Jam and Jerusalem

24 November, 2006 by The_Boss

New comedy starts Friday 24 November 2006, 9.30pm, BBC ONE

Set in the small west country town of Clatterford, new BBC ONE comedy Jam and Jerusalem stars Sue Johnston as Sal Vine, the local practice nurse who lives at the centre of the community.

With her husband being the grumpy doctor of the town, Sal is always the voice of common sense and font of all knowledge when it comes to the townspeople and their needs.

She never has a moment to herself - but that is just the way she likes it, as long as she has her best friend Tip to keep her sane and go for a quick half with in the pub.

Despite her knowledge and love of her fellow townsfolk, she cannot bring herself to join the local church's Women's Guild – she thinks the knitting and cake-baking is not really her scene – and avoids being recruited by the Guild's leader, Eileen, at every step.

When her husband dies suddenly of a heart attack, Sal finds herself surrounded by the community - all offering tea and sympathy. But when her son James announces at the funeral that, as he is taking over the practice, his wife will be the village nurse, Sal finds herself not only widowed but out of a job!

As the community sympathy falls off, Sal feels neglected and alone and in a bid to stop rattling around her empty house and avoid the local Grieving Group counsellor, she decides it's time to take her own advice - stop sleeping in the dog basket, get a hair cut and a new top, take stock of her new life - and the Women's Guild is a good place to start.

Written by Jennifer Saunders and starring some of the best-loved names in comedy, Jam and Jerusalem is a comedy that takes an affectionate look at village life and the empathy and togetherness found in a local community where everyone knows everyone's business.

Tip is played by Pauline McLynn; Eileen by Maggie Steed; Delilah by Joanna Lumley; Caroline by Jennifer Saunders; Rosie by Dawn French; James by David Mitchell; Tash by Sally Phillips; the vicar by Patrick Barlow; and Queenie by Doreen Mantle.