The cast of Hi-de-Hi!. All spoilers are unmarked.

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Maplins Entertainments Staff

Ted Bovis

Edward "Ted" Bovis

Played by Paul Shane. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"My name's Ted Bovis, an' I'm yer camp host, an' when I say 'camp' don't get the wrong idea, Mrs. Woman. There's nothing like that about me."

The camp host of Maplins, a swindler with a heart of gold.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/tedbovis.jpg

Anti-Hero: Ted lies to and cheats campers and fellow staff members on the daily, but he always helps a friend in need, a notable example being when he was worried that Peggy was being taken advantage of by an older man in "Peggy's Pen Friend".
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: Ted acts like a "cuddly" figure of fun to the campers, who don't know what he is like under the surface. Some of the worst things he's done to them include scamming them for birthday money ("The Beauty Queen Affair"), running rigged car raffles ("Raffles"), and drugging a whole chalet line with sleeping tablets ("The Great Cat Robbery").
Blackmail: In "All Change", Ted recognises Joan Wainwright, the new Chief Yellowcoat as Beryl Green, a magician's assistant who he once shared a theatre bill in the 1940's... and knows that she and the magician had a mixed-race child out of wedlock. He forces her to buy his silence by re-instating Gladys as Chief Yellowcoat and leaving her alone henceforth.
Book Dumb: Ted may be brilliant at coming up with schemes and fiddles, but he doesn't have much in the way of a classical education. "Hey Diddle Diddle" proves he doesn't even know what an archaeologist is.
Double Entendre: A mainstay of his act in the Hawaiian Ballroom. "It's a Blue World" put it best:
Jeffrey: To be fair on Ted, I think the audience eggs him on. He gets carried away.
Yvonne: A good comedian does not have to resort to filth and lewd innuendo.
Barry: With Ted, it isn't even innuendo. He says it.
Early-Installment Weirdness: In the earlier series, he calls Jeffrey "the Professor" rather than just "Jeff".
Fat and Skinny: The fat to Spike's skinny.
I Coulda Been a Contender!: He's a comic that never managed to get higher up than Maplins. He occasionally tries to break out and do his act for a higher class of audience in episodes such as "On with the Motley" and "Concessions", but it never works out.
Jerkass: He can be very blunt and crude with his co-workers. His most frequent targets are Jeffrey (who he sees as an Upper-Class Twit), Spike (for having far too many morals), and Yvonne (for being stuck-up).
Jerkass Has a Point: He feels he would make a better Entertainments Manager than Jeffrey or Clive. Whilst Jeffrey is honest and Ted isn't, it has to be said that Ted is much better at presenting to the campers than Jeffrey is. And since Clive unloads all of the responsibility of his position on Ted so that he can spend his time (and other people's money) charming every girl in the camp instead of working, it's fair to say Ted is better at being Entertainments Manager than Clive.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Despite all the rudeness and scams, Ted does have a good heart under it all, always looking out for Gladys, Spike, and Peggy when they are troubled. Notably, he is the one Peggy clings to in tears on the last day of the season before they are all sacked in "The Wind of Change".
Like an Old Married Couple: He and Spike act this way at times with the number of times they bicker. He lampshades this in "Stripes":
Spike: I hope you're not gonna cook those in the chalet, Ted. When you did those kippers it took a week to get the pong out of the place!
Ted: What's the matter with you? You nag when we don't catch anything, and when we do, you nag how it's gonna smell when I cook it! Your nagging'll ruin our relationship, Spike! If it goes on much longer, we'll have to go and see the Marriage Guidance people!
Love Hurts: In "September Song", he falls for Betty Barlow, a much younger woman, whom he intends to start an act with. Her mother disapproves, and once Ted learns she has a music scholarship she is giving up so she be with him, Ted dumps her so he won't hold her back. This takes a toll on him, and he is unable to make it through his performance of "Be a Clown" in the Hawaiian Ballroom that night, needing the rest of the staff to take over.
Mad Libs Catchphrase: "First rule of comedy - you must have _____".
Orphaned Punchline: Most of his gags involve a bevy of Noodle Implements that the audience are left to think of what he could have meant by them:
Barry: Tonight, he did the one about the two sailors and the gruyère cheese, followed that with the midget and the giraffe... and finished up with the one about the curate and the cucumber.
Parental Substitute: He takes Spike under his wing after he arrives at Maplins in "Hey Diddle Diddle" and gives him advice in comedy.
Right in Front of Me: He mocks the new Entertainments Manager on the train to Spike and Jeffrey in "Hey Diddle Diddle", not knowing Jeffrey was the new manager in question.
Rule #1: Ted has many "First rules of comedy" ranging from "You must have reality" to "Pretty girls aren't funny".
Schemer: He's always trying to make a few extra bob by any means necessary, whether it be stealing collection money ("Sing You Sinners") or cheating Marines ("Tell It to the Marines").
Sitcom Character Archetypes: Ted is the Wisecracker. He's always on the ball with his wisecracks and smart remarks. His most frequent targets are the snobby ballroom dancers, Barry and Yvonne, who look down on him with disdain, not only for his snappy comments but also for the blue humour he uses with the campers. As Barry puts it in "It's a Blue World", with Ted, it isn't even innuendo. He says it.
Slobs Versus Snobs: To slob to Barry and Yvonne's snob. They find him "dead common" and hate his "Famous People on the Toilet" act the most.
Status Quo Is God: He was briefly fired by Alec Foster in "Let Them Eat Cake" for wanting a pay rise but got his job back after the new camp host, Jimmy Jasper, bombed on his first night.
Sticky Fingers: In "Hey Diddle Diddle", he lets Spike know that he steals soap and curtain rings from the chalets, with Jeffrey's being his next target.
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: Ted is a liar, a swindler, a rotten cheat, and mostly morally bankrupt. And that's why we love him.

Spike Dixon

Played by Jeffrey Holland. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"It's an original act I've written meself. You see, I'm Pinocchio, an' as I'm made of wood, all my jokes are about wood."

The young and eager camp comic of Maplins.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/spikedixon.jpg

Book Dumb: Spike is smarter than Ted but can be just as clueless at times. In "Carnival Time", he thinks a faculty chair is "one of those that opens up into a bed".
Butt-Monkey: Most of his job is to get thrown in the pool fully clothed.
Character Catchphrase:
- "If I may shove in my four penn'orth" when giving his opinion on something.
- "Oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear. Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear" when expressing his doubt in something (usually one of Ted's more immoral schemes).
Cheap Costume: All of his funny costumes look like they were made in a day with an eighth of a week's wages. Ted usually finds two or three faults with them each time he shows off a new one.
Digging Yourself Deeper: He can be unfortunately blunt sometimes, and his attempts to backpedal only make things worse, such as when he attempts to stick up for Gladys when she is feeling insecure about her age in "A Lack of Punch", but only manages to make her feel even older with every comment.
Early-Installment Weirdness: In the earlier series, he calls Jeffrey "the Professor" rather than just "Mr. Fairbrother".
Fat and Skinny: The skinny to Ted's fat.
Funny Octopus: He dresses up as Ollie the Octopus in "The Beauty Queen Affair" and squirts Jeffrey with his ink.
Goo Goo Get Up: In "Desire in the Mickey Mouse Grotto", his latest costume is a funny baby. The only issue is the nappy won't stay still.
Honor Before Reason: This was always apparent, but especially from Series 6 onward; he constantly calls out the likes of Ted and Clive whenever he believes that they are doing something immoral. The best example is in "The Great Cat Robbery", he calls them out for their greed when they intend to drug a chalet line of campers to find an expensive emerald necklace.
Like an Old Married Couple: He can be with Ted at times; he gets annoyed with Ted over the littlest things such as Ted's schemes or Ted cooking in the chalet.
Love Hurts:
- In "Sausages or Limelight", he is forced to break up with Brenda, his childhood sweetheart, in order to stay at Maplins.
- In "The Society Entertainer", he adopts a new "mature" style of comedy to impress the posh Françoise Ogilvy, but the campers are unimpressed so Ted and Peggy sabotage his act to restore his popularity with the audience, at the cost of losing Françoise.
- His relationship with April also is more trouble than it's worth as he finds out when April quickly turns out to be bossy, abusive, and obsessive.
Morality Pet: He is to Ted. He's often the only one to point out how immoral his schemes are. In "Concessions", Ted nicknames him "Dan, Dan, the Conscience Man".
Real Life Writes the Plot: His Running Gag of being thrown in the pool was less frequent in the later series due to Jeffrey Holland's complaints of the freezing water temperature (the series had to be filmed in winter when the holiday camp where filming took place was closed).
Running Gag:
- Getting thrown in the pool fully clothed.
- Wearing various "funny" costumes to entertain the campers.
Running Gagged: His aforementioned shtick getting tossed into the pool was severely limited from Series 2 onward after fears that actor Jeffrey Holland would get hypothermia during an elongated time shooting the pool scene during the climax of "Peggy's Big Chance".
Wide-Eyed Idealist: Spike truly believes that Maplins is just the first step on the ladder to stardom. Ted, knowing Spike is destined for mediocrity as long as he stays, tries his best to guide him with all he knows about comedy.
What Did I Do Last Night?: In "The Graven Image", he gets so drunk that he vandalizes Joe Maplin's statue the night before the grand unveiling.

