Drop the Dead Donkey (1990)

Drop the Dead Donkey

Drop the Dead Donkey is a situation comedy that first aired on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom between 1990 and 1998. It is set in the offices of “GlobeLink News”, a fictional TV news company. Recorded close to transmission, it made use of contemporary news events to give the programme a greater sense of realism. It was created by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin. The series had an ensemble cast, making stars of Haydn Gwynne, Stephen Tompkinson and Neil Pearson. The series began with the acquisition of GlobeLink by media mogul Sir Roysten Merchant, an allusion to either Robert Maxwell or Rupert Murdoch. Indeed, Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin note on their DVDs that it was fortunate for their libel lawyers that the two men shared the same initials. The series is mostly based on the on-going battle between the staff of GlobeLink, led by editor George Dent, as they try to maintain the company as a serious news organisation, and Sir Roysten’s right-hand man Gus Hedges, trying to make the show more sensationalist and suppress stories that might harm Sir Roysten’s business empire. The show was awarded the Best Comedy Award at the 1994 BAFTA Awards. At the British Comedy Awards the show won Best New TV Comedy in 1990, Best Channel 4 Comedy in 1991, and Best Channel 4 Sitcom in 1994.

Drop the Dead Donkey

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Casting arrow_drop_down

Neil Pearson
Neil Pearson
as Dave Charnley
Victoria Wicks
Victoria Wicks
as Sally Smedley
David Swift
David Swift
as Henry Davenport
Stephen Tompkinson
Stephen Tompkinson
as Damien Day
Jeff Rawle
Jeff Rawle
as George Dent
Robert Duncan
Robert Duncan
as Gus Hedges
Susannah Doyle
Susannah Doyle
as Joy Merryweather
Ingrid Lacey
Ingrid Lacey
as Helen Cooper
Haydn Gwynne
Haydn Gwynne
as Alex Pates
Sara Stewart
Sara Stewart
as Jenny
Geoffrey McGivern
Geoffrey McGivern
as Geoff as TV Announcer as Repeat introductions (voice) (uncredited) as Voice Over (voice)
Neil Stuke
Neil Stuke
as Wes Jasper
Allan Corduner
Allan Corduner
as Critic
Ben Daniels
Ben Daniels
as
Charlie Creed-Miles
Charlie Creed-Miles
as
Hermione Norris
Hermione Norris
as Octavia
Chris Lang
Chris Lang
as Peregrine
Clive Russell
Clive Russell
as
Sarah Alexander
Sarah Alexander
as
Emma Chambers
Emma Chambers
as
Nicholas Farrell
Nicholas Farrell
as
Gina McKee
Gina McKee
as
Tony Gardner
Tony Gardner
as
Donald Sumpter
Donald Sumpter
as
Daniel Craig
Daniel Craig
as
Roger Hammond
Roger Hammond
as Sir Roysten
Meera Syal
Meera Syal
as Barmaid
Albert Welling
Albert Welling
as
Caroline Strong
Caroline Strong
as
Philip Glenister
Philip Glenister
as
Colin Mace
Colin Mace
as
William Hope
William Hope
as
Nicholas Day
Nicholas Day
as
John Bowler
John Bowler
as
Nick Dunning
Nick Dunning
as
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln
as
Mark Chapman
Mark Chapman
as Sam Peter
Stephen Moore
Stephen Moore
as Minister
Jane Wymark
Jane Wymark
as Belinda
Elizabeth Downes
Elizabeth Downes
as Lynn Yeats
Brian Bovell
Brian Bovell
as Barry
James Gaddas
James Gaddas
as Gary
Jon Fuller
Jon Fuller
as Photographer
Kate Robbins
Kate Robbins
as Princess Anne Voice Over (voice)
Sue Carpenter
Sue Carpenter
as Self
Neil Kinnock
Neil Kinnock
as Self
Jon Snow
Jon Snow
as Self
Stella Gonet
Stella Gonet
as Anthea
Sarah Lonton
Sarah Lonton
as Woman in Club
Paul Mayhew-Archer
Paul Mayhew-Archer
as Man in Gents
Philip Pope
Philip Pope
as Minister
Angela Rippon
Angela Rippon
as Newsreader
James Bannon
James Bannon
as Vivian Stanmore
Melvyn Hayes
Melvyn Hayes
as Sir Gordon
Neville Phillips
Neville Phillips
as Vicar
Iain Rogerson
Iain Rogerson
as Guard
Maureen Bennett
Maureen Bennett
as Miss Frobisher
Victoria Carling
Victoria Carling
as Sue
Clare Clifford
Clare Clifford
as Lavinia
Guy Jenkin
Guy Jenkin
as Removal Man (uncredited)
Richard Osman
Richard Osman
as Removal Man (uncredited)
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Seasons

Season 1

Season 1

Season 2

Season 2

Season 3

Season 3

Season 4

Season 4

Season 5

Season 5

Season 6

Season 6

Episodes season 0

  • 0x1

    Pilot

Episodes season 1

  • 1x1

    A new dawn

  • 1x2

    Sally's arrival

  • 1x3

    A clash of interests

  • 1x4

    A blast from the past

  • 1x5

    Old father time

  • 1x6

    Sex, lies and audiotape

  • 1x7

    The new approach

  • 1x8

    The root of all evil

  • 1x9

    Death, disaster 'n' damien

  • 1x10

    The big day

Episodes season 2

  • 2x1

    The gulf report

  • 2x2

    The trevorman cometh

  • 2x3

    Henry and dido

  • 2x4

    Baseball

  • 2x5

    The drunken cabinet minister

  • 2x6

    Alex and the intrepreter

  • 2x7

    Hoax

  • 2x8

    Don't mention the arabs

  • 2x9

    Damien down and out

  • 2x10

    The evangelist

  • 2x11

    George's daughter

  • 2x12

    Dave's day

  • 2x13

    The christmas party

Episodes season 3

  • 3x1

    In place of alex

  • 3x2

    Sally's accountant

  • 3x3

    Henry's lost love

  • 3x4

    Helen'll fix it

  • 3x5

    Sally's libel

  • 3x6

    Lady merchant

  • 3x7

    The new newsreader

  • 3x8

    Joy

  • 3x9

    Paintball

  • 3x10

    George and his daughter

  • 3x11

    Awards

Episodes season 4

  • 4x1

    The undiscovered country

  • 4x2

    Quality time

  • 4x3

    The day of the mum

  • 4x4

    Births and deaths

  • 4x5

    Helen's parents

  • 4x6

    Sally in t.v. times

  • 4x7

    Crime time

  • 4x8

    No more mr nice guy

  • 4x9

    Henry's autobiography

  • 4x10

    The strike

  • 4x11

    The wedding

  • 4x12

    Damien and the weather girl

Episodes season 5

  • 5x1

    Inside the asylum

  • 5x2

    The godless society

  • 5x3

    The bird of doom

  • 5x4

    What are friends for

  • 5x5

    The path of true love

  • 5x6

    George's car

  • 5x7

    Charnley in love

  • 5x8

    Henry's diary

  • 5x9

    Dave and diana

  • 5x10

    Luck

  • 5x11

    The graveyard shift

  • 5x12

    Sex 'n death

Episodes season 6

  • 6x1

    The newsmakers

  • 6x2

    Beasts, badgers and bombshells

  • 6x3

    The diaries

  • 6x4

    But is it art?

  • 6x5

    George finds love

  • 6x6

    A bit of an atmosphere

  • 6x7

    The final chapter

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