29 Responses to “Tea for Three”

  1. Mark says:

    Isn’t there a few seconds cut from the released dvd where Del says to Albert about walking across the estate like that etc…?i seem to recall this from the VHS i once had…..???

    • Paddy The Greek says:

      Yes that’s right. There’s a lot more than just that deleted though. See my post further down the thread for details. I think the original reason for the cuts was because I believe the episode on its original broadcast slightly overran thirty minutes. I’ve definitely seen the episode on the BBC in full, but it was well over twenty years ago. At some point (people seem to think about 1989) the episode was edited by the BBC for future broadcasts with the offensive ‘paki’ line removed, plus additional lines edited to enable the episode to fit better into a thirty minute slot. Gold now show ‘Tea for Three’ uncut apart form the racially sensitive line. I’m not sure whether ‘Tea for Three’ was ever available uncut on VHS, but the DVD releases are cut in the same places the BBC cut it, plus an additional cut for music licensing reasons. The episode is totally uncut on the Itunes release (apparently).

    • Paddy The Greek says:

      I also meant to say that the fact the dialogue on the DVD releases remains cut appears to be down to nothing more than laziness on the part of the BBC. Even if the cut for music licensing has to be there, there is no reason for the other cuts to be present on the DVD as there are no time constraints as there would be with a television broadcast on the BBC. It simply appears that they have not bothered to restore the lines, they must think nobody will notice or care!

  2. David Jefferson says:

    Is it possible to obtain a copy of the ‘Tea for Three’ episode with Albert’s song ‘Ada’ still intact? I originally had recorded it on tape and assumed it would be on the commercial disc so dumped the tape.
    Any chances?

  3. SJL@1978 says:

    Back in the flat, whilst Rodney is studying the map, Albert mentions that Del has been missing for 12 hours……a couple of minutes later in the same scene listen how Mike – responding to the news that Lisa is getting married – announces that he’ll open the pub early for a celebratory drink. I’m presuming the Nags Head opens around lunchtime, so Mike opens the pub around 10:00 – 11:00 am which means Del went missing about that time the previous EVENING. However when he sets off on the hang-glider it’s broad daylight ( OK maybe I#m looking into things a bit too much here ! )

  4. Paddy The Greek says:

    The ‘Tea For Three’ script is missing some lines that were in the original broadcast but have been cut from many repeat broadcasts and also video and DVD releases. This is the full script for the scene in which Rodney, Del and Lisa are having tea.

    Lisa: “Does your face hurt?”

    Rodney: “Only when I smile.”

    Del: “It’s amazing how nature compensates”

    Lisa “What you mean?”

    Del: “Well with a face like that his got nothing to smile about as he”.

    Rodney: “Here you are Lisa, We have a selection of cheeses, We got cheddar, that’s double gossiper and that one’s cracker barrel.”

    Del: “Shhhh”

    Rodney: “Well, The Paki didn’t have a lot of choice, did he?, This aint really Lambswell territory.”

    Lisa: “Oh I’m sorry Rodney I really couldn’t eat another thing, it was a lovely meal, thank you both.”

    Del: “Oh that’s alright.”

    Del: “Listen Rodney, I wouldn’t stand about in that suit too long if I were you, not with your head!”

    Lisa: “Why not?”

    Del: “Well, he looks like a Swan Vesta! You’ve only got yourself to blame, haven’t yer?”

    Rodney: “I didn’t think the timer on that thing was faulty.”

    Del: “yeah. Oh, yeah…”

    Rodney: “I only wanted a 30-minute tone-up, Two and a half hours I was under there.”

    Del: “It’ll al be right, be alright, Don’t worry about it Rodney, because in a couple days’ time it goes all flaky and scabby, then it falls off, and it’ll be gone, see?”

    Rodney: “How’s your mum these days Lisa?”

    • peter standing says:

      Did anyone notice yesterday on the trigger tribute weekend that Gold showed the tea for three episode uncut apart from the ‘Well, The Paki didn’t have a lot of choice, did he?’ How did Gold get hold of this episode as it has not been shown uncut since 1/1/89?

      • Paddy The Greek says:

        Presumably given to them by the BBC as they would obviously still have the full episode in the archives. How do you know Tea for Three hasn’t been shown uncut since 1989?

        • Calamity James says:

          Just to update this thread, I bought series 5 from the BBC Store (that new on-demand video service) and this scene is shown fully uncensored.

  5. Paddy The Greek says:

    The ‘Tea For Three’ script is missing some lines that were in the original broadcast but have been cut from many repeat broadcasts and also video and DVD releases. This is the full script for the scene in which Rodney, Del and Lisa are having tea.

    Lisa: “Does your face hurt?”

    Rodney: “Only when I smile.”

    Del: “It’s amazing how nature compensates”

    Lisa “What you mean?”

    Del: “Well with a face like that his got nothing to smile about as he”.

    Rodney: “Here you are Lisa, We have a selection of cheeses, We got cheddar, that’s double gossiper and that one’s cracker barrel.”

    Del: “Shhhh”

    Rodney: “Well, The Paki didn’t have a lot of choice, did he?, This aint really Lambswell territory.”

    Lisa: “Oh I’m sorry Rodney I really couldn’t eat another thing, it was a lovely meal, thank you both.”

    Del: “Oh that’s alright.”

    Del: “Listen Rodney, I wouldn’t stand about in that suit too long if I were you, not with your head!”

    Lisa: “Why not?”

