For the Love of Ada

For the Love of Ada stars Irene Handl as Ada Cresswell, a Cockney pensioner widow fond of malapropisms. She lives with her daughter Ruth Pollitt (Barbara Mitchell) and son‑in‑law Leslie Pollitt (Jack Smethurst). Ada begins a warm friendship with Walter Bingley (Wilfred Pickles), the Yorkshire gravedigger who buried her husband, after meeting him while tending her husband’s grave in the cemetery. Their companionship evolves into romance over time, culminating in an engagement, which leads to their marriage and cohabitation in Walter’s lodge at the cemetery. Ada’s tendency towards malapropisms provides gentle humour, while the North–South contrast between Ada and Walter adds depth to their characters and their relationship. ==Cast==

Main • Irene Handl as Ada Cresswell (later Bingley) • Wilfred Pickles as Walter Bingley • Barbara Mitchell as Ruth Pollitt (née Cresswell) • Jack Smethurst as Leslie Pollitt Recurring • Robert Keegan as Jack Pollitt, Leslie's father • Mollie Sugden as Nellie Pollitt, Leslie's mother • Malcolm Rogers as the Vicar • Cecily Hullett as Freda Skinner • Gabrielle Daye as Mrs Armitage • Charles Lamb as Arthur Parsons • Anna Turner as Maggie Bingley • Freddie Jones as David Llewellin Griffiths • Patsy Rowlands as Pauline Whitehead • Meadows White as Fred Carter • Bert Palmer as Fred Bingley • Ann Way as Florrie Bingley • Ann Beach as Alice Bingley • Colin Welland (Series 2) Gerard Hely as Albert Bingley • Daphne Heard as the nosey neighbour ==Transmission dates==

Series One (6 x 25 mins) 20 Apr-25 May 1970 – Mon mostly 9.30pm Series Two (7 x 25 mins) 14 Sep-26 Oct 1970 – Mon 9.30pm Short special Part of the All-Star Comedy Carnival 25 Dec 1970 – Fri 6pm Series Three (7 x 25 mins) 15 Mar-3 May 1971 – Mon 8.30pm Series Four (6 x 25 mins) 26 Aug-30 Sep 1971 – Thu 9pm Christmas special (38 mins) Boxing Day (27 Dec 1971) – Sun 6.45pm The complete series, which had not been seen on British television for over 20 years, first reappeared on UK Gold in 1993, and again in 1997. It later aired on Talking Pictures TV in late 2018, with further repeats in 2020, 2021 and 2023, with some offensive words muted. == Episodes ==

DVD titles in brackets. Series 1 (1970) Series 2 (1970) Series 3 (1971) Series 4 (1971) Christmas Special (1971) == Film version ==

In 1972, a feature-length film adaptation was released, again starring Handl and Pickles, and directed by Ronnie Baxter. The plot revolves around the couple's first wedding anniversary and the chaos of a surprise party thrown by their family. The film received a lukewarm reception; one critic in the Monthly Film Bulletin described it as “a boneless jelly of a film… thoroughly patronising”. == American version ==

For the Love of Ada spawned an American remake called A Touch of Grace that premiered on ABC in January 1973. This version starred Shirley Booth and J. Pat O'Malley as Grace Simpson and Herbert Morrison, who like their English counterparts fall in love. The American version faced very tough competition from All In The Family and drew low ratings, resulting in its cancellation in April 1973 after 13 episodes, but ABC ran reruns of the show in prime time until June 1973. See also • List of films based on British television series ==DVD release==

All four series of For the Love of Ada were released between 2009 and 2012. == References ==