Ten things we learnt from Porridge: Inside Out

We've loved being banged up again in HMP Slade, some 40 years after Porridge originally hit our screens. But what have we learnt from Porridge: Inside Out?

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Porridge almost didn't happen

Ronnie Barker originally favoured another comedy pilot written by Porridge writers Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais called I'll Fly You For A Quid. That show centred around a Welsh family who go to desperate lengths to get their hands on a winning betting slip. Thankfully he changed his mind.
Ronnie's good deed

Back in 2003, Ronnie Barker reprised the role of Fletcher to record a series of messages for Pentonville Prison. The recordings offered practical advice for new inmates and were credited with cutting the suicide rate during the first year they were in use.
Ball and chain

The building used for exterior shots in the series is now a popular wedding venue and is a favourite with fans of the sitcom. Eek.
Famous faces

Everyone knows that Kate Beckinsale's father Richard Beckinsale co-stars in the series but it's less well known that her mum (Judy Loe) also featured. The actress revealed that her mum's photograph is used to portray Lennie's girlfriend in the famous episode set entirely within one cell.
You gotta nerk

Challenged with realistically portraying prison life before the watershed, Porridge writers Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais had to come up with a whole new set of swear words. The pair borrowed 'naff' from Keith Waterhouse's Billy Liar book and also coined the word 'nerk' especially for the series.
Plasticine surgery

Patricia Brake became an overnight pin-up when she appeared in an eye-popping scene as Fletcher's bra-less daughter. However, the actress has revealed that her natural assets didn't quite er, meet the mark so they were enhanced with plasticine.
It's a set-up

After being denied permission to film in an actual prison, the producers filmed on a specially built set at Ealing Studios. The set took two days to put up and half a day to pull down.
Big(gins) breakfast

Christopher Biggins, who played Lukewarm in the series, still has porridge for breakfast every morning.
Drawing a Blanco

Ronnie Barker insisted on having David Jason to play Blanco in the series, even though he was 30 years too young for the role. Writers Dick Clement and Ian Le Frenais admit they were surprised by the casting, however, producer Sydney Lotterby says he played the part 'perfectly'.
No laughing matter

Biggins reveals in Porridge: Inside Out that Ronnie Barker was always happy to put his hands up and take the blame if the filming in front of the live studio audience went wrong. He was also willing to give up a funny line if he felt it worked better with a different cast member.