Ankle Tag: Series 1-3

All three series of the BBC radio sitcom about a fraudster dad on parole - plus pilot episode The Beginning 'Well crafted, well acted, with the requisite level of nuttiness' - Miranda Sawyer, The Observer Ex-con Bob has done his time. After five years at Her Majesty's pleasure, he's been released on licence with an ankle tag registered to his estranged son's address. Uptight Gruff isn't too happy about it - he's just become a father himself, and the last thing he needs is his delinquent dad back in his life. But Bob turns on the charm, persuading sympathetic daughter-in-law Alice that his heart's in the right place, and manages to inveigle his way into moving in. These three series find him getting back on the dating scene, landing a job as a bingo caller, catching up with an old acquaintance from C Wing and reconnecting with a long-lost family member. Meanwhile, Gruff is delighted when he's commissioned to write an article about smoothies, Alice bonds with Bob over ape-based reality show Monkey World, Gruff and Alice decide to get daughter Carys baptised and Alice's mum has a new boyfriend - but Bob is suspicious. Can he use his expert knowledge of the Falklands War to prove that Jeffrey's a conman? Scripted by acclaimed comedy writers Gareth Gwynn and Benjamin Partridge, this quirky, warm-hearted sitcom stars Steve Speirs as Bob, with Elis James as Gruff and Katy Wix and Margaret Cabourn-Smith as Alice. Among the guest stars are Morwenna Banks, Neil Pearson, Felicity Montagu and Ben Willbond. Please note: content has been updated as of January 2021 Credits Published by Penguin Random House Ltd Licensed by BBC Studios Distribution Ltd Production credits Written by Gareth Gwynn and Benjamin Partridge Produced by Victoria Lloyd (Pilot and Series 1 & 2) and Adnan Ahmed (Series 3) Sound Designer: David Thomas Production Co-Ordinator: Gwyn Davies A BBC Studios Production First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 18 November 2015 ('The Beginning'), 30 August-13 September 2017 (Series 1), 31 October-21 November 2018 (Series 2), 28 May-2 July 2020 (Series 3) Cast Gruff - Elis James Alice - Katy Wix/Margaret Cabourn-Smith Bob - Steve Speirs Linda/Mariella - Gemma Whelan David/Terry - Oliver Maltman Pam - Vivienne Acheampong/Anna Brophy Leon Chris/Trevor/Monkey World announcer - Jason Forbes Ruth/Ruby - Shola Adewusi Margaret/Ena - Morwenna Banks Keith/Father Mike/Anthony - Mike Wozniak Richard Flint - Neil Pearson Tabitha/Receptionist - Adelayo Adedayo Hakan/Canteen Guy - Naz Osmanoglu Lauren - Ruth Bratt Nappy advert v/o - Anna Leong Brophy Jeffrey - Simon Greenall Elaine - Felicity Montagu Graham- Ben Willbond Cash and Carry Worker/Sara- Vivienne Acheampong Rashid - Phaldut Sharma Harry - Owen Money Anna - Sally Tatum Nicholas - Tom Crowley Joanna - Emily Lloyd-Saini Zara - Chiara Goldsmith Simon - Jordan Brookes Bailiff - Sanjeev Kohli Darren - Kevin Eldon Cashier - Emma Sidi Rich - Jon Pointing Megan - Gabby Best Ian - Marek Larwood Monica - Amy Gledhill Quentin - Robert Bathurst Roz - Julia Deakin Shirley - Gbemisola Ikumelo Barbara - Ruth Madoc Derek - Joseph Marcell