''Breeze Block'' is a short-lived British TV series written by

Ian Pattison Ian Pattison is a Scottish writer who lives in Glasgow, best known for writing the 10 series of the sitcom '' Rab C Nesbitt''. He also wrote the 1995 to 1996 sitcom '' Atletico Partick''; the six-episode series ''Breeze Block'' starring Tim H ...

which aired on

BBC Choice BBC Choice was a British digital television channel which was owned by the BBC and was launched on 23 September 1998. It was the first United Kingdom, British TV channel to broadcast exclusively in Digital television, digital format, as well as t ...

in 2002.

Synopsis

Ralph Breeze lives with his wife Iris and children Eric, Carol and Billy in the

Byker Wall The Byker Wall is a long, unbroken block of 620 maisonettes in the Byker district of Newcastle upon Tyne, England. They were designed by Ralph Erskine and constructed in the 1970s. The wall is just part of the estate, which in total covers . ...

area of

Newcastle upon Tyne Newcastle upon Tyne, or simply Newcastle ( , Received Pronunciation, RP: ), is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England. It is England's northernmost metropolitan borough, located o ...

. Ralph has lost his confidence after being made redundant and feels that he is a "stopped clock". As he tries to overcome his paralysis, his wife Iris flirts with his brother Tommy and Tommy flirts with Billy. Eric works as a window cleaner and Carol works for lecherous fishmonger Mr Shields. Billy, encouraged (and pimped) by Uncle Tommy, starts work as a gigolo but is rather unsuccessful as he falls in love with each of his clients. Ralph attends assertiveness classes to help him overcome his condition and, although Iris is supportive, his children – particularly Eric – are pretty indifferent to the point of cruelty (all for comic effect).

Cast

* Tim Healy – Ralph Breeze *

Su Elliot Su Elliot (born 18 December 1950) is a British actress. She was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England. Her film roles include Alice in '' The Zany Adventures of Robin Hood'' (1984), a nurse in '' The Girl in a Swing'' (1988), Mar ...

– Iris Breeze *David Nellist – Eric Breeze * Alison Mac – Carol Breeze *

Craig Heaney Craig Heaney (born August 1973) is a British screen, stage and radio actor. He may be best known as Private Roy W. Cobb in the award-winning ten-part mini-series '' Band of Brothers'' (2001). He played Phil in Danny Cannon's 2005 football movie ...

– Billy Breeze *

Berwick Kaler Berwick Kaler (born 31 October 1946) is a British actor most famous for playing the pantomime dame, dame in York Theatre Royal's annual pantomime, which he also wrote and directed until 2020. In 2021 he parted ways with York Theatre Royal and t ...

– Uncle Tommy *

Mark Benton Mark Benton (born 16 November 1965) is an English actor and television presenter known for his roles as Eddie in '' Early Doors'', Howard in '' Northern Lights'', Martin Pond in '' Barbara'' and the eponymous Frank Hathaway in '' Shakespeare & H ...

– Mr. Shields *

Dale Meeks Dale Meeks (6 May 1975 – 22 April 2023) was an English television and theatre actor. Acting career Meeks was best known for his role as Simon Meredith in the ITV soap opera ''Emmerdale'' and as the winner of ITV's '' Celebrity Stars in The ...

– Hips *

Jill Halfpenny Jill Halfpenny (born 15 July 1975) is an English actress who first garnered attention playing Nicola Dobson in the coming-of-age BBC drama series '' Byker Grove'' (1989–1992). She became more widely known for her roles as Rebecca Hopkins on ...

– Gail *

Ashley Jensen Ashley Jensen (born 11 August 1969) is a Scottish actress and narrator. She is best known for her roles as Maggie Jacobs in '' Extras'' (2005–2007, for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award), Christina McKinney in ''Ugly Betty'' (2006� ...

– Leanne

Episodes

Episode 1

Season 1, Episode 1: Angels
Original Air Date: 4 March 2002
Ralph has lost his eyes and, on being told by Iris that they are in his head where he left them, he realises that there is not as much to see as there used to be.

Episode 2

Season 1, Episode 2: Higher
Original Air Date: 11 March 2002
Billy starts his career as a gigolo. Uncle Tommy introduces him to a neighbour with a shepherd fixation. Soon Billy is wearing a clothing range by One Man and His Dog to please his new lady friend.

Episode 3

Season 1, Episode 3: Saturday, Sinday
Original Air Date: 18 March 2002
After a heavy night out, looking for a poke, Eric ends up in a fight. He does not realise until the next morning that he has been stabbed. Ralph is feeling anxious and has thrown off his blanket, which used to be used to calm down the budgie.

Episode 4

Season 1, Episode 4: Kid
Original Air Date: 25 March 2002

Episode 5

Season 1, Episode 5: Unspeakable
Original Air Date: 1 April 2002
Ralph gets caught sniffing a labourer's dungarees which were left hanging on a nail. When confessing to his family about his indiscretion, he reminisces about when he was a working man at the

Swan Hunter Swan Hunter, formerly known as Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson, is a shipbuilding design, engineering, and management company, based in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, England. At its apex, the company represented the combined forces of three pow ...

shipyard, coming home every night with "sweat rings the size of dinner plates".

Episode 6

Season 1, Episode 6: Wet
Original Air Date: 8 April 2002
Ralph gets a job collecting trolleys for a derisory wage. Carol goes on an unsatisfactory date with her old art teacher.

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=0328735, title=Breeze Block 2002 British television series debuts 2002 British television series endings 2000s British comedy television series BBC television sitcoms British English-language television shows Television shows set in Tyne and Wear Television shows set in Newcastle upon Tyne