Post by crazyfrog86 on Jan 26, 2009 18:12:53 GMT
As there has been a lot of discussion on this forum about the ending of the show, I decided to email Andrew Norriss to ask him about it and he sent a reply! 
I basicaly asked him about the ending and said what a great show it is. I also sent him the link to this forum.
This was his reply:
Hi there, Helen!
Many thanks for such a kind and interesting letter. It's always good to know that something you wrote is being appreciated - and I was very fond of Brittas myself!
In answer to the points you raised... I had nothing whatever to do with series 6 &7, in fact I've never even seen them. I met the writers once (lovely people) and wished them well, but that was it. So I can't say anything about why they ended it all with a dream and what they meant by it.
By the time I was writing series 5, much as I loved the characters and making the stories, I was very tired and wanted to end it. Richard Fegen, I know, would have liked to continue but... So we came up with the idea of Brittas dying in the last episode, and turning out to be just as annoying in heaven as he was on earth. The final scene was going to be him and St Peter moving off through the pearly gates bickering about who looked after the keys.
However, by this time Brittas had become quite popular and the BBC said that they wanted another series. As the creators, we had the right to say no, but you are talking about people's livliehoods here. Actors who have mortgages to pay, that sort of thing. So we agreed that the show could go ahead with other writers. I have no idea what sort of a job they made of it. As I said, I didn't watch it. I had no wish to see the characters I'd lived with for the last five years doing things from someone else's head!
However, saying yes to another series meant altering the ending that we had already planned for Brittas dying under a water tank (still one of my favourite episodes). And we eventually came up with the idea that he was so annoying in heaven that they actually sent him back down. A little far-fetched I know, but...
And then came the news that they wanted a Xmas special as well, and that New Year's episode looking into the future and right back to the past was one I'm particularly proud of. It was, as far as I was concerned, the finishing touch. Brittas went to Brussels, became sucessful - and so did everyone else. I don't think they've ever repeated the episode but I loved the way it followed each of the characters into the future.
So there you are. Richard and I never wrote another sitcom. Somehow the driving motive power had gone. I carried on writing stuff like Aquila and Bernard's Watch for children but slowly moved, for a variety of reasons, into the world of children's books. I don't know if you've come across any of them but they still give me the greatest possible pleasure. Less money, but the deepest satisfaction!
I shall go and check out your forum website now and yes, of course, feel free to post this if you think it would be of any interest.
Very best wishes to you,
Andrew
PS Love your email address by the way!
I basicaly asked him about the ending and said what a great show it is. I also sent him the link to this forum.
This was his reply:
Hi there, Helen!
Many thanks for such a kind and interesting letter. It's always good to know that something you wrote is being appreciated - and I was very fond of Brittas myself!
In answer to the points you raised... I had nothing whatever to do with series 6 &7, in fact I've never even seen them. I met the writers once (lovely people) and wished them well, but that was it. So I can't say anything about why they ended it all with a dream and what they meant by it.
By the time I was writing series 5, much as I loved the characters and making the stories, I was very tired and wanted to end it. Richard Fegen, I know, would have liked to continue but... So we came up with the idea of Brittas dying in the last episode, and turning out to be just as annoying in heaven as he was on earth. The final scene was going to be him and St Peter moving off through the pearly gates bickering about who looked after the keys.
However, by this time Brittas had become quite popular and the BBC said that they wanted another series. As the creators, we had the right to say no, but you are talking about people's livliehoods here. Actors who have mortgages to pay, that sort of thing. So we agreed that the show could go ahead with other writers. I have no idea what sort of a job they made of it. As I said, I didn't watch it. I had no wish to see the characters I'd lived with for the last five years doing things from someone else's head!
However, saying yes to another series meant altering the ending that we had already planned for Brittas dying under a water tank (still one of my favourite episodes). And we eventually came up with the idea that he was so annoying in heaven that they actually sent him back down. A little far-fetched I know, but...
And then came the news that they wanted a Xmas special as well, and that New Year's episode looking into the future and right back to the past was one I'm particularly proud of. It was, as far as I was concerned, the finishing touch. Brittas went to Brussels, became sucessful - and so did everyone else. I don't think they've ever repeated the episode but I loved the way it followed each of the characters into the future.
So there you are. Richard and I never wrote another sitcom. Somehow the driving motive power had gone. I carried on writing stuff like Aquila and Bernard's Watch for children but slowly moved, for a variety of reasons, into the world of children's books. I don't know if you've come across any of them but they still give me the greatest possible pleasure. Less money, but the deepest satisfaction!
I shall go and check out your forum website now and yes, of course, feel free to post this if you think it would be of any interest.
Very best wishes to you,
Andrew
PS Love your email address by the way!