Gladys Pugh

Gladys Dempster, née Pugh

Played by Ruth Madoc. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"You think you know everything just 'cause you've been to university, an' 'ave got letters after your name."

Chief Yellowcoat, known around Maplins as "the Welsh Maneater", has a special place in her heart for Jeffrey and Clive.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/gladyspugh.jpg

Abhorrent Admirer: She is to Jeffrey, constantly flirting with him even though he is clearly uncomfortable with it all.
A Birthday, Not a Break: On her birthday in "Spaghetti Galore", she is taken out to three different birthday dinners and forced to eat ungodly amounts of spaghetti.
Acquired Situational Narcissism: In "Stripes", Joe Maplin's latest letter lambasts all of the staff except for her, instead recommending her for promotion. This goes to her head, and she starts wearing rings on the sleeves of her Yellowcoat. The others get jealous and copy her, and it isn't until Ted shows up with eight rings on his sleeves that she realises just how foolish she's been.
Actor Allusion: In "Empty Saddles", she tells Jeffrey that she has a record of the Black and White Minstrels that they can listen to. Ruth Madoc was herself a performer on The Black and White Minstrel Show.
All Love Is Unrequited: Gladys is crazy towards Jeffrey, although is in the middle of nasty divorce proceedings with his wife, Daphne, and not ready to be looking for love again so soon.
Alpha Bitch: She is towards the other female Yellowcoats by constantly snapping at them, putting them down, and nitpicking anything they do. She's even worse to Peggy, telling her time and time again that she has no chance of becoming a Yellowcoat and that she shouldn't even try.
Attention Whore: In "Stripes", Joe Maplin writes a letter to the staff where she is the only one mentioned to be doing a good job and receives a promotion, so she puts extra rings on the sleeves of her Yellowcoat to flaunt it.
Bitch in Sheep's Clothing: She seems nice and sweet on the outside, but inside is a selfish woman constantly trying to put herself ahead of others.
Clingy Jealous Girl: She isn't afraid to let the others know that she has eyes for Jeffrey and that she won't let anyone get in her way of having him. Sylvia, Betty, and Tracey all caught the sharp end of her tongue when they got too close to Jeffrey. When Clive took over from Jeffrey as the new Entertainments Manager, Gladys was quick to do it all over again.
Dreadful Musician: She really cannot sing but she just doesn't believe it, and frequently does so over Radio Maplin. Her biggest hater is Mr. Partridge, who, when he hears her, remarks, "Listen to that silly cow!".
Dude, Where's My Respect?: She always demands respect from the other members of staff for her role as Chief Yellowcoat, but especially in "Stripes", where after acclaim from Joe Maplin, she literally wears her promotion on her sleeve with rings on the arms of her Yellowcoat, just so the others know how important she is.
Dumbass DJ: Alongside her roles as Chief Yellowcoat and Sports Organiser, she works as the announcer for Radio Maplin, a role that she uses to tell the campers what gifts she wants from them and indulge her delusions that she can sing well.
Early-Installment Weirdness: Early on, she doesn't open her Radio Maplin announcements with her usual "Hello, campers, hi-de-hi!", but rather with "Radio Maplin!".
Earn Your Happy Ending: After four series of lies and mistrust, she finally marries Clive in the penultimate episode, "Wedding Bells", and the two plan to emigrate to Australia in the finale, "The Wind of Change".
Hollywood Tone-Deaf: When she sings on Radio Maplin or during the day's events, she switches from being on-key to off-key. The effect is ghastly but sounds nothing like an actual tone-deaf person would.
Hypocritical Humour: She is always Slut-Shaming Sylvia, but if the Yellowcoats' gossip is anything to go by, she's just as bad if not worse at times!
In-Series Nickname: Sylvia and the other girl Yellowcoats call her "the Welsh Maneater" behind her back.
It's All About Me: She thinks she is the most important Yellowcoat due to her role as Chief and isn't afraid to let all and sundry know.
Jerkass: She can be selfish and self-obsessed, and will put Peggy and the other Yellowcoats down whenever she wants to feel big.
Jerk with a Heart of Gold: Despite treating Peggy worse than anyone else does, she does occasionally stand up for her. In "Peggy's Pen Friend", she worries that Peggy is being taken advantage of by an older man and gets Ted to try and look out for her, and most notably she stands up against Alec Foster for trying to force Peggy to have sex with him, and then firing her on trumped-up charges after she refuses in "Orphan of the Storm".
Kick the Dog: She constantly puts down Peggy's attempts to prove her worth as a potential Yellowcoat no matter how hard she tries.
Love Hurts: She was hopelessly in love with Jeffrey, who was just coming off a nasty separation from his wife, Daphne, and as he was still determined to eventually win her back, never saw Gladys as anything more than a good friend, a wonderful colleague, or a top-notch right-hand man. When she realises Jeffrey is gone for good at the end of "Together Again", she cries into her photo of him alone in her chalet.
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Despite being the sports organiser, she doesn't do much aside from carry a tennis racket around with her, instead spending her time bossing around the other Yellowcoats, flirting with Jeffrey and Clive, and running Radio Maplin. Beryl Wainwright takes note of this during her reign of terror in "All Change", and points out that Sylvia, Betty, and Tracey are all more qualified for the position.
Seemingly-Wholesome '50s Girl: Despite her cute demeanor, Gladys is quite flighty, especially with how she flirts with Jeffrey. Let's just say she isn't known as "the Welsh Maneater" for nothing...
Gladys: I'll have a talk with her. I'll give her the same warning my mother gave me.
Ted: Let's hope she takes more notice.
Sleeping with the Boss: She would love nothing more than to make love to Jeffrey. It's implied she had sex with him while he was blackout drunk in "A Night Not to Remember", but later episodes such as "Eruptions" would still have her desperate to have him.
Slut-Shaming: She frequently makes snipes at Syliva for having too much sex with the campers.
Status Quo Is God: She loses her spot as Chief Yellowcoat to Tracey in "All Change"... for about five minutes until Joan Wainwright is fired and she gets it back.
Token Minority: She was the only Welsh woman on the Maplins payroll.
Took a Level in Kindness: She became noticeably nicer to Peggy after getting engaged to Clive in Series 8.
Unresolved Sexual Tension: She had with Jeffrey, as sometime between "The Epidemic" and "Together Again", he moved to Wisconsin before she could ever find out if he loved her or not:
Jeffrey: Given time, I'm sure I could find an opportunity to do something about it.
Gladys: "Opportunity"?
Jeffrey: Mm.
Gladys: You wouldn't recognise an opportunity if it had flamin' red lights and bells on it.
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: She is haughty, elitist, dismissive, hypocritical, and was implied to have had sex with Jeffrey while he was unable to consent in "A Night Not to Remember", yet we are still supposed to root for her.

