This Life

The first series of This Life was neither a critical nor a ratings success upon its initial 1996 broadcast; it only became a cult hit after a repeat run began in a post-Newsnight slot in January 1997.

By the end of the second series, the show was attracting around four million viewers for a BBC Two programme and became a national talking point, regularly making headlines in tabloid and broadsheet newspapers.

This Life was included on the BFI's list of the 100 greatest British television programmes.

Ferdy was introduced as a replacement for Warren after actor Jason Hughes decided to leave the show partway through the second series, though Hughes returned briefly for the final scene.

Martin Freeman, later known for The Office and Sherlock, appears in the first episode of the second series in a small role stealing money from Milly and Egg's bedroom and accidentally drinking Egg's urine, mistaking it for beer.

Jodie Whittaker, who later became the Thirteenth Doctor in Doctor Who, appears as the character Clare in the 2006 reunion special This Life +10.

An then-unknown Ricky Gervais, who was the partner of producer Jane Fallon, was credited as 'Music Advisor' on the series and commissioned the theme tune from the band The Way Out.

The second series ended with a shot of a for-sale advert for the house, as the original plan was to recast the show with entirely new characters for a third series; playwright Mark Ravenhill even drafted storylines and early scripts, but these plans were abandoned and producers instead chose to end the show 'on a high'.

In 2001, NBC broadcast a loosely adapted American remake of the show titled First Years, which received scathing reviews and low ratings.

In 1998, comedians Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish parodied This Life in a sketch on their show The Adam and Joe Show.