The Darling Buds of May

The rights to H. E. Bates's novels had been sold to MGM in 1959, and it wasn't until 1989 that Richard Bates, the author's son, was able to purchase them back, paving the way for the TV adaptation.

Yorkshire Television was specifically looking for a new project to star David Jason, who had previously worked with them on A Bit of a Do, when the Darling Buds of May rights became available.

Producer Richard Bates originally considered Bob Hoskins ideal for the role of Pop Larkin, but executive Vernon Lawrence felt Hoskins's growing film fame would create complications.

More than 300 hopefuls were rejected for the role of Mariette before Catherine Zeta-Jones was cast; she was spotted appearing in 42nd Street at the Drury Lane theatre shortly before filming began, and the role became her breakthrough part.

The male infant character John Blenheim was actually played by Daisy-May Bates, the granddaughter of author H. E. Bates.

Each one-hour episode took two weeks to film, followed by two months of post-production.

Most filming took place in and around the village of Pluckley in Kent, where executive producer Richard Bates himself lived just a few miles away; the Larkin farmhouse exteriors were shot at the real Buss Farm, later renamed 'Darling Buds Farm' and converted into themed guest accommodation.

Because fresh local strawberries were not yet ripe when needed for filming, the production had to import strawberries from Holland to use in scenes.

Since actress Pam Ferris was a vegetarian, the production had to work around her diet for the series' many eating scenes; both Ferris and David Jason gained weight from having to eat large amounts of food during repeated takes to make the scenes look realistic.

The show's memorable theme tune, 'Perfick!', was written anonymously by the series' own music producer Pip Burley after he felt that submissions from a shortlist of composers had missed the essential romanticism of the show; it won the 1992 Ivor Novello Award for Best Theme from a TV/Radio Production.

The first episode broke a British broadcasting record by becoming the first new series ever to top the national ratings, beating the established soap opera Coronation Street on the same night.

The series' popularity sparked a surge in sales of H. E. Bates's original novels, and when first released on home video, it sold £1 million worth of copies within four days.

Following the family's tradition of unusual names, Mariette's name was created by combining 'Marie' and 'Antoinette', Montgomery was named after wartime Field Marshal Montgomery, and Victoria was named for being born during the plum season (Victoria plum).

The first novel in the Larkin series had previously been adapted for the screen in 1959 as The Mating Game, starring Debbie Reynolds and Tony Randall as Mariette