Porridge_
Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film also titled Porridge. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland. "Doing porridge" is British slang for serving a prison sentence, porridge once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons. The series was followed by a 1978 sequel, Going Straight, which established that Fletcher would not be going back to prison again. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms.
Created By
Dick Clement, Ian La Frenais
Network
BBC One
Episodes
20
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
No streaming data available yet.
Check availabilityDROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Overview
Porridge has 3 seasons with 20 episodes spanning 1974-1977.
Ronnie Barker →
Rating
With a 8.1/10 rating from 52 votes, Porridge is considered highly rated.
Year context
Porridge first aired 52 years ago in 1974.
CAST (4)
SEASONS (3 seasons, 20 episodes)
SEASON 1
SEASON 2
SEASON 3
SERIES INFO
3
Seasons
20
Episodes
Ended
Status
CREW
Creator
Dick Clement
Creator
Ian La Frenais
NETWORKS (1)
BBC One
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Porridge about?
Porridge is a British situation comedy broadcast on BBC1 from 1974 to 1977, running for three series, two Christmas specials and a feature film also titled Porridge. Written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais, it stars Ronnie Barker and Richard Beckinsale as two inmates at the fictional HMP Slade in Cumberland. "Doing porridge" is British slang for serving a prison sentence, porridge once being the traditional breakfast in UK prisons.
The series was followed by a 1978 sequel, Going Straight, which established that Fletcher would not be going back to prison again. Porridge was voted number seven in a 2004 BBC poll of the 100 greatest British sitcoms.
How many seasons does Porridge have?
Porridge has 3 seasons with 20 episodes total.
Who created Porridge?
Porridge was created by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais.
Who stars in Porridge?
The cast of Porridge includes Ronnie Barker, Richard Beckinsale, Fulton Mackay, Brian Wilde.
What is the rating of Porridge?
Porridge has a rating of 8.1 out of 10 based on 52 votes on TMDB.
Is Porridge still running?
Porridge has ended. The final episode aired on .
GENRES (1)
Comedy
