Other Elements
The show's title is a reference to the use of 'bread' as a slang term for money (Cockney Rhyming slang: Bread and Honey). A regular scenario in each episode was that of Nellie opening a cockerel-fashioned kitchen egg basket prior to the evening meal into which the family would place money for their upkeep. The amount of money placed in the pot by each depended on how successful a day they'd had. The pot would be at the forefront of the screen at the end of each episode as the credits rolled.
Other frequently-seen scenarios included Nellie answering a cordless phone (a newfangled item in the mid-1980s) which she kept in the pocket of her pinny (she always said "Hello yes?" when answering); and ensuring the parking places outside the terraced house were kept free for the family's many vehicles, by putting out some illicitly-acquired police traffic cones.
One of the main reasons for the show's success was its use of soap opera-style cliffhangers. This meant that viewers had to tune in each week to see how the previous week's cliffhanger would be resolved. This also meant that each episode was not self-contained, but the plot unfolded as the series progressed. This was very unusual for a comedy at the time, but has been used to great effect by comedies since.
The theme tune was sung by the cast members and was released on BBC Records but failed to make the UK singles chart. The theme was re-recorded for the 5th series of the show, due to BBC1's transition from mono to NICAM stereo sound - the original theme had been recorded in mono.
After the series had finished, a stage play of the show entitled "Bread - The Farewell Slice" toured the UK.
Read more about this topic: Bread (TV series)
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