Episode 1
Episode 701
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Katy Carmichael, Al Hunter Ashton, Mark Jordon, John Laing
TV series
Bread
19867 seasons7.0 / 10
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
Not streaming in United States
Checked Jul 22, 2026
Bread premiered May 1, 1986. We don't have a confirmed streaming, rental or purchase option yet.
Synopsis
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.
Season 7 episodes
Choose an episode, then use the watch options above for the show.
Where to watch Bread
Episode 2
Episode 702
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Eileen Pollock, Sharon Byatt, Greg Ellis, Peter Colligan, Andrew Hilton, Carl Rice
Episode 3
Episode 703
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Eileen Pollock, Peter Byrne, Joyce Windsor, Martin Buchan, Mary Maude, Peter Clapham
Episode 4
Episode 704
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Eileen Pollock
Episode 5
Episode 705
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Eileen Pollock, Peter Byrne, Sylvie Gatrill, Gerry White, Marie Jelliman, Sunetra Sarker, David Quilter
Episode 6
Episode 706
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Eileen Pollock, Peter Byrne, Sylvie Gatrill, Sharon Byatt, Katy Carmichael, Marie Jelliman, Malcolm Scates, Roger Martin
Episode 7
Episode 707
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Pamela Power, Sharon Byatt, Mary Maude, Peter Clapham, Pauline Amos, Helen Martin
Episode 8
Episode 8
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Sharon Byatt, Katy Carmichael, Martin Buchan, Mary Maude, Peter Clapham, Pauline Amos
Episode 9
Episode 9
30m
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Georgina Smith, Joanna Phillips-Lane, Sylvie Gatrill, Sharon Byatt, Katy Carmichael, Mary Maude
Episode 10
Episode 10
30mfinale
Episode credits
Directed by John B. HobbsWritten by Carla LaneGuest stars Giles Watling, Eileen Pollock, Joanna Phillips-Lane, Peter Byrne, Sylvie Gatrill, Katy Carmichael, Carl Rice, Susanna Page
Episode information updated Jul 24, 2026
Available now in United States
What to watch instead
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More about Bread
Cast
Peter HowittJoey Boswell
Jean BohtNellie Boswell
Bryan MurrayShifty BoswellGraham BickleyJoey Boswell
Nick ConwayBilly Boswell
Jonathon MorrisAdrian Boswell
Deborah GrantLeonora Campbell
Kenneth WallerGrandadCredits
- Created by
- Carla Lane
- Written by
- Carla Lane
Production details
- Status
- Ended
- Series type
- Scripted
- Episodes
- 74
- Original language
- English
Networks & production
BBC OneUnited Kingdom
Themes
familyliverpool, englandmothernorthern englandscamsitcomunemployment benefits