    Del: “Well, he looks like a Swan Vesta! You’ve only got yourself to blame, haven’t yer?”

    Rodney: “I didn’t think the timer on that thing was faulty.”

    Del: “yeah. Oh, yeah…”

    Rodney: “I only wanted a 30-minute tone-up, Two and a half hours I was under there.”

    Del: “It’ll al be right, be alright, Don’t worry about it Rodney, because in a couple days’ time it goes all flaky and scabby, then it falls off, and it’ll be gone, see?”

    Rodney: “How’s your mum these days Lisa?”

  6. Paddy The Greek says:

    The script on here for ‘Tea for Three’ is missing some parts that were in the original broadcast but have been cut on many repeat broadcasts and on video and DVD releases. Some of these lines are missing during the scene with Del, Rodney and Lisa having tea.

    Lisa: “Does your face hurt?”

    Rodney: “Only when I smile.”

    Del: “It’s amazing how nature compensates”

    Lisa “What you mean?”

    Del: “Well with a face like that his got nothing to smile about as he”.

    Rodney: “Here you are Lisa, We have a selection of cheeses, We got cheddar, that’s double gossiper and that one’s cracker barrel.”

    Del: “Shhhh”

    Rodney: “Well, The Paki didn’t have a lot of choice, did he?, This aint really Lambswell territory.”

    Lisa: “Oh I’m sorry Rodney I really couldn’t eat another thing, it was a lovely meal, thank you both.”

    Del: “Oh that’s alright.”

    Del: “Listen Rodney, I wouldn’t stand about in that suit too long if I were you, not with your head!”

    Lisa: “Why not?”

    Del: “Well, he looks like a Swan Vesta! You’ve only got yourself to blame, haven’t yer?”

    Rodney: “I didn’t think the timer on that thing was faulty.”

    Del: “yeah. Oh, yeah…”

    Rodney: “I only wanted a 30-minute tone-up, Two and a half hours I was under there.”

    Del: “It’ll al be right, be alright, Don’t worry about it Rodney, because in a couple days’ time it goes all flaky and scabby, then it falls off, and it’ll be gone, see?”

    Rodney: “How’s your mum these days Lisa?”

  7. Sam says:

    One thing I’ve noticed is that Rodney says that Del will be turning 46. If the show is in real time – 1986, then Del should be around 40. As in the first series – 1981, it is said that Del is 35.

    Fantastic episode though, one of my favourites

    • peter standing says:

      Hi Sam I think it is Rodney trying to make Del seem older so he would have a better chance of going out with Lisa

      • Deepthroat Ghoul says:

        Besides, the first episode of Rock & Chips shows Del aged around 15 in 1960, giving him a birth year of 1945.

        • Rich says:

          Plus the special anniversary episode was supposed to happen in 2011 and was going to be about Del’s 65th birthday, therefore adding up perfectly from the 1981 episode in which Del says he is 35. Anything inbetween those years that contradicted the ages of the characters was John Sullivan portraying Del as either forgetful about ages and dates or a little bit economical with the truth.

  8. Sam says:

    Rodney says to Lisa that Del is turning 46. If the show is in real time (1986) then Del should be around 40 at this point. In the first series ‘Go West Young Man,’ it is said that Del is 35 (1981)

    A very pedantic observation I know but that’s what happens when you watch them over and over..

    Fantastic episode though, one of my favourites from the series.

  9. Sam says:

    Rodney says that Del will be turning 47 years old in this episode. Del should be 39/40 if the show is in real time, 1986.

    In ‘Go West Young Man’ in the first series, 1981, it is said that Del is 35.

    This is really being really pedantic I know, but when you watch these shows over you notice things like this.

    A fantastic episode though, one of my favourites, and I’ve just worked out the actor who played Lisa was in East Enders a few years ago.

  10. Paul w says:

    in tea for three alberts wife is ill at the beginning then there is no more mention of it again.. did she survive?

    • Sam says:

      I think that was another continuity error. Albert mentioned in Strained Relations that he didn’t speak to Ada for years, but “she was still [his] wife”. Since Albert never mentioned a divorce, we can only assume that she had died prior to that episode. Some things in OFAH, especially when it comes to ages and family, don’t always add up correctly.

  11. Griff says:

    This was one of the first ever Fools I watched I think.

    I’ll always put Jolly Boys Outing as my faveourite Special. But, as for 30 minute and 50 minuters, really too difficult to decide.

  12. Tony says:

    Yes i think the funniest episode but how do you decide ? they are all so good

  13. DeepthroatGhoul says:

    “In Tea for Three, Rodney says he remembers Lisa (Trigs Niece) from years back, but in Big Brother (A few years back), Rodney has to be introduced to Trig as if they had never met before.”

    I see what this is getting at, but it is perfectly possible that Rodney and Lisa would have been childhood friends without Rodney ever meeting her uncle Trigger.

    • Matthew James says:

      Actually the line in ‘Big Brother’ is:

      DEL: You know my brother ?
      TRIGGER: Yeah. Hi Dave.

      So he knows him but they haven’t seen each other in years.

  14. Den says:

    This is my alltime fav ep..
    Still to this day i can’t get enough of it.
    I must have watched this hundreds of times..
    Love it!

  15. admin says:

    Arguably the best 30 minute episode
    At this point it became evident that with a 50 minute slot only fools could go a lot further as some of John Sullivan’s plots and comedy genius was clearly being hampered with just 30 minutes

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