TV series
Bread is a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991. The series focused on the devoutly-Catholic and extended Boswell family of Liverpool, in the district of Dingle, led by its matriarch Nellie through a number of ups and downs as they tried to make their way through life in Thatcher's Britain with no visible means of support. The street shown at the start of each programme is Elswick Street. A family called Boswell had also featured in Lane's earlier sitcom The Liver Birds and Lane admitted in interviews that the two families were probably related. Nellie's feckless and estranged husband, Freddie, left her for another woman known as 'Lilo Lill'. Her children Joey, Jack, Adrian, Aveline and Billy continued to live in the family home in Kelsall Street and contributed money to the central family fund, largely through benefit fraud and the sale of stolen goods.
Availability
Checked Jul 22, 2026
Bread premiered May 1, 1986. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Bread is a British television sitcom, written by Carla Lane, produced by the BBC and screened on BBC1 from 1 May 1986 to 3 November 1991. The series focused on the devoutly-Catholic and extended Boswell family of Liverpool, in the district of Dingle, led by its matriarch Nellie through a number of ups and downs as they tried to make their way through life in Thatcher's Britain with no visible means of support. The street shown at the start of each programme is Elswick Street. A family called Boswell had also featured in Lane's earlier sitcom The Liver Birds and Lane admitted in interviews that the two families were probably related. Nellie's feckless and estranged husband, Freddie, left her for another woman known as 'Lilo Lill'. Her children Joey, Jack, Adrian, Aveline and Billy continued to live in the family home in Kelsall Street and contributed money to the central family fund, largely through benefit fraud and the sale of stolen goods.
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Episode 1
Adrian has found a girlfriend, Carmen. Jack gets hijacked by a couple of punks who need a lift to Manchester.
Directed by Susan BelbinWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Harry Goodier, Joanne Zorian, Tim Dantay, John Wild
Episode 2
Julie goes into labor earlier than expected and Joey has to come to Billy's rescue.
Directed by Susan BelbinWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Jimmy Wilde, Georgina Smith, Charles Pemberton, Christopher Ellison, Roy Brandon, Michael Atkinson, John Thomalla, Shevaun Briars
Episode 3
Jack and Adrian witness a burglary, then find themselves pursued by the perpetrators.
Directed by Susan BelbinWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Brian Croucher, Eric Wyn, Derek Deadman
Episode 4
Things are looking up for Billy when he starts making money on his sandwich round. Unfortunately, his sudden realization that money can come out of a hole in the wall, is spoilt when it is stolen out of his hand.
Directed by Susan BelbinWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Charles Lawson, Simon Rouse, Tommy Wright, Christian Ealey, Alexander Green, Marie Jelliman, Viv Molyneux, Sharon Power
Episode 5
Billy is distraught when Julie takes the baby and heads to London to stay with friends, and Freddie Boswell comes home to stay.
Directed by Robin Nash, Susan BelbinWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars J.G. Devlin, Georgina Smith, Gina Maher
Episode 6
The Boswell's pet dog, Mongy, is not well and the family rally round to make sure he has every comfort. Meanwhile, Julie has returned from London.
Directed by Susan BelbinWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Roy Brandon, Cathy Flanagan
Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Available now in United States
These shows are available now and closely match Bread.
Peter HowittJoey Boswell
Jean BohtNellie Boswell
Bryan MurrayShifty Boswell
Jonathon MorrisAdrian Boswell
Deborah GrantLeonora Campbell
Kenneth WallerGrandad
BBC OneUnited Kingdom
