Early Doors

Mondays at 10.20pm

Retaining The Royle Family's naturalistic and low-key atmosphere and dialogue, Early Doors is a traditional sitcom in every sense of the word. Set in a typically northern pub called The Grapes, it features a strong line-up of British character and comic actors - Craig Cash, John Henshaw, an up-and-coming James McAvoy, Lee Ingleby, Maxine Peake and Mark Benton.

Most episodes feature conversation and banter from inside the pub itself (who blocked the urinals, who ate all the Maltesers), but the main story features landlord's daughter Melanie's search for her biological father. The gentle, low-key humour makes Early Doors a cult classic and has won Cash and Mealey writing awards.