Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher
Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher is a BBC Television comedy docudrama, first shown in 2003, that depicts the later life of Norman Stanley Fletcher, the main character in two earlier television series, Porridge and Going Straight.
| Life Beyond the Box: Norman Stanley Fletcher | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Mockumentary |
| Directed by | Kim Flitcroft |
| Starring | |
| Narrated by | Bill Nighy |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Running time | 50 minutes |
| Distributor | Wall to Wall |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC Two |
| Original release | 29 December 2003 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Going Straight |
| Followed by | Porridge (2016) |
| External links | |
| Production website | |
Synopsis
The film details Norman Stanley Fletcher's life over the 25 years since his release from Slade Prison. The majority of the programme features surviving members of the cast of the original series, in character, and Ronnie Barker appears as Fletcher only in the last few minutes
The absence of Fletcher's naïve young cellmate Godber, played by Richard Beckinsale who died in 1979, is explained in a scene in which Fletcher's daughter Ingrid receives a phone call from Godber to say that he is stuck in traffic and will not be able to appear in the "documentary".
The film also featured "Whispering" Bob Harris (radio presenter) (who was interviewed about a legendary concert by Slade at Slade Prison); and Melvin Bragg (who interviewed 'Genial' Harry Grout in connection with his autobiography).