Barry Stuart-Hargreaves

Played by Barry Howard. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"You're supposed to circle 'round before you do-si-do, ya dozy cow!"

One of Maplins' snooty ballroom dancing instructors and Yvonne's husband. Only appears from Series 1-7.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/barryandyvonne.jpg

Ambiguously Gay: This was constantly hinted at throughout the series; Barry was very prim and fussy, often limp-wristed, and Yvonne would often make snarky comments about him and other men. It also doesn't help his case that he ran out on Yvonne sometime between "Man Trap" and "Pigs Might Fly":
Yvonne: Barry! What are you doing?
Barry: It's not me. You've got your weight on the wrong foot, you silly cow. It's like dancing with an all-in wrestler.
Yvonne: Well, you've more experience of that kind of thing than I have.
Awful Wedded Life: He and Yvonne would constantly be bickering over anything and everything. Some topics in arguments between them include how he can't hang wallpaper correctly, or how Yvonne gives him grief for being of a "common" background:
Yvonne: If you kept your mouth shut, Barry, things like this wouldn't happen.
Barry: Yes, but wouldn't it be boring?
British Stuffiness: He tries to keep a Stiff Upper Lip no matter what indignities Maplins throws at him.
Deadpan Snarker: He has bitchy comments for most people at Maplins (barring Jeffrey), but for his wife Yvonne more than anyone else:
Yvonne: Oh, how disgusting. I shall never get the smell of the smoke out of here.
Barry: Don't bother to ask me how I am, will you?
Establishing Character Moment: His introduction in "Hey Diddle Diddle" has him ballroom dancing all while engaging in Snark-to-Snark Combat with Yvonne, who rebuts him by referring to his Ambiguously Gay status. This shows the audience the three pillars that make up the character of Barry Stuart-Hargreaves.
Facial Dialogue: Barry Howard later recalled that he knew he would get some of his biggest audience laughs simply from seeing "[Barry gives Yvonne a look]" written in the scripts.
Henpecked Husband: Yvonne never stops nagging him about anything, from his dancing to his crooked wallpaper.
I Coulda Been a Contender!: He is a former champion ballroom dancer whose talent is no longer in demand anywhere else other than Maplins, meaning to make a living he has to continue to debase himself in a job he hates.
In-Series Nickname: Ted jokingly calls him "Fred Astaire".
Not So Above It All: Surprisingly, he had a great time at the pyjama party in "Nice People With Nice Manners" despite a big booze-up like that seeming like the last thing he would enjoy.
Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Despite his classy black-tie soirée in "Nice People With Nice Manners" getting turned into an impromptu pyjama party thanks to Peggy's mix-up, Ted recalls the following day that he actually ended up having a great time.
Put on a Bus: The Series 8 opener "Pigs Might Fly" revealed that he left Maplins without warning in the middle of the night leaving only a note to explain what had happened and a heartbroken Yvonne.
Real Life Writes the Plot: Barry's departure from the show was due to his actor, Barry Howard, frequently showing up at rehearsals drunk and shoving one of the Yellowcoat actors into the freezing pool as a joke.
Sexless Marriage: He and Yvonne had one, separate beds and all! In "No Dogs Allowed", when the two of them believe that something is happening between Gladys and Jeffrey, Yvonne remarks that it sounds like Jeffrey is telling her to let go after having changed his mind, only for Barry to retort that when he changed his mind, no one came to his rescue:
Yvonne: He's got Gladys in his chalet.
Barry: She's been trying long enough.
Yvonne: She's telling him to let go.
Barry: Perhaps she's changed her mind.
Yvonne: Do you think we ought to rescue her?
Barry: If you remember, dear, I changed my mind and nobody came to my rescue.
Slobs Versus Snobs: He and Yvonne are the snobs to Ted's slob. While Yvonne claims that Barry is the last person you could call po-faced, having to dance after listening to Ted's mucky act makes him incredibly embarrassed and distraught.
Snark-to-Snark Combat: For every bitchy remark he gave Yvonne, she would snipe back as good as he gave.
Stage Names: Barry was born "Bert Pratt", but sometime after he met Yvonne he changed his first name and took her much more formal-sounding surname to be taken seriously as a ballroom dancer:
Yvonne: I allowed you to use my name, my family name, "Stuart-Hargreaves".
Barry: And what a mouthful that is. "Yvonne and Barry Stuart-Hargreaves"!
Yvonne: And just how far do you think you would have got in this profession with a name like "Bert Pratt"?
Stiff Upper Lip: He and Yvonne try not to show any emotion other than haughtiness or indignity throughout all the degrading events they were forced to participate in.

Yvonne Stuart-Hargreaves

Played by Diane Holland. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"If anyone says one more word on this subject, I shall leave the room, the camp, and the town."

One of Maplins' snooty ballroom dancing instructors and Barry's wife.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/barryandyvonne_6.jpg

A-Cup Angst: Ted and the others crack many jokes about her small boobs during the staff meeting in "The Epidemic", something which she takes to heart:
Yvonne: If anyone says one more word about any part of my anatomy, I shall leave this meeting.
Jeffrey: Now, please, may we get back to the point?
Ted: Or points, as small as they are.
Age Insecurity: Being the oldest girl Yellowcoat, she would be rather sensitive regarding her age, something which Barry would love to bring up in front of others:
Barry: It was a Catchphrase in ITMA during the war. You remember, Yvonne?
Yvonne: I most certainly do not. I was a very small child.
Barry: The war's only been over fourteen years.
Yvonne: I tell you I do not remember it! I was only... ten years of age.
Barry: Really? That makes you twenty-four...
Awful Wedded Life: She and Barry would constantly be bickering over anything and everything. Yvonne knew that she was better than him in terms of social status and dancing skills and never let him forget it, which stopped them from possibly having a happy marriage. Saying that, she became a shell of her former self in "Pigs Might Fly" after Barry abandoned her.
British Stuffiness: She keeps a Stiff Upper Lip no matter how many times Ted humiliates her in front of their co-workers, or she is forced to join in on the lowest common denominator definition of "fun" that occurs at Maplins. Finally Averted in "Pigs Might Fly" after Barry leaves her she briefly becomes an emotional wreck refusing to leave her chalet.
Deadpan Snarker: She has bitchy comments for most people at Maplins (barring Jeffrey), but for her husband Barry more than anyone else.
Establishing Character Moment: Her introduction in "Hey Diddle Diddle" has her ballroom dancing all while engaging in Snark-to-Snark Combat with Barry, before complaining about how "common" the camp is. This shows the audience the three pillars that make up the character of Yvonne Stuart-Hargreaves.
Heroic BSoD: Undergoes a massive one in "Pigs Might Fly" after Barry abandons her, becoming an unwashed wreck and refusing to leave her chalet. Peggy and the others even worry she might attempt to kill herself with her sleeping tablets.
I Coulda Been a Contender!: She is a former champion ballroom dancer whose talent is no longer in demand anywhere else other than Maplins, meaning to make a living she has to continue to debase herself in a job she hates.
In-Series Nickname: Ted jokingly calls her "Ginger Rogers".
Love Hurts: Despite all the fighting in her marriage to Barry, she becomes a wreck after Barry leaves her as shown in "Pigs Might Fly". It takes her New Old Flame Julian coming back into her life to snap her out of it.
No Sympathy: She doesn't seem to care much for the problems of anyone else at the camp. Two particularly stand-out examples come in "Who Killed Mr Partridge?" and "Orphan of the Storm"; in the former, after she and Barry hear the news of Mr. Partridge's so-called "death" from Peggy, her first instinct is to tell Barry to tell Peggy that they're very sorry for him but it's his own fault for drinking too much, while in the latter, when she sees Peggy leaving the Maplins after being unfairly sacked, all she does is order Julian to give her some change for a cup of tea in the belief that makes her a good person.
Not So Above It All: Surprisingly, she had a great time at the pyjama party in "Nice People With Nice Manners" despite a big booze-up like that seeming like the last thing she would enjoy.
Offscreen Moment of Awesome: Despite her classy black-tie soirée in "Nice People With Nice Manners" getting turned into an impromptu pyjama party thanks to Peggy's mix-up, Ted recalls the following day that she actually ended up having a great time, even dancing the Dance of the Seven Veils!
Running Gag:
- She's frequently threatening to ring her agent when she feels that she isn't being treated right at Maplins, much to the annoyance of everyone else.
- It's also a common joke that she frequently suffers from headaches, with either her or Barry informing the others that she's having "one of her heads".
Sexless Marriage: She had one with Barry, separate beds and all! Despite seeming frigid, "Man Trap" reveals that when she married Barry, she was with a bastard child to another father, meaning she would at least be affected by the sexless marriage more than he would.
Slobs Versus Snobs: She and Barry are the snobs to Ted's slob. Yvonne seems to hate Ted's mucky act more than anyone else at Maplins, and was forever complaining to Jeffrey about how he needed to be reined in.
Snark-to-Snark Combat: For every bitchy remark she gave Barry, he would snipe back as good as she gave.
Stiff Upper Lip: She and Barry try not to show any emotion other than haughtiness or indignity throughout all the degrading events they were forced to participate in. For Yvonne, it finally comes crashing down in "Pigs Might Fly" when Barry's abandonment briefly turns her into a sobbing, reclusive wreck.
Took a Level in Jerkass: While she was never the warmest of characters, Yvonne becomes noticeably more stuck up and self-obsessed in the final two series. This lines up with Barry leaving her and Julian taking his place as her dancing partner - without Barry's put-downs to keep her in check and with Julian's love for her inflating her ego, she had nothing to stop her snootiness from running out of control.
Weight Woe: Being a ballroom dance, weight issues have been a consistent problem for Yvonne throughout the series. She can't eat sugar as it makes her fat, and in "Stripes", when Joe Maplin's letter reads that if she gets any thinner, he'll put her on half salary, Yvonne is rather offended and embarrassed. No one else seems to care either, Ted in particular loves to rile her up about it:
Ted: Hello Barry, hello chubby chops. Fancy a chocolate biscuit? No, you can't, can ya? Ya puttin' it on.
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: "Tell It to the Marines" reveals she is terrified of spiders when she discovers one in her sink.

