For the Love of Ada


For the Love of Ada is an ITV sitcom that ran for 27 episodes across four series between April 1970 and December 1971. It centres on a gentle romance between two pensioners, a theme uncommon in British sitcoms of the time.
Created by Vince Powell and Harry Driver, the sitcom starred Irene Handl as the widowed Ada Cresswell and Wilfred Pickles as Walter Bingley, a gentle, working-class cemetery gravedigger with whom she gradually falls in love. Ada shares a home with her sharp-tongued daughter Ruth Pollitt and her well-meaning but often flustered son-in-law Leslie. Much of the humour in the early episodes derives from Ruth’s disapproval and Leslie’s awkwardness as they attempt to adjust to Ada’s blossoming late-life romance. The series gently explores themes of companionship, ageing, and the generational divide, while maintaining a light, character-driven style.
The series, produced by Ronnie Baxter for Thames Television, was filmed in colour using a multi-camera studio setup, with episodes running 25 to 30 minutes. It notably dispensed with traditional title sequences, opting instead for opening credits superimposed over live scenes.

Outline

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 and son‑in‑law Leslie Pollitt. Ada begins a warm friendship with Walter Bingley, 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. Over four series and a sketch-length Christmas Special, viewers see the couple court, become engaged, marry, and settle into their life together at Cemetery Lodge.

Cast

Main

Recurring

Transmission dates

Series One
20 Apr-25 May 1970 – Mon mostly 9.30pm
Series Two
14 Sep-26 Oct 1970 – Mon 9.30pm
Short special
Part of the All-Star Comedy Carnival 25 Dec 1970 – Fri 6pm
Series Three
15 Mar-3 May 1971 – Mon 8.30pm
Series Four
26 Aug-30 Sep 1971 – Thu 9pm
Christmas special
Boxing Day – 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.

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.

DVD release

All four series of For the Love of Ada were released between 2009 and 2012.
DVDRelease date
The Complete Series 112 October 2009
The Complete Series 24 July 2011
The Complete Series 317 October 2011
The Complete Series 416 January 2012
The Complete Series 1 to 4 Box Set19 March 2018