Goodnight Sweetheart
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Goodnight Sweetheart
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| Episodes: | 59 |
| Year: | 1993-2016 |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Seasons: | 6 |
| Seasons Breakdown: | (1) 6, (2) 10, (3) 10, (4) 11, (5) 10, (6) 10 + 1 Special |
| Category: | Comedy |
| Colour: | Yes |
| Format: | Series |
| Company: | Alomo Productions |
| Creator: | Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran |
| Run Time (mins): | 30 |
| Language: | English |
| Type of Show: | Live Action |
| Status: | Ended |
| Broadcaster: | |
Summary
Goodnight Sweetheart is a British comedy‑drama centred on Gary Sparrow, an unhappily married television repairman who unexpectedly discovers a portal linking contemporary London to the city’s East End during the Second World War. Gary’s marriage to Yvonne is strained, marked by constant arguments and her frustration with his inability to meet her expectations. While searching for a customer’s address, Gary wanders down a narrow alleyway and finds himself transported to 1940. The passage works only for him: attempts to bring his best friend Ron through the portal fail, leaving Ron in the present while Gary crosses into the past.
In wartime London, Gary discovers a sense of belonging he lacks in his own era. He befriends Phoebe, a barmaid at the Royal Oak pub, and gradually falls in love with her despite knowing he is married. Phoebe herself is in a precarious situation: her husband, a soldier, is missing in action and presumed dead. To explain his sudden appearances and unusual knowledge, Gary adopts the persona of a government intelligence officer. Drawing on his understanding of wartime history, he accurately predicts air raids and other events, enhancing his credibility. Access to American goods through his modern‑day acquaintances allows him to circumvent rationing, further reinforcing his fabricated identity. He also claims to be a songwriter, performing well‑known hits from the 1960s to the 1990s as if they were his own compositions.
Gary’s double life complicates his already fragile marriage. Yvonne becomes increasingly unsettled by his obsession with the 1940s, and his frequent absences cost him his job. Ron attempts to cover for him by claiming Gary works at his print shop, but the deception produces no income. Gary eventually realises that wartime records and memorabilia are valuable collectors’ items in the present, leading him into a lucrative import business and, later, the opening of a specialist shop. Meanwhile, his musical career in the past begins to flourish, though he is troubled by the ethical implications of passing off future songs as his own.
Throughout the series, Gary struggles with the moral consequences of living two lives. He recognises the harm caused by his deception yet remains unable to choose decisively between Yvonne, who genuinely loves him, and Phoebe, with whom he feels a deep emotional connection. Each time he resolves to commit to one life, new circumstances force him to reconsider, leaving him caught between two eras, two identities, and two incompatible futures.
Cast
Gary NICHOLAS LYNDHURST, Yvonne MICHELLE HOLMES (1-3), Phoebe DERVIA KIRWIN (1-3), Ron VICTOR MCGUIRE, PC 'Reg' Deadman CHRISTOPHER ETTRIDGE, Donald BEN LOBB (1), Yvonne EMMA AMOS (4-6), Phoebe ELIZABETH CARLING (4-6), Noel Coward DAVID BENSON (4).
Comedy, United Kingdom, 1993, English
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