In the black and white days of post-war British television, Fanny Cradock, with her painted-on eyebrows and excessive make-up, is a colourful figure in every sense, even dyeing the food to make it show up on monochrome sets. But she is also something of a tyrant, disowning her son Chris because she disapproves of his wife, so that even her long-suffering husband and co-presenter Johnnie is powerless to intervene. Fanny's comeuppance comes about when she belittles a competition winner over her choice of menu in a television reality show. Audience disgust at Fanny's over-bearing treatment of Devon housewife Gwen provokes such a backlash that the television company sacks her. After Johnnie's death, she ends up as a resident, still trying to order the cooking, in a retirement home. 

 

Directed by 

Coky Giedroyc

 

Written by 

Brian Fillis 

 

Cast 

Julia Davis ... Fanny Cradock 

Mark Gatiss ... Johnnie Cradock 

Jason Watkins ... Derek 

Steven O'Neill ... Simon 

Phil Nice ... Technician 

Jordan Long ... Gas Fitter 

Paul Chahidi ... Director 

Simon Greenall ... TV Executive 

Jim Field Smith ... Floor Manager 

Clare Wille ... TV Executive's Wife 

Nicholas Burns ... Christopher 

Claudie Blakley ... Nicky 

Hayley Atwell ... Jane 

Tom Goodman-Hill ... Dan Farson 

Nathan Shomer ... Julian 

Michael Parkhouse ... Master of Ceremonies 

Stuart Sherwin ... Alan Taylor 

Richard Syms ... Mrs. Beeton Fan 

Tom Allen ... Paul 

Abby Ford ... Wendy 

Tim Plester ... 1970's Cameraman 

Keir Charles ... TV Host 

Ella Kenion ... Gwen Troake 

James Holmes ... Nurse