The Francine Diaries

The Francine Diaries was a British situation comedy television series that aired originally on BBC One from 1971 to 1986, and again on Channel 4 from 1991 to 1995. The show was then revived for a second time by original broadcaster BBC One in 2001, where it remains on air as of 2018, it's longest iteration to date. It follows the life of actress Francine Fisher (Moira Glass) as she navigates a new world after the end of her contract with a major Hollywood studio and relocates to London. As the series progresses, Francine establishes herself in television and eventually gets a role on a soap opera. The first series also introduces Francine's agent Grant (Matthew Allbright) and her rival-turned-friend Olivia Winters (Margaret O'Hara). Other characters introduced as the series progressed include Francine's parents, sister, brother, boyfriend (and later husband) and children.

History
The BBC's light entertainment department commissioned a pilot in 1969 of what was then titled "People in Glass Houses" with 28-year-old Hollywood superstar Moira Glass attached to star as a fictionalised version of herself, from a script by her husband Andrew. The pilot was deemed successful, by Moira Glass did not feel comfortable playing herself. The pair went away and formed Glass House Productions and here developed The Francine Diaries, a retooling of the original script. The BBC's Light Entertainment Department commissioned 8 episodes in March 1971, filming in front of a live studio audience began in October 1971, and the first episode aired in December.

The series was an instant success and earned Moira Glass her first BAFTA TV award for Best Comedy Performance in 1972. In August 1974, as series 4 began filming, Glass fell pregnant with her first child. Since the character of Francine had wed her longtime beau in the previous series, the pregnancy was written into the series. Glass' daughter, Violet, was born in May 1975. The series continued into the 80s and in January 1981, Glass gave birth to identical twins, Vincent and Andrew, with the pregnancy again being written into the show's tenth series. In January 1985, Moira Glass announced she was once again pregnant, again with twins. She gave birth to a set of identical girls in late October, naming them Courtney and Alma.

In November 1985, just weeks after becoming a father to a second set of twins, Andrew Glass collapsed and died on the set of the Francine Diaries while shooting the series 15 finale, he was only 46. Airing of the series was delayed until early 1986 at Moira Glass' request. His funeral was held on December 14th 1985. Moira later announced no further episodes of The Francine Diaries would be produced.

In 1990, Moira Glass joined Channel 4, hosting a daytime talk show. The series was short-lived, but inspired her to revive The Francine Diaries in order to maintain her contract with the channel. The series returned to air on it's 20th anniversary, with Channel 4's Lee Wright showrunning and the original cast returning, with the addition of Violet Glass taking on the role of Francine's daughter Melissa. The series was met with a mixed reaction and came to a close once again when Moira Glass declined to renew her contract with Channel 4.

In 1999, Moira Glass remarried, wedding her longtime co-star and friend Matthew Allbright in a private ceremony, with many speculating that the two's union may inspire a second revival of The Francine Diaries. In March 2001, the BBC announced that Moira Glass, along with a recently reformed Glass House Productions, would produce a pilot for BBC One to air over the Christmas period. However, in June 2001, Moira Glass confirmed that she would instead revive The Francine Diaries for a new series, with her taking the place of show runner, a role originally held by her late first husband. The series premiered on the show's 30th anniversary and was met with positive reviews.

In July 2005, Deborah Van Horn, who had played Francine Fisher's mother Vivienne since the show's inception, died aged 90. Her death was written into the show and was a major plot in the revival's fifth series. Moira Glass paid tribute to Van Horn at her funeral, calling her the best second mother a girl could ask for. Violet Glass fell pregnant shortly before Van Horn's death and gave birth in October 2005, a plot also written into the fifth series. Violet honoured Van Horn both off screen and on, with Violet naming her child Jessica Deborah Glass-Vincent and her onscreen persona naming her child Vivienne.

The BBC commissioned a further 5 series shortly after the conclusion of the show's 6th instalment in January 2007, renewing the series through to 2011. The show was renewed through to 2017 in early 2012.

In 2008, Moira Glass and Matthew Allbright divorced amicably after 9 years of marriage, Glass was stated as saying that she never really recovered from her first husband's death and she and Allbright had drifted apart. Allbright would remain a cast member on The Francine Diaries, but in a recurring capacity.

The show's 2012 series honoured cast member Franco McAnderson, who was celebrating his 100th birthday on the set of the series. He was the oldest actor currently working at the BBC and the oldest actor currently on British television, he was presented with a Guinness World Record certificate at the end of filming on the occasion.

In 2014, Moira Glass revealed she'd been diagnosed with breast cancer, but would continue to star in the series and to raise awareness, would have the disease written into the series. Glass confirmed she was given the all clear in late 2015, but would continue to raise awareness.

Over Christmas 2016, while the series was airing it's 16th instalment, actress Margaret O'Hara suffered a debilitating stroke and was hospitalised indefinitely. Moira Glass confirmed that the 17th series would be delayed in order for O'Hara to recover. O'Hara's speech and movement returned in October 2017, and filming began on the 17th series in January 2018, concluding 8 weeks later. In March 2018, O'Hara suffered a fall at the Claridge's hotel and died of a second stroke in hospital shortly after. Moira Glass said that she was devastated at O'Hara's death and no decision about the future of The Francine Diaries had yet been made. Franco McAnderson also issued a statement, stating that as a result of his dear friend Margaret O'Hara's passing, he had decided to retire from acting, at the age of 105, to spend more time with his family.

In March 2018, the BBC confirmed that an 18th series of The Francine Diaries would be produced, but would not air until 2019 at the earliest. It has not yet been confirmed whether the series will return beyond the next series.