Fred Quilley

Played by Felix Bowness. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"'Orses? You don't call those blasted things ''orses', do ya? They're chuck-outs from the Express Dairy. They 'ave to tiptoe past the glue fact'ry."

The Maplins riding instructor.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/fredquilley.jpg

Characterization Marches On: In Series 1, he hated the sick and poorly horses he had to work with. Come Series 2, this would be a thing of the past, and from this point onwards he would do anything for his horses.
A Day in the Limelight: He gets one in "Empty Saddles" from Series 5, where he becomes depressed after six of his horses are due to be sent away to the knackers' yard.
Early-Installment Weirdness: He used to hate and mock his sick horses rather than nurture them in Series 1.
Heroic BSoD: After Joe Maplin threatens to have six of his old horses killed in "Empty Saddles", he is left in a terrible state, no matter what the rest of the staff do to try and cheer him up. This doesn't go away until Ted cooks up a scheme to save the horses by lying to the papers that Joe Maplin is planning to open a home for old horses.
I Coulda Been a Contender!: He was once a champion jockey, until an alleged doping scandal reduced him to leading the pony treks at Maplins.
Never Bareheaded: He is rarely seen without a cap, whether it be a causal one or his riding cap.
Out of Focus: He became less focused on from Series 7 onwards after Mr. Partridge (who he shared many of his scenes with) was Put on a Bus. The writers tried to replicate the effect with Mr. Partridge's Suspiciously Similar Substitute, Sammy, but lacked the hostility and it didn't have the same effect.
Took a Level in Kindness: From Series 2 onwards, he becomes less bitter and shows off his kinder side more.

Mr. Partridge

William Partridge

Played by Leslie Dwyer. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"That's all you get around 'ere - red tape an' kids. I 'ate red tape. An' I 'ate kids. I 'ate kids! I 'ate kids!"

Maplins' alcoholic Punch and Judy man who hates kids. Only appears from Series 1-6.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hidehigroupshot.jpg

Abusive Parents: "The Partridge Season" reveals that part of the reason he is such a miserable git is because his father would give him constant beatings growing up.
Age Insecurity: He is the oldest person working at Maplins, and can be a tad touchy about this fact at times:
Mr. Partridge: Come on. 'Ere, 'ow old d'you think I am, eh? Ha-ha!
Fred: Now let's see... It's 1959, you was in the first war, you was too old for the second... 83?
Mr. Partridge: Sod awf, sod awf!
The Alcoholic: He is frequently drunk on the job, much to Jeffrey's displeasure. This causes him to act out during his Punch and Judy shows and take out his frustrations on the children he both entertains and despises.
Bawdy Song: He sings these to the children when drunk on the job:
Mr. Partridge: Jerusalem! Jerusalem! Lift up your skirts and sing!
Character Catchphrase: When listening to Gladys sing, he would grumble (mostly to Fred) "Listen to that silly cow!".
Child Hater: He despises the little sods who watch him perform. Highlights include sticking an ice cream in kid's face and kicking him up the arse in "The Partridge Season" and gagging and tying up a rude child in "If Wet - In the Ballroom".
A Day in the Limelight: He gets one in "The Partridge Season" from Series 1, where he goes on a bender and locks himself in his chalet, and his tragic backstory is revealed to Jeffrey.
Faking the Dead: He fakes his death in "It's Murder" to run away to Cornwall with a pub landlady as revealed in "Who Killed Mr Partridge?".
The Friend Nobody Likes: Most of the staff can't stand him for being a misery, a notorious alcoholic, and an all-around rude git. The closest friend he has is Fred, and he still bickers with him and annoys him non-stop:
Fred: Don't you realise, any moment, a Molotov Cocktail could come flyin' through that window an' burn us all up.
Mr. Partridge: I know why Molotov Cocktails are called "Molotov Cocktails". 'Cause of Molotov. He was a Russian, you know.
Fred: It's like livin' with a lunatic.
Grumpy Old Man: He never stops moaning about Gladys' singing, the kids at the camp, the smell of Fred's horse, etc.
Hidden Depths: He truly is talented at the art of Punch and Judy, even if he hates who he performs to.
I Coulda Been a Contender!: "The Partridge Season" reveals he was once a former big-time entertainer whose career was ruined by an injury he suffered during World War I, so now he is reduced to slumming it at a Maplins Holiday Camp.
Last-Name Basis: He is referred to by his last name out of respect for him as he is significantly older than all his colleagues.
Out of Focus: He is noticeably absent from much of Series 6, for example, in the first episode, "Together Again", he is briefly mentioned to be away in his chalet when the rest of the staff are in the staff room. This was due to Leslie Dwyer leaving the series before the studio scenes could be filmed due to his failing health.
Put on a Bus: After being discovered in the swimming pool with a knife in his back in "It's Murder", it's revealed in "Who Killed Mr Partridge?" that he faked his death and ran away to Cornwall to live with a pub landlady.
Real Life Writes the Plot: His absences in Series 6 were due to Leslie Dwyer's ailing health.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Starting from Series 6 until he is officially Put on a Bus in "Who Killed Mr Partridge", he is missing from many episodes without explanation. These include "Ted at the Helm" (where he isn't even mentioned as Clive is introduced to all the staff), "Raffles", and "The Great Cat Robbery".

Marty Storm

Played by Richard Cottan. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"Nah, it's not 'Wilf Green' anymore. Nah, I wan'ed a name that expressed my... burnin', pent-up feelin's, like strugglin' to get out. So, I changed it to 'Marty Storm'."

