50 Years of Porridge - that's a long stretch; stamp set issued 3 September 2024

Royal Mail once again trawls through television's archives to find some memorable lines and the associated pictures for another set of stamps.  But why does this one look so drab?  

"Born free, till somebody caught me." - Fletcher, played by Ronnie Barker, in Porridge.

I suppose it is in keeping with the subject, and the general colouring of the setting.  With few exceptions, life in Slade Prison is universally grey or otherwise dark - the prison clothes, the walls, and so on.  And so for this set, unlike previous television-linked sets, the border, the King's profile, and the captions are all grey.  

And unlike previous issues - Blackadder, Only Fools, Coronation Street, Dad's Army - the picture is set within the borders of an old-fashioned tv screen.   [Question - which was the only other stamp issue to have the design set in an old-style tv-screen format as this one is? - answer at the foot of the post.]

Stamps featuring scenes from the television comedy Porridge issued 3 September 2024.
Two each 2nd class, 1st class, £2 and £2.50

Royal Mail's write-up on this issue

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic British TV comedy series Porridge Royal Mail is thrilled to release a commemorative stamp set and range of collectibles. 

First broadcast by the BBC in 1974, Porridge has become a beloved classic, renowned for its witty dialogue, memorable characters, and the brilliant performance of Ronnie Barker as Norman Stanley Fletcher. The series, set within the confines of a prison, masterfully blends humour with poignant realism, capturing the hearts of millions. This special stamp collection pays tribute to the enduring legacy of Porridge, a show that continues to resonate with audiences, offering both nostalgia and a reminder of its timeless appeal. 

The set features four horizontal se-tenant pairs and include memorable quotes and scenes featuring some of the most popular characters in the sitcom including Fletcher, Godber and Warden Mr Mackay.

2nd class: Fletcher, Godber and Heslop: "I read a book once, green it was."
2nd class: Mr Mackay: "I treat you all with equal contempt."
1st class: Fletcher: "Born free, till somebody caught me."
1st class Bunny, Fletcher and Lukewarm: "There is a thief among us."
£2 Godber: "Little victories - you told me that."
£2 Fletcher and McLaren: "Free range? More like half a dozen there mate'"
£2.50 Fletcher and Doctor: "What, from here?"
£2.50 Barrowclough: "I sometimes wish I was in here with you lot."

Technical details and acknowledgements

The 41 x 30 mm stamps were designed by Steers McGillan Eves (is this their first stamp commission?) and printed in litho by Cartor Security Printers on gummed paper, perforated 14½ x 14.
Porridge television series written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Series format, characters and quotations © Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Porridge television stills and trademarks © and ® BBC, used with permission from BBC Photo Library and BBC Motion Gallery/Getty Images

Products

Stamp set, first day cover, presentation pack, postcards, collector sheet, framed set.

Collector sheet - includes 10 stamps (the full set plus a pair of 1st class extra) with labels depicting 5 classic scenes and five classic quotes from the series.  The sheet is self-adhesive so making the stamps different to those in counter sheets.

Porridge self-adhesive Collector Sheet.

Whilst Porridge is still repeated on UK television some overseas readers may not be familiar with it and this time Royal Mail have not provided the pack write-up for me to copy.

Some comments on the web

It all started on Sunday 1 April 1973. There was a series of programmes to showcase the talent of Ronnie Barker entitled Seven of One. One of these episodes concerned a prisoner being transferred to his new home, Slade Prison in Cumbria. This episode inspired the series that became Porridge which was to start life on our screens on 5 September 1974.  (Unofficial Porridge site.)

Norman Stanley Fletcher is sentenced to 5 years at her Majesty's pleasure at HM prison Slade in darkest Cumbria. His naive cell mate Lenny Godber needs to learn the ropes, skives and scams and strict prison officer Mr.Mackay tries to run the prison his own way.  (IMDb)

While both Fletcher and Godber are the show's main characters, the series features two major supporting characters, both prison officers. The first is Mr Mackay, a tough and austere Scotsman with a clear dislike of Fletcher, with whom he often comes into conflict (and by whom he is often surreptitiously mocked). The other is Mr Barrowclough, Mackay's empathetic, progressively minded subordinate, who is prone to manipulation by his charges because of his well-meaning character and principles. (Wikipedia)

An American version entitled On the Rocks (1975–76) ran for a season, while a Dutch version Laat maar zitten (a pun: the title has several meanings, like "Don't mention it" and "Let it be", but in this case it can also be interpreted as "Let them do time") ran from 1988 to 1991; later episodes of the Netherlands version were original scripts, the series also had a very successful Portuguese remake entitled Camilo na Prisão ("Camilo in Prison"). (Wikipedia)

I can't find any information on where the series were broadcast outside the UK.

Quiz Answer: The Animation of Gerry Anderson

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