Friday Night Dinner
Same family, same table, same chaos
Friday Night Dinner is a British sitcom created by Robert Popper that ran on Channel 4 from 2011 to 2020 across six series. It follows the Goodmans, a Jewish middle-class family in the north London suburb of Mill Hill, as grown-up brothers Adam and Jonny return to their parents’ home each Friday for the weekly family meal. Their bickering plays out around mild-mannered mum Jackie and eccentric, shirtless dad Martin, while awkward neighbour Jim regularly intrudes with his dog Wilson. Built on escalating farce, running gags and catchphrases, the show earned a Rose d’Or and a devoted cult following.
Start a quizAt a glance
- First aired
- 25 February 2011
- Last aired
- 1 May 2020
- Created by
- Robert Popper
- Channel
- Channel 4
- Series
- 6
- Episodes
- 37
- Set in
- The Goodman family home in suburban north London
- Quizzes
- 3
Friday Night Dinner quizzes
Shalom! Pull up a chair with the Goodmans and test your knowledge of the weekly family dinner.
Shalom! How well do you know the Goodmans, Horrible Grandma, Auntie Val and poor Jim?
Dead foxes, salt in the squash and a very dry turkey. Test your Friday Night Dinner knowledge.
Friday Night Dinner cast and characters
Adam Goodman
Played by Simon Bird
The elder Goodman son, who comes home every Friday and spends most of the meal waging a prank war with his younger brother.
Jonny Goodman
Played by Tom Rosenthal
The younger Goodman son, who gives as good as he gets in the endless sibling pranks, such as salting each other's drinks.
Jackie Goodman
Played by Tamsin Greig
The boys' mum, who tries to run a normal household and put a nice dinner on the table while her husband and sons create chaos around her.
Martin Goodman
Played by Paul Ritter
The eccentric dad, who wanders the house shirtless, eats out-of-date food and bellows his catchphrase whenever something goes wrong.
Jim Bell
Played by Mark Heap
The lonely, awkward next-door neighbour who is sweet on Jackie and keeps finding reasons to call round, usually with his dog Wilson, of whom he is terrified.
Valerie Lewis
Played by Tracy-Ann Oberman
Jackie's neurotic best friend, known to the boys as Auntie Val.
Nellie Buller
Played by Frances Cuka
Jackie's mother, known to the family as Grandma, who is courted by the elderly Mr Morris.
Friday Night Dinner facts and FAQs
- When was Friday Night Dinner made?
- Friday Night Dinner was first shown on Channel 4 on 25 February 2011, and the final episode aired on 1 May 2020. The six series aired over the nine years in between, with a Christmas special in 2012.
- How many series (seasons) and episodes of Friday Night Dinner are there?
- There are six series (seasons) and 37 episodes: six episodes in each series plus a Christmas special shown on 24 December 2012.
- Who created and wrote Friday Night Dinner?
- Robert Popper created and wrote every episode of Friday Night Dinner, drawing on his own secular Jewish upbringing in north London. It was made by Big Talk Productions and Popper Pictures.
- Is Friday Night Dinner a sitcom?
- Yes, Friday Night Dinner is a British family sitcom that leans heavily on farce and running gags. It won Best Sitcom at the 2012 Rose d'Or.
- What is Friday Night Dinner about?
- Friday Night Dinner follows the Goodmans, a middle-class Jewish family, as grown-up brothers Adam and Jonny come home each week for Friday night dinner with Mum and Dad. The meal is forever derailed by pranks, Dad's eccentric habits and visits from neighbour Jim.
- Where is Friday Night Dinner set and filmed?
- Friday Night Dinner is set in suburban north London and was filmed in Mill Hill, where a real family house stood in for the Goodman home. Other locations, including the local pub and Chinese restaurant, were found in the surrounding area.
- Who is in the cast of Friday Night Dinner?
- The main cast is Simon Bird as Adam, Tom Rosenthal as Jonny, Tamsin Greig as Jackie, Paul Ritter as Martin and Mark Heap as neighbour Jim. Tracy-Ann Oberman plays Auntie Val and Frances Cuka plays Grandma.
- Will there be more Friday Night Dinner?
- No, series 6 in 2020 was the last. After Paul Ritter died in April 2021, Robert Popper confirmed there would be no more episodes, and a documentary, Ten Years and a Lovely Bit of Squirrel, marked the end.
Awards and recognition
Best Sitcom at the Rose d'Or Light Entertainment Festival (2012)
Best Comedy Programme at the Broadcast Awards (2021)
BAFTA nominations including Best Situation Comedy (2012) and a posthumous nomination for Paul Ritter (2021)