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
Jack has left home to go to America for a while and Nellie is missing him greatly. Cousin Shifty is coming out of prison and heading for the Boswell home, and Aveline is engaged to a protestant vicar who none of the family have met.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Victor McGuire, Giles Watling, J.G. Devlin, Eileen Pollock, Ann Haydn-Edwards, Georgina Smith, Pamela Power, Geoff Atwell
Episode 2
Aveline brings Oswald home and he finds a family in chaos when they all show him their true colours. Adrian is accepted as a male model after a less than impressive interview and Shifty is back to his old ways.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, J.G. Devlin, Pamela Power, Nick Stringer, Reginald Marsh
Episode 3
Freddie's visit to the doctor has left him unsure of his future, but only Joey notices that his father is suffering from a serious heart complaint. Celia Higgins arrives in the street but finds getting access to her new home a challenge thanks to the Boswell's fleet of battered vehicles.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Eileen Pollock, Pamela Power, Reginald Marsh, Rita Tushingham
Episode 4
Yizzel's mate involves Shifty in an insurance job on his car but forgets that he didn't have an MOT certificate. Meanwhile, Shifty's romance with Martina continues and Celia starts to bond with Nellie.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Charles Lawson, Simon Rouse, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham, Linda Beckett
Episode 5
Billy and Adrian both leave home and Nellie decides to teach them a lesson by delivering their belongings to them personally. They both realise that the grass is not so green on the other side and return home, while Shifty appears to be heading in the opposite direction.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Eileen Pollock, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham
Episode 6
Nellie advises the family against fussing over their dad, but she knows that she's wasting her breath. Shifty attempts to move in with Martina but finds it impossible to leave Grandad on his own. Meanwhile, Adrian's joy at publication of his poems is short-lived when he is nearly arrested.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Eileen Pollock, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham, Peter John
Episode 7
Joey gives Freddie an ultimatum - Lilo Lill or his mum. Linda McCartney opens an Animal Rescue Centre and, while getting her autograph, Billy invites her round for tea if she's ever "passing". She does - and an unwitting Nellie tells her all her troubles.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham, Greg Archen, Neil Lewis, Robert Wesley, Andrea Marshall, Ailsing Reynolds
Episode 8
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham, Roy Brandon, Brian Croucher, Christopher Gray
Episode 9
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, J.G. Devlin, Joanna Phillips-Lane, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham, Peter Byrne, Paul Toothill, Carol Quin
Episode 10
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Eileen Pollock, Joanna Phillips-Lane, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham, Peter Byrne, Leslie Rogers, Julia Sharon
Episode 11
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Reginald Marsh, Rita Tushingham, Peter Byrne, Sonia, Gerry White
Episode 12
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Eileen Pollock, Peter Byrne, Georgina Smith, Elsie Kelly
Episode 13
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, J.G. Devlin, Charles Lawson, Simon Rouse, Eileen Pollock, Jennie Goossens, Anthony Benson
Episode 14
In this Christmas Special the Boswells holiday in Rome and find their time is filled with happy memories, and new or renewed relationships.
Directed by Robin NashWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Eileen Pollock, Joanna Phillips-Lane, James Culshaw, Pamela Power, Rita Tushingham, Patricia Martinelli, Nick Maloney
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
