▁Harry ▁En field ▁plays ▁D erm ot ▁P ove y , ▁Gary ' s ▁original ▁flat mate , ▁in ▁series ▁one . ▁D erm ot ▁is ▁forever ▁failing ▁to ▁pay ▁his ▁rent ▁and ▁is ▁des per ately ▁in ▁love ▁with ▁Deb or ah . ▁Neil ▁Morris sey ▁plays ▁Tony ▁Sm art ▁from ▁series ▁two ▁on wards . ▁Tony ▁is ▁Gary ' s ▁woman ising ▁flat mate , ▁who ▁is ▁inf atu ated ▁with ▁Deb or ah . ▁Les lie ▁Ash ▁plays ▁Deb or ah ▁Bur ton , ▁an ▁attract ive ▁bl onde ▁woman ▁who ▁lives ▁in ▁the ▁flat ▁above ▁Gary ▁and ▁Tony . ▁Deb or ah ▁works ▁in ▁a ▁restaurant , ▁and ▁although ▁attract ed ▁to ▁Tony , ▁his ▁imm atur ity , ▁devil - may - care ▁attitude ▁and ▁other ▁aspects ▁of ▁his ▁character ▁push ▁her ▁away . ▁Caroline ▁Qu entin ▁plays ▁Dor othy ▁Martin / B ishop , ▁Gary ' s ▁out sp oken ▁girl friend . ▁She ▁is ▁a ▁nur se ▁who ▁lives ▁with ▁her ▁parents , ▁and ▁sometimes ▁with ▁Gary ▁and ▁Tony . ▁Ian ▁L inds ay ▁plays ▁George , ▁an ▁employee ▁with ▁old ▁fashion ed ▁views ▁at ▁Gary ' s ▁security ▁firm . ▁Val erie ▁Min ifie ▁plays ▁An the a , ▁an ▁employee ▁at ▁Gary ' s ▁security ▁firm ▁with ▁views ▁similar ▁to ▁George . ▁ ▁Epis odes ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁a ired ▁for ▁six ▁series ▁and ▁forty ▁two ▁episodes , ▁including ▁a ▁Christmas ▁special ▁titled ▁' J ing le ▁B alls ', ▁which ▁was ▁broadcast ▁over