The Elvis Impersonator of Maplins. Only appears in Series 1.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/martystorm.jpeg

All There in the Manual: His Chuck Cunningham Syndrome is explained in the book 30 Years of 'Allo 'Allo!: The Inside Story of the Hit TV Show, where it is stated he got a recording contract and left the camp.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: He disappears after "Desire in the Mickey Mouse Grotto".
Early-Installment Weirdness: Despite being introduced twice alongside the other mains in "Hey Diddle Diddle" which seems to set him up as a series mainstay, he's disappeared from the series by the third episode, "The Beauty Queen Affair".
Elvis Impersonator: This is his job at Maplins. We only see one of his performances before he succumbs to Chuck Cunningham Syndrome, when he sings "Love Me Tender" in "Desire in the Mickey Mouse Grotto".
Stage Names: His real name is "Wilf Green", having changed it to "Marty Storm" to represent his true feelings as a musician.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Marty only lasted only two episodes before disappearing, nowhere nearly enough time to get to know him as a character.

Julian Dalrymple-Sykes

Played by Ben Aris. First appearance: "The Epidemic".

"With me, life'll be one long dance. We'll dance around the world together."

Yvonne's former flame who joins her at Maplins after Barry leaves her. Appeared first in a guest role in Series 5 and became a main from Series 8 onward.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/juliandalrymplesykes_9.jpg

Ascended Extra: Before joining the main cast in "Pigs Might Fly", Julian first appeared in "The Epidemic" in a guest role.
Contrasting Replacement Character: While he was an upper-class dancer just like Barry, he was a much warmer, friendlier sort of chap. Additionally, he was much more devoted to Yvonne, letting her know he would do anything to have her back.
New Old Flame: He had an affair with Yvonne in the past and is determined to win her back, finally succeeding in "The Wind of Change" when he sells his pig farm so he can take her traveling around the world with him.
Not So Above It All: For all of his upper-class mannerisms, Julian is much more down-to-earth than Yvonne or Barry ever could dream of being, owning a pig farm and being much more open to joining in on the degrading Maplins fun.
Why Did It Have to Be Snakes?: "Tell It to the Marines" reveals that he, much like Yvonne, is terrified of spiders when she screams for him to get rid of the spider in her chalet.

Sammy Morris

Uncle Samuel "Sammy" Morris

Played by Kenneth Connor. First appearance: "A Lack of Punch".

"Young lady, your shorts are much too short. Stay behind after class, and we'll see if we can pull them down."

A tramp who Ted and Spike get to work at Maplins as a children's entertainer. Appeared first in a guest role in Series 7 and joined the main cast from Series 8 onward.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/unclesammy.jpg

The Alcoholic: He loves a bottle of booze, just like his predecessor, Mr. Partridge.
Ascended Extra: Before joining the main cast in "The New Broom", Sammy first appeared one series earlier in "A Lack of Punch" in a guest role.
Blackmail: His history with Joe Maplin lets him use this against him several times, such as getting Alec Foster kicked out of Maplins in "Orphan of the Storm".
Contrasting Replacement Character: While Sammy isn't without his similarities to Mr. Partridge, both old and fond of the drink, Sammy is a much friendlier sort of character. Notably, he was much happier to get involved in the mandatory Maplins fun or get dressed up than Old Partridge was, and way less of a Child Hater.
Crazy Homeless People: His mentality is a little shaky after his time living as a tramp; In "Only the Brave", he tells Fred that he has a thing for Peggy, and when Fred lets him know that she's "potty", Sammy remarks that he is too.
He Cleans Up Nicely: After a full series of still dressing like a tramp, Sammy got himself cleaned up in "Tell It to the Marines" and started bathing, cutting his hair, shaving, and dressing properly. While this was at first to impress the waitress at the Happy Halibut Fish Bar, he decided to use it to his advantage for entertaining the children, developing a "comedy headmaster" character in "Marry Go Round".
Hobo Gloves: He wore fingerless gloves as a tramp, up until his makeover in "Tell It to the Marines".
Offscreen Moment of Awesome: He manages to get Peggy and Clive rehired and have Alec Foster removed from Maplins in "Orphan of the Storm", much to everyone's surprise.
The Pig-Pen: After spending so much time living life as a tramp, he isn't fussy about eating out of bins or not washing, much to the disgust of Fred who has to share a chalet with him.

Assorted Yellowcoats

The Yellowcoats in General

Yellowcoats

The members of the entertainments staff who didn't have a specific role like those mentioned previously. They are Sylvia, Betty, Mary, Bruce, Stanley, Gary, Val, Tracey, April, Dawn, and Babs.

Flat Character: Many of the girl Yellowcoats other than Sylvia and post-Series 6 April don't have much going for them in terms of personality other than "friendly young woman who can be bitchy and flirty at times".
Hufflepuff House: Seeing as these Yellowcoats had no specific duties at Maplins, they were often used to fill the background and add support to the Zany Schemes and wacky plots the main staff members would cook up.
Leg Focus: All the girl Yellowcoats have lovely long legs, and their anachronistically short shorts do wonders to show them off to the audience.
Ms. Fanservice: The main role of most of the girl Yellowcoats was to look sexy in the background.

Sylvia Garnsey

Played by Nikki Kelly. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"Couldn't we keep the black tights, the big black ears, and just have bikini tops?"

A Yellowcoat and Gladys' rival.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maplins_7.jpg

Arch-Enemy: To Gladys, often clashing with her leadership and flirting with her men.
The Rival: To Gladys, often clashing with her leadership and flirting with her men.
Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: To Gladys, often clashing with her leadership and flirting with her men.
Status Quo Is God: Was ready to leave the Crimpton-on-Sea Maplins in "Maplin Intercontinental" to go to the new Maplins in the Bahamas... until it was destroyed.
Underdressed for the Occasion: Shows up to Yvonne and Barry's black tie soirée in pyjamas in "Nice People With Nice Manners".

Betty Whistler

Played by Rikki Howard. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"The little bitch!"

A Yellowcoat. Appears from Series 1-5.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/betty_1.jpg

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears after "The Epidemic".
One-Steve Limit: Shares her name with a One-Shot Character in "September Song".
Precision F-Strike: When she believes Peggy has sold out the rest of the staff for a chance to be a Yellowcoat in "A Matter of Conscience".
Ship Tease: Had some moments of flirtation with Jeffrey, with whom she would have been quite compatible with their shared posh backgrounds and intellectual interests.
Underdressed for the Occasion: Shows up to Yvonne and Barry's black tie soirée in pyjamas in "Nice People With Nice Manners".

Mary

Played by Penny Irving. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"Oh, it's not 'is eyes I'm worried about, it's his hands. D'you know, 'e undid my bra during the 'Okey Cokey."

A Scottish Yellowcoat. Only in Series 1.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mary_76.jpg

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears after "No Dogs Allowed".
No Full Name Given: Only referred to by her first name during her time on the show.
Real Life Writes the Plot: Penny Irving's complaints about the show led to Mary being replaced by Val in Series 2.
Token Minority: The only Scottish person on the main cast.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Lasted only seven episodes before disappearing.

Stanley and Bruce Mathews

Played by David and Tony Webb. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"Pint of beer. An' I'm not buyin' you one."

"I should be a bit more civil if I were you. I've got the pocket with the money in it."

A pair of Yellowcoats who are identical twins.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stanley_and_bruce.jpg

Birthday Episode: In "It's a Blue World", where the staff throw them a party in the Laughing Cow Milk Bar.
The Dividual: Two identical twins who look and sound the same, and are never apart.
Identical Twin Id Tag: Stanley is briefly forced to grow a mustache in "Spaghetti Galore" so the campers can tell him and Bruce apart.
Not So Above It All: Unlike Julian or Spike, they have no problem helping Ted in a scam, like in "Tell It to the Marines".
Those Two Guys: With each other, seeing as they were twins.
Twin Switch: To cheat some visiting Marines in "Tell It to the Marines".
Underdressed for the Occasion: They show up to Yvonne and Barry's black tie soirée in pyjamas in "Nice People With Nice Manners".

