''Foreign Affairs'' is a British sitcom that aired on

BBC1 BBC One is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network owned and operated by the BBC. It is the corporation's flagship network and is known for broadcasting mainstream programming, which includes BBC News television bulletins, ...

in 1966. Starring Leslie Phillips in the lead role, it was set in the Foreign Office in Whitehall. The entire series was

wiped Lost television broadcasts are mostly those early television programs which cannot be accounted for in studio archives (or in personal archives) usually because of deliberate destruction or neglect. Common reasons for loss A significant prop ...

and is no longer thought to exist.

Background

All six episodes were written by writing partners Johnny Mortimer and Brian Cooke, with creator Leonard Samson also co-writing one episode. ''Foreign Affairs'' introduced the writers to young actor Richard O'Sullivan and this would lead to his title role in the 1970s sitcom ''

Man About the House ''Man About the House'' is a British sitcom created by Brian Cooke and Johnnie Mortimer that starred Richard O'Sullivan, Paula Wilcox, Sally Thomsett, Yootha Joyce and Brian Murphy. Six series were broadcast on ITV from 15 August 1973 to 7 Apr ...

''.

Cast

Leslie Phillips Leslie Samuel Phillips (20 April 1924 – 7 November 2022) was an English actor, director, producer and author. He achieved prominence in the 1950s, playing smooth, upper-class comic roles utilising his "Ding dong" and "Hello" catchphrases. ...

- Dennis Proudfoot *

Richard O'Sullivan Richard O'Sullivan (born 7 May 1944) is an English comedy actor, who is known for his role as Robin Tripp in the 1970s sitcoms ''Man About the House'' (1973–1976) and '' Robin's Nest'' (1977–1981) and as the title character in the period fa ...

- Taplow *

Austin Trevor Claude Austin Trevor Schilsky (7 October 1897 – 22 January 1978) was an Irish actor who had a long career in film and television. He played the parson in John Galsworthy's ''Escape'' at the world premiere in London's West End in 1926 an ...

- Sir Hugh Marriot *Dorothy Frere - Miss Jessup *

Ronnie Barker Ronald William George Barker (25 September 1929 – 3 October 2005) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He was known for roles in British comedy television series such as '' Porridge'', ''The Two Ronnies'', and ''Open All Hours''. ...

- Grischa Petrovitch *

Joe Melia Joe Melia ( Giovanni Philip William Melia; 23 January 1935, Camden Town, Camden, London - 20 October 2012, Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire) was a UK, British actor. Educated at the City of Leicester College, City of Leicester Boys' Grammar Sch ...

- Serge Volchanivov *Sonia Graham - Irinka

Plot

Womaniser Dennis Proudfoot works in the

Foreign Office Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * Unit ...

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It is the main ...

as the personal assistant to Sir Hugh Marriot, the administrator of foreign relations. The programme focuses on the conflicts between the Foreign Office and the counterparts at the Soviet Embassy in London. Serge Volchanivov is the commissar for foreign relations and his assistant is Grischa Petrovitch. Taplow is the 20-year-old post-room boy.

Episodes

''Foreign Affairs'' aired on Fridays at 7.30pm. Due to the archival policies of the time, all six episodes were subsequently

and no longer exist.

References

{{reflist 1966 British television series debuts 1966 British television series endings 1960s British sitcoms BBC television sitcoms Lost BBC episodes