“Not Going Out” is a British sitcom that aired on the BBC from 2006 to 2020
Not Going Out is a light-hearted, fast-paced mainstream sitcom based around the life of a man un-burdened by ambition or drive. Lee deflects criticism and bad news with his trademark wit and one-liners but deep down he is looking for love, a steady job and a flat he can call his own.
In the first series Lee stayed in the flat with an American health fanatic called Kate. Their easy-going, comfortable friendship steadily moved onto potentially romantic ground – a situation complicated by the fact that Lee’s best mate Tim was Kate’s previous boyfriend.
Kate moved back to America before Series 2 started. Unable to buy the flat himself due to his enduring inability to earn a steady income, Lee was forced to rent the spare room from the flat’s new owner – Tim’s ambitious younger sister Lucy. Series 3 continued with this premise.
Series 4 saw Lee still desperate to win the affections of his flatmate, Lucy. But it still wasn’t plain sailing… and it wasn’t just Lee’s complete lack of drive getting in the way! Not only are friends Tim and Daisy on hand to cause problems, but Lee also had to cope with stolen drugs, missing OAPs, long-lost daughters and a coma.
In the fifth series Lee turned rocker when he joined Tim’s band, cheered on by Tim’s ditzy girlfriend Daisy. He also took on the role of carer for his scrounging father; injured himself training for a fun run; and proved his manliness by camping in a dark spooky forest.
Series 6 opened with Tim away, working in Germany. That didn’t mean Lee’s life got any easier, however, with incidents involving rabbits and childrens’ parties, therapy, amateur dramatics, and a particularly eventful skiing holiday with both Lucy and Daisy. However, a boating adventure may offer the chance Lee’s long been wishing for…
Series 7 saw the will-they-won’t-they tension between Lee and Lucy reach new highs, with Lee eventually proposing to Lucy.
Series 8 picks up the couple’s story seven years later. The pair now live in a comfortable semi-detached home in Walton-on-Thames with their three kids: Charlie, and twins Benji and Molly. How has layabout Lee survived these dramatic life-changes? How do the not-so-new parents find the joy/relentless onslaught of bringing up kids?
As if children weren’t enough to keep the couple crashing from one near-disaster to the next, factor in Lee’s lovably feckless father, Frank, close friends in the form of the world-weary (or more specifically, wife-weary) Toby and uptight ice-queen Anna. At least Lucy’s more dependable parents are on hand, but we know what Geoffrey and Wendy make of their daughter’s life choices, and more specifically her wisecracking husband.
Fast-paced, gag-packed studio sitcom starring Lee Mack and Sally Bretton. Also features Hugh Dennis, Abigail Cruttenden, Geoffrey Whitehead, Deborah Grant, Bobby Ball and more.
The show was created by and starred as Lee, a man who lives in a London flat and is constantly struggling to get by. The show also featured an ensemble cast of characters, including Lucy (Sally Bretton), Daisy (Megan Dodds), and Tim (Tim Vine). The show was known for its sharp wit, clever writing, and strong ensemble cast, and it was well-received by critics and audiences alike. The show ran for nine seasons and over 100 episodes, and it has become a popular choice for syndication and streaming on various platforms.
Lee Mack
Lee is well known for his role as Lee in Not Going Out, he is also a hugely popular comedian, and is perhaps best known for being the team captain on the popular BBC show, Would I Lie to You, where two teams have to take it in turns to tell anecdotes, while the other team choices whether they think that person is lying or telling the truth. He has also appeared on Never Mind the Buzzcocks and 8 Out of 10 Cats, and is particularly famous for his witty rapport. Lee tied the knot with Tara McKillop in 2005, and the pair share three children, Arlo, Louie and Millie.
Lee is also a keen darks player, and holds the Guinness World Record for the most darts number twos in one minute. He also broke the record for most darts in inner and outer bullseyes in one minute, but his record was broken in 2016 by a professional darts player.
Sally Bretton
Sally plays Lucy in the show, and is also best known for her role as Martha Lloyd in Death in Paradise, which she starred in for two years. She also starred in the UK version of The Office as Donna, David’s lodger who takes part in work experience at Wernham Hoggs. Sally’s real life husband is also aptly named Lee, and the pair share three daughters. Speaking about the filming schedule of the show when her daughters were babies, she said: “They did want to start it fairly soon after I had my first. But they were amazing and said just bring her in. During rehearsals, they’d give me time off to feed her. I am genuinely very good friends with Lee. He’s a good mate. His family are all amazing, too.”
Hugh Dennis
Hugh plays Dennis, a role he first originated in 2014. As well as a stand-up comedian and team captain on Mock the Week, Hugh is also very well known for his role in Outnumbered, where he plays the exhausted history teacher dad, Pete. He also recently starred at the bank manager in Fleabag, who helps the title character with a bank loan for her guinea pig-themed café.
Abigail Cruttenden
Abigail hails from a theatrical family, as her grandmother ran the Rosslyn School of Dance and Drama and her mother ran a stage make-up school. The actress, who has played Anna in the show since 2004, has two daughters. She shares one with her ex-husband, Sean Bean, who she divorced in 2000, and another with her second husband, Jonathan Fraser. She has also starred in The Theory of Everything and Jane Eyre.
Bobby Ball
Bobby is part of the famous double act Cannon and Ball, and is perhaps best known for their ITV show, The Cannon and Ball Show. The star has also tried his hand at reality TV, and took part in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2005. The 75-year-old has three children, Robert, Joanne, Darren.
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