Gary Bolton

Played by Terence Creasy (Series 1) and Chris Andrews (Series 2-9). First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"I woulda sung, but no one asked me..."

A slightly vain Yellowcoat.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/garybolton.jpg

Flat Character: As were most Yellowcoats.
Forgettable Character: Lampshaded in "Tell It to the Marines" where Ted, Spike and Peggy can't remember his last name.
The Generic Guy: The least memorable Yellowcoat, who as a whole were mostly background characters with little personality. Ted, Spike and Peggy all confirm in "Tell It to the Marines" that they don't even know his last name.
Marine Sergeant: Number Five?
Peggy: [Disguised as Gary] Gary...
Marine Sergeant: Gary what?
Peggy: Smith?!
Ted: Jones?!
Spike: Robinson?!
Peggy: Smith-Jones-Robinson, with two hyphens.
Not So Above It All: Unlike Julian or Spike, he has no problem helping Ted in a scam, like in "Tell It to the Marines".
Ship Tease: With Dawn in "Tell It to the Marines", where she confirms she's seen and enjoyed the sight of him naked.
Small Role, Big Impact: He drops out of the Marines assault course allowing Peggy to take his place in "Tell It to the Marines".
Underdressed for the Occasion: Shows up to Yvonne and Barry's black tie soirée in pyjamas in "Nice People With Nice Manners".

Val

Played by Gail Harrison. First appearance: "If Wet - In the Ballroom".

The Yellowcoat who replaces Mary. Only in Series 2.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maplins.jpg

Adapted Out: The stage show which adapted "A Night Not To Remember", "Trouble and Strife" and "Maplin Intercontinental" completely omits her from "A Night Not To Remember", instead featuring her replacement, Tracey.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears after "Sausages or Limelight".
No Full Name Given: Only referred to by her first name during her time on the show.
Remember the New Guy?: Shows up in "If Wet - In the Ballroom" with no mention of where she came from or where Mary went.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Fills the same role Mary had, as they were both the least focused upon female Yellowcoat compared to Sylvia and Betty.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Lasted only six episodes before disappearing.

Tracey Bentwood

Played by Susan Beagley. First appearance: "Nice People with Nice Manners".

"You've just got the hump because she told you to take your hands out your pockets."

The Yellowcoat who replaces Val. Only appears from Series 3-5.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/traceybentwood.jpg

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears after "The Epidemic".
Composite Character: Takes Val's role in the stage show's version of "A Night Not To Remember".
Early-Bird Cameo: The stage show which adapted "A Night Not To Remember", "Trouble and Strife" and "Maplin Intercontinental" has her appear in the parts based on "A Night Not To Remember", taking Val's role.
Rank Up: Briefly becomes Chief Yellowcoat in "All Change".
Remember the New Guy?: Shows up in "Nice People With Nice Manners" with no mention of where she came from or where Val went.
Ship Tease: Had some moments of flirtation with Jeffrey, with whom she would have been quite compatible with their shared posh backgrounds and intellectual interests.
Status Quo Is God: Took over Gladys' position of Chief Yellowcoat in "All Change" until Gladys reclaims it by the end of the episode.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Fills the same role Val had, as they were both friendly brunettes and the least focused upon female Yellowcoat compared to Sylvia and Betty.
Underdressed for the Occasion: Shows up to Yvonne and Barry's black tie soirée in pyjamas in "Nice People With Nice Manners".

April Wingate

Played by Linda Regan. First appearance: "Ted at the Helm".

"If you don't get that special license in the morning, I'll black your other eye."

A member of the trio of new Yellowcoats from Series 6 onward.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/april_83.jpg

A Birthday, Not a Break: Is forced to watch an old war movie for her birthday, rather than her favourite film Bambi in "Only the Brave".
Birthday Episode: In "Only the Brave", where the staff take her out to see a movie.
Clingy Jealous Girl: To Spike. She often threatened others who came near him, and was quite possessive.
Double Standard: Abuse, Female on Male: Is never called out for her abusiveness towards Spike, she even gives him a black eye and receives no punishment. Could be Truth in Television, as back in the early 60's people would have been considered unmanly to have been struck by a woman.
Early-Bird Cameo: She appears in the stage show which adapted "A Night Not To Remember", "Trouble and Strife" and "Maplin Intercontinental", all taking place before her canonical arrival at Maplins in "Ted at the Helm".
Karma Houdini: Is in a toxic relationship with Spike and gets off scot-free for it.
Love Makes You Crazy: Her relationship with Spike makes her cruel, clingy and jealous.
Single Woman Seeks Good Man: At first her relationship with Spike was like this, then she became a Clingy Jealous Girl.
Welcome Episode: In "Ted at the Helm", where she joins Maplins alongside Dawn and Babs.
Womanchild: Is prone to throwing tantrums, and is reduced to tears in "Only the Brave" when she can't watch Bambi on her birthday (understandable, as the cinema excursion was organised as a birthday celebration for her and a film she hates is shown).

Dawn Freshwater

Played by Laura Jackson. First appearance: "Ted at the Helm".

"He's definitely a man..."

A member of the trio of new Yellowcoats from Series 6 onward.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dawn_8.jpg

Did I Just Say That Out Loud?: Accidentally lets it slip she's seen and enjoyed the sight of Gary naked in "Tell It to the Marines".
Early-Bird Cameo: She appears in the stage show which adapted "A Night Not To Remember", "Trouble and Strife" and "Maplin Intercontinental", all taking place before her canonical arrival at Maplins in "Ted at the Helm".
Ship Tease: With Gary in "Tell It to the Marines", when she confirms that she's seen and enjoyed the sight of him naked.
Small Role, Big Impact: Her appendicitis in "The Wind of Change" allows Peggy to finally live out her dream of becoming a Yellowcoat.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Fills the same role Tracey had, as they were both friendly female Yellowcoats and focused upon less than Sylvia.
Welcome Episode: In "Ted at the Helm", where she joins Maplins alongside April and Babs.

Babs Weaver

Played by Julie-Christian Young. First appearance: "Ted at the Helm".

A member of the trio of new Yellowcoats from Series 6-7.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/babsweaver.jpg

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears after "Man Trap".
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Fills the same role Tracey had, as they were both friendly female Yellowcoats and focused upon less than Sylvia.
Welcome Episode: In "Ted at the Helm", where she joins Maplins alongside April and Dawn.

Maplins Management

Jeffrey Fairbrother

Professor Jeffrey Fairbrother, ME

Played by Simon Cadell. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/1000007320.jpg

"Because I'm in a rut, Mother! Um, my wife's left me because she said I'm boring, my students fall asleep at lectures because I bore them, and, worst of all, I'm boring myself."

The well-meaning Entertainments Manager of Maplins from Series 1-5.

