ional ▁English ▁village ▁and ▁stars ▁Robin ▁Ned well , ▁D iane ▁Ke en , ▁N ig el ▁Lam bert , ▁Jack ▁Douglas , ▁John ▁Le ▁Mes ur ier , ▁Bernard ▁C rib b ins ▁and ▁Tre vor ▁Howard . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁preced ed ▁by ▁a ▁feature ▁length ▁pilot ▁episode ▁The ▁Sh illing bury ▁B low ers ▁st arring ▁Tre vor ▁Howard , ▁broadcast ▁ 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁The ▁series ▁was ▁written ▁by ▁Francis ▁Es sex ▁and ▁directed ▁by ▁Val ▁Gu est . ▁Un us ually ▁for ▁a ▁British ▁situation - com edy ▁at ▁that ▁time ▁it ▁was ▁recorded ▁entirely ▁on ▁location ▁on ▁ 1 6 mm ▁film ▁and ▁consequ ently ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁laugh ter ▁track . ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁film ing ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁village ▁of ▁Ald bury ▁in ▁H ert ford shire . ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁ended ▁when ▁A TV ▁lost ▁its ▁franch ise ▁lic ence ▁to ▁broadcast ▁and ▁its ▁replacement ▁Central ▁decl ined ▁to ▁continue ▁production ▁of ▁the ▁series . ▁The ▁series ▁was ▁broadcast ▁in ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁countries ▁around ▁Europe . ▁ ▁Epis odes ▁ ▁Pil ot ▁The ▁Sh illing bury ▁B low ers ▁( 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 0 ) ▁ ▁Series ▁ 1 ▁The ▁Sh illing bury ▁T ink er ▁( 1 7 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 1 ) ▁The ▁Sh illing bury ▁Mel on ▁( 2 4 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 1 ) ▁The ▁Sh illing bury ▁Cl ou db urst ▁( 3 1