Keeping Up Appearances: The Father Christmas Suit

Original version

BBC One Oxfordshire

Keeping Up Appearances

Comedy: Sitcoms

Social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket is determined to lord it over her neighbours.

Social-climbing snob Hyacinth Bucket (sorry, 'Bouquet') is determined to lord it over her neighbours. If only her long-suffering husband and family wouldn't keep dragging her down.

BBC Four

BBC One London

London

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East

BBC One North West

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One Cambridgeshire

BBC One Channel Islands

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

BBC One Wales

Wales

BBC One Yorkshire

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC Four HD

Keeping Up Appearances Christmas 1991: The Father Christmas Suit

Patricia Routledge

Clive Swift

Josephine Tewson

David Griffin

Geoffrey Hughes

Judy Cornwell

Mary Millar

Jeremy Gittins

Mark Brackenbury

Robert Packham

Tony Kemp

Alice

Roy Clarke

Harold Snoad

The Father Christmas Suit

26/12/1997

BBC One - Keeping Up Appearances, The Father Christmas Suit

Hyacinth decides that Richard should dress up as Father Christmas for the Church Hall.

Seasonal special of the sitcom. Hyacinth decides that Richard should help distribute gifts to the old folk at the church hall dressed as Father Christmas.

Hyacinth has decided that as it is Christmas, Richard should help distribute gifts to the old people at the Church Hall, dressed as Father Christmas. Richard, feeling an idiot, goes to show Elizabeth and Emmet, and he and Emmet proceed to get incredibly drunk. Meanwhile, Rose has a new boyfriend called Mr Sudbury, and Onslow and Daisy watch in amazement as Mr Sudbury and Rose dance down the road.

Later, Elizabeth discovers Richard and Emmet, and as Richard is too drunk she decides to dress up in his Father Christmas outfit and drive Hyacinth to the Church Hall. Richard and Emmet follow on the bus. 

Hyacinth has invited Richard's Head of Department, Mr Thorgunby, and his wife over for some mulled wine and mince pies. While on her way to the Church Hall with Father Christmas, who she thinks is Richard, she spots Daisy, Onslow and the Thorgunby's on their way to her house. She waylays the Thorgunbys, and takes them to the village hall where she meets the vicar, who tells her that Daddy has gotten very drunk, has shed his clothes and is creating a few problems. 

Hyacinth eventually finds Daddy. She also sees Father Christmas being kissed by Onslow, but she discovers that it is Liz, and finds out what happened. Richard, Onslow and Emmet go off to find Daddy's clothes, and Hyacinth, dressed as Father Christmas, puts Daddy in the car. Onslow, thinking Father Christmas is Liz, goes and gives Hyacinth a kiss. Emmet appears, followed by Rose, who kisses him before also kissing the vicar. 

Eventually Hyacinth, by this time rather mellowed, invites everyone around to her house for a glass of mulled wine and a hot mince pie, and they all go off happily together.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Keeping Up Appearances

The Father Christmas Suit

Contributors

Genres

Brand

BBC One Oxfordshire

About BBC One