Beware the Nice Ones: When Ted drives him too far in "The Pay-Off", he throws himself over his desk and tries to attack him.
Brainy Brunette: The smartest staff member at Maplins and a former university professor.
Cannot Tell a Joke: Stick him in front of a microphone and watch the campers all lose interest.
Catchphrase: "Here's your friend, and he's mine as well, Ted Bovis", which is used to introduce Ted in the dullest manner possible.
Clueless Chick-Magnet: Has little idea how attractive most of female staff find him.
The Comically Serious: The writers purposefully gave him no jokes, yet Simon Cadell still got the biggest laughs through his deadpan delivery.
Digging Yourself Deeper: When trying to backtrack after accidentally insulting Gladys in "Trouble and Strife".
Gladys: Well, I suppose you're right. Once their looks are gone, they're finished.
Jeffrey: Precisely. I mean, after all, if you get bags under your eyes and a double chin, who cares?
Gladys: Well, I haven't got bags under my eyes and a double chin! What you trying to say!?
Jeffrey: No, no, no, no, nothing! What I mean is that if you did get bags under your eyes and a double chin, I wouldn't mind.
Gladys: Wouldn't you really, Jeff?
Jeffrey: Oh my God...
Facial Dialogue: Simon Cadell was a master of this and got some of his biggest laughs from his priceless expressions.
Fish out of Water: A Cambridge professor who now works at a tacky holiday camp.
Gentleman and a Scholar: A former professor, and possibly the nicest and most thoughtful person at Maplins.
Intoxication Ensues: Gets blackout drunk in "A Night Not To Remember" when rugby players keep spiking his drinks with vodka.
Meaningful Name: Extremely fair to staff, always giving out second chances, so it's no coincidence his last name is Fairbrother.
Non-Idle Rich: Is mocked by Ted for being an Upper-Class Twit, but he's actually a decent, hardworking guy who treats everyone with respect.
Not So Above It All: Will frequently get caught up in Ted's schemes, or have to host a crass event such as the "That's Your Bum" game in "Nice People With Nice Manners".
Pie in the Face: Courtesy of Ted in "Hey Diddle Diddle".
Put on a Bus: Moves to Wisconsin between "The Epidemic" and "Together Again".
Real Life Writes the Plot: Simon Cadell wanted to avoid being typecast, so Jeffrey was Put on a Bus between Series 5 and 6.
Reasonable Authority Figure: Goes out of his way to be as fair to the staff as possible.
Running Gag: Often has to read Joe Maplin's rambling and illiterate letters to the camp at meetings to his embarrassment.
Jeffrey: It's from Joe Maplin, it's in his own words as usual, so I'll read it out. "Right you lot, get a load of this. I come down yesterday, got up as a camper. You're a shower. You're a load of idle stinkpots.".
Ship Tease: Gladys often flirted with him, and was heartbroken when he left. Sylvia, Tracey and Betty all had moments of flirtation with him.
Shrinking Violet: Very shy and reserved. Being Entertainments Manager, this leads to a lot of Cringe Comedy.
Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Square.
Stiff Upper Lip: Can keep calm and think logically in an emergency, such as the burning float crisis in "Carnival Time".
Straight Man: The writers deliberately avoided giving Simon Cadell any jokes in his lines. The humour of the character comes from Cadell's brilliantly dry delivery and facial expressions.
Unresolved Sexual Tension: With Gladys, as he left before he could tell her if he did love her.
Unsuspectingly Soused: When some rugby players spike his tomato juice with vodka in "A Night Not To Remember".
Welcome Episode: In "Hey Diddle Diddle", he becomes the new Maplins Entertainments Manager for 1959, and quickly gets involved in a one-sided rivalry with Ted.
What Did I Do Last Night?: Wakes up naked with Gladys' bra in his bed in "A Night Not To Remember".

Clive Dempster

Squadron Leader, the Honorable Clive Dempster, DFC

Played by David Griffin. First appearance: "Ted at the Helm".

"I'm Clive Dempster. I've come to work here, I'm in charge of something or other."

The charming Entertainments Manager of Maplins from Series 6-9.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/clivedempster.jpg

Bad Boss: He his lazy and flakes on his duties, leaving Ted and the others to pick up the slack.
Blue Blood: His father is William, Lord Dempster of Dempster Hall.
The Charmer: Manages to flirt with Peggy, Sylvia, and Gladys in his first ten minutes at Maplins.
Cool Car: Uses it to get the girls at the camp.
Establishing Character Moment: His first scene in "Ted at the Helm" has him flirt with Peggy and take her out for a spin in his Cool Car.
Gentleman Snarker: Has Blue Blood in his veins and very snarky.
Lazy Bum: Would rather sleep in all morning and go out all evening than actually do his job.
Modern Major General: Clearly a capable airman, having achieved the rank of Squadron Leader and been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, but he's completely out of his depth as Entertainment Manager, having been appointed to the position precisely because of his Blue Blood military background and not because he was in any way qualified.
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Barely does any work as Entertainments Manager leaving Ted and the others to do his work for him.
Real Award, Fictional Character: Was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross sometime before the series.
Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Charmer.
Sixth Ranger: In Series 6, after he took over for Jeffrey.
The Slacker: Doesn't care much for any form of work in his job and will sleep in all morning.
Status Quo Is God: Was briefly fired by Alec Foster in "Orphan of the Storm" but got his job back by the episode's end.
Stock British Characters: The upper class RAF officer.
Welcome Episode: In "Ted at the Helm", where he joins as the new Entertainments Manager.

Harold Fox

Played by Gavin Richards. First appearance: "The Graven Image".

"But watch the dirt. Any more smut and you're out."

The slimy General Manager of Maplins and Joe Maplin's hatchet man. Only appears from Series 5-7.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/haroldfox.jpg

Casanova Wannabe: He acts like all the ladies love him, but especially with Gladys.
The Charmer: Believes himself to be one, when in reality he's just a sleaze.
Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears after "Spaghetti Galore".
Corrupt Corporate Executive: A slimy liar who does Joe Maplin's dirty work.
In-Series Nickname: The Maplins staff call him "the Smiling Viper".
Once A Series: From Series 5 to 7, appearing in Series 5's "The Graven Image", Series 6's "Ted at the Helm" and Series 7's "Spaghetti Galore".
Smug Snake: There's a reason they call him "the Smiling Viper".

Alec Foster

Played by Ewan Hooper. First appearance: "Pigs Might Fly".

"Don't lie to me, you were 'avin' a kip. You're sacked! Pick up your cards tomorrow mornin' and get off the camp!"

The nasty Camp Controller of Maplins who loves to abuse his power and others. Only appears from Series 8 onward.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/alecfoster.jpeg

0% Approval Rating: Among the Maplins Staff because he is a ruthless executive who views them as expendable pawns.
The Bad Guy Wins: Gleefully gives the news to the staff that Maplins is modernizing and they've all been fired in "The Wind of Change".
Bald of Evil: The most horrible character and shiniest head in the entire show.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: All the time, but the worst example was when he tried to force Peggy to have sex with him in "The New Broom".
Hate Sink: Compared to other Maplins higher-ups like Harold Fox or Joe Maplin who had some characteristics to leave them some fans, Alec Foster was a genuinely terrible person.
Karma Houdini: He beats up Spike in "Orphan of the Storm", with no repercussions except being recalled to Head Office.
Knight of Cerebus: Every time he shows up at Maplins, the tone gets darker and unpleasant.
Precision F-Strike: Upon being removed from Maplins in "Orphan of the Storm" he unleashes a powerful "You bastards! You BASTARDS!" to the staff.
Vile Villain, Saccharine Show: A genuinely horrible person with no redeeming traits.

Joe Maplin

Played by an unknown person shown from the face down. First appearance: "Stripes".

The corrupt and ruthless owner of all Maplins Holiday Camps.

Banana Peel: His letter of ideas to make the pool more fun in "Peggy's Big Chance" includes Barry and Yvonne slipping on a banana peel during a tango and continuing to dance in the pool.
Blackmail: "Hey Diddle Diddle, Who's on the Fiddle?" reveals the only reason he hired Clive was because he was angling for a knighthood, and hoped that by employing a member of the nobility, he could get the names of people in position of influence with skeletons in their closets whom he can then Blackmail into appealing to the Crown to make him Sir Joe Maplin.
Book Dumb: His letters to the camp are poorly written and a grammatical nightmare for Jeffrey. For bonus points "The Wind of Change" reveals his autobiography is entitled How I Done It.
Corrupt Corporate Executive: At his worst in "A Matter of Conscience" and "The Pay-Off" when he wants some nearby land for expansion so he bribes the town councilors, and gives strict orders that his staff do everything they can to scare off the surveyors that want to build a hospital on the land. When Jeffrey refuses, he responds by threatening to release false information that he's having an affair with Gladys, ruining both their reputations and Jeffrey's divorce.
The Ghost: If he ever had shown up on screen, he was intended to have been played by Bob Monkhouse.
He Who Must Not Be Seen: The closest he gets to an onscreen appearance is a statue Spike defaces in "The Graven Image".
King Incognito: "Stripes" reveals his idea of how the average camper dresses includes gold cufflinks, a big diamond ring, and crocodile skin shoes.
Pet the Dog: Towards Gladys in "Stripes", where she was the only member of staff to not be insulted or called out in his letter, but rather congratulated and promoted.
Running Gag: Often wrote rambling and illiterate letters to the camp to be read out word-for-word at staff meetings.
Villain with Good Publicity: To his staff he is a greedy, cheap, immoral liar, but to the public, he is an honest self-made man.

Other Maplins Staff

Peggy Ollerenshaw

Played by Su Pollard. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

"TWO, FOUR, SIX, EIGHT! WHO DO WE APPRECIATE?! P-E-G-G-Y O-L-L-E-R-E-N-S-H-A-W!" (Beat) "Oh, blimey, I wish I'd been called 'Smith'."

The 'potty' chalet maid with dreams of becoming a Yellowcoat.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/peggyollerenshaw.jpeg

Ascended Extra: She only has one line outside of her main scene in the pilot, "Hey Diddle Diddle". By Series 3, she played a major role almost every episode and got a Promotion to Opening Titles in Series 6.
Blind Without 'Em: "Who Killed Mr Partridge?" shows her stumbling around when without her glasses.
Breakout Character: Her enthusiasm and her relentless determination have left her adored by even non-fans.
Break the Cutie: Time and time again where she'll have a chance to become a Yellowcoat, only to lose it at the last second ("Peggy's Big Chance", "A Matter of Conscience", "Maplin Intercontinental", etc.).
Butt-Monkey: Is often put into humiliating situations if she thinks it'll help her become a Yellowcoat.
Catchphrase:
- "Oh 'eck!".
- "Don't tell Miss Cathcart!".
Cloudcuckoolander: So much so that she's earned the nickname of "that potty chalet maid" from the campers.
Crouching Moron, Hidden Badass: Despite seeming unxperienced, during her week filling in for Dawn in "The Wind of Change", she quickly becomes the most popular Yellowcoat.
Deliberately Distressed Damsel: To help Clive look good in front of Gladys in "The Perils of Peggy".
Determinator: Will never stop in her quest to become a Yellowcoat.
Disguised in Drag: Pretends to be Gary in "Tell It to the Marines" to help Ted cheat some visiting Marines.
Dreadful Musician: Peggy's singing is overenthusiastic and rushed, like her rendition of "Good Morning" in "Desire in the Mickey Mouse Grotto".
Drink-Based Characterization: Her love of sugar and syrup filled milkshakes matches her Genki Girl personality.
Dumb Blonde: Well potty blond at least.
Early-Installment Weirdness: Is quite snarky and flirty in "Hey Diddle Diddle", something that wouldn't last long.
Earn Your Happy Ending: Finally becomes a Yellowcoat in "The Wind of Change". Quickly subverted as the Yellowcoat program is disbanded a week later.
Easy Come, Easy Go: Finally becomes a Yellowcoat in "The Wind of Change" for a grand total of one week until the Yellowcoat program is shut down.
Ensemble Dark Horse: Su Pollard gets more applause than all the other characters put together.
Fainting: Passes out from nervous exhaustion in "The Wind of Change".
Frame-Up: Alec Foster fires her for allegedly stealing soap in "Orphan of the Storm", although in reality it was because she refused to have sex with him in the previous episode ("The New Broom").
Genki Girl: Very energetic and excitable to the point where she is sent to hospital from nervous exhaustion in "The Wind of Change".
Girls With Mustaches: Wears a fake mustache to impersonate Gary in "Tell It to the Marines".
Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: Blond curly hair and a soft side as big as the Hawaiian Ballroom.
Help, I'm Stuck!: Pretends to be trapped in quicksand in "The Perils of Peggy".
Hidden Depths: In "The Beauty Queen Affair" she mentions she is a skilled poolside lifesaver.
Jack of All Stats: Will be used in a variety of different ways in Ted's schemes.
Kindhearted Simpleton: A little dim, but has a massive heart.
Last of His Kind: Becomes the last main cast member to remain working at Maplins by the end of "The Wind of Change".
Likes Older Men: Dates an older man in "Peggy's Pen Friend".
Love Hurts: Whenever she falls in love, something goes wrong.
Malaproper: In "The Graven Image" she pronounces "megalomaniac" as "meglomoaniac".
Motor Mouth: Once she starts going, it's hard to get her to stop.
Never Bareheaded: Rarely seen without her chalet maid beret.
Nice Girl: A sweet girl who just wants to be a Yellowcoat to entertain the campers.
Pantomime Animal: She wears a pantomime horse costume with Spike in "The Day of Reckoning". Hilarity Ensues when the two still in costume ride an actual horse past a very confused Mr. Partridge.
Pursue the Dream Job: Will stop at nothing to earn her spot amongst the Yellowcoats.
The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: Did less and less work as a chalet maid after she got more and more involved in the entertainments staff's schemes.
Promotion to Opening Titles: After Simon Cadell left in Series 6.
Quirky Curls: A potty girl with curly blond hair.
Rank Up: Finally becomes a Yellowcoat in "The Wind of Change"... until the Yellowcoat program is disbanded a week later.
Sitcom Character Archetypes: The Goofball.
Status Quo Is God: Any time she has a chance of becoming a Yellowcoat, her hopes will be dashed. Finally becomes a Yellowcoat in "The Wind of Change"... until the Yellowcoat program is shut down and she becomes a chalet maid again.
Sweet Tooth: Has a particular love of milkshakes and other sugary drinks.
The Team Wannabe: To the Yellowcoats. She finally joins their ranks in "The Wind of Change".
Wrong Genre Savvy: Often compares events in the camp to an American film noir.
Yank the Dog's Chain: Finally becomes a Yellowcoat in "The Wind of Change"... until a week later when the Yellowcoat program is disbanded and everyone is fired.

Hilda

Played by Marianne Tollast. First appearance: "Hey Diddle Diddle".

The original organist at Maplins. Only appears in Series 1.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hilda_4.jpg

Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Disappears after "The Beauty Queen Affair".
Flat Character: Even more than Ramona was.
Living Prop: Even Ramona got at least one line.
No Full Name Given: Only referred to by her first name during her time on the show.
The Voiceless: Never got to say a word.
We Hardly Knew Ye: Lasted only two episodes before disappearing.

Ramona

Played by Jean Lear. First appearance: "If Wet - In the Ballroom".

"Any particular music, Ted?"

Maplins' organist. Appears from Series 2-9. Played by Jean Lear.

https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/maplins_73.jpg

Flat Character: She doesn't do anything for the plot besides play the organ.
Living Prop: Only had one line despite appearing on the show for seven years.
No Full Name Given: Only referred to by her first name during her time on the show.
Remember the New Guy?: Shows up in "If Wet - In the Ballroom" with no mention of where she came from or where Hilda went.
Small Role, Big Impact: Her plot-related absence in "Tell It to the Marines" causes Peggy to fill in for her, which sets up the plot of the Maplins staff taking on the Royal Marines in a race over their assault course.
Suspiciously Similar Substitute: Fills the same role Hilda had as both were female organists who were Living Props during their time on the show.
What Happened to the Mouse?: Her absence starts the conflict of "Tell It to the Marines", but it is never explained where she was or what she was doing.

Miss Cathcart

Played by N/A. First appearance: N/A.

Peggy's fearsome superior.

Arch-Enemy: To Peggy.
The Ghost: Never shown on screen.
Last-Name Basis: Due to her being Peggy's superior.
No Full Name Given: Only referred to by her last name during her time on the show.
Sitcom Arch-Nemesis: To Peggy.

Characters / Hi-de-Hi!

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