The British Sitcom Guide is re-launching as this bigger, better website. This new site isn't yet finished. Find out more
Sign Into BSG
Backs To The Land. Image shows from L to R: Jenny Dabb (Terese Stevens), Bunny Burroughs (Pippa Page), Shirley Bloom (Philippa Howell). Image credit: Anglia TV.

Backs To The Land
Backs To The Land. Image shows from L to R: Jenny Dabb (Terese Stevens), Shirley Bloom (Philippa Howell), Daphne Finch-Beauchamp (Marilyn Galsworthy). Image credit: Anglia TV.

Backs To The Land

1940 - When his two sons volunteer for service, Farmer Tom Whitlow of Crabtree Farm is aghast to see them replaced by three Women's Land Army girls

Genre:
Sitcom
Broadcast:
1977 - 1978  (ITV1)
Episodes:
19 (3 series)
Starring:
Philippa Howell, Terese Stevens, Marilyn Galsworthy, Pippa Page, John Stratton, Delia Paton, Michael Troughton, David Troughton, Stephanie Fayerman, Geraldine Newman, Charles Lamb
Writers:
David Climie
Production:
Anglia TV

May 1940 - Farmer Tom Whitlow, of Crabtree Farm in the village of Clayfield, is not too happy to see all his farm hands going off to war as they include his two sons. However, he's mortified to see the three Women's Land Army girls who have been sent to replace them! He wants to send them packing immediately but the girls are determined to prove that they can do the work of any man!

Our Review: After the success of Dad's Army, the Seventies produced a glut of Second World War sitcoms including Get Some In, Yanks Go Home and this uninspired but popular effort. Although the girls were the basis of the comedy they rarely seemed to be driving the plot - that accolade was mostly to be given to Farmer Tom Whitlow.

As with many series broadcast in a weekend slot in the Seventies, regions would swap transmission between Friday and Saturday to suit their own scheduling. The transmission dates for this guide are taken from the London area.