who stood up and began all her sentences with “My mother, who’s a nurse…”. Mr Hobbs (Simon Chandler) was the young, well-mannered teacher who would sometimes visit Miss Broom, and would be greeted with a chorus of “Ooooooo”s from the (rightly suspicious) kids.

Jonny did have wonderful moments of triumph over his spiteful classmates, or his bullying siblings, but there were also great family incidents, which were touching without being schmaltzy, such as when the children decorate the basement in tin foil for their parents’ silver wedding anniversary.

Veteran actor Leslie Schofield had a lengthy stay in Albert Square, while the brilliant Sue Devaney had already appeared in Coronation Street, and would go on to feature in, among other things, Spatz, Casualty and dinnerladies.

SQUARE EYES RATING: 8/10

(Thanks to www.culttelly.co.uk for the borrowed pic)