How Home Office hindered filming

The Home Office refused to allow the producers of Porridge to film inside a genuine jail, files released today reveal.

In 1975, producer Sydney Lotterby asked mandarins if he could film scenes inside to add authenticity to the sitcom.

And although no actual prisoners would have been shown, the Home Office refused to waver from its policy of banning the filming of fictional programmes inside prisons.

Ironically, it was because the comedy was already so authentic that civil servants felt there was nothing to be gained by letting cameras in.

At first the prison service was inclined to say yes to the BBC's request. Government PR officer Jack Parker saod: ‘Porridge is a well established series, which represents a wholesome image of prison life and from a PR point of view there is some merit in the request.'’

But a more senior official ruled: ‘In view of the generally effective stage sets used in the programme thus far, we do not understand the apparent need to use a real prison.’

And Miss G Owen, assistant secretary of the prison service, added: ‘The point about adding authenticity is a bit thin: the programme has it already.’

The papers were released today to promote the new Freedom Of Information Act, which came into force on New Year’s Day.

Published: 4 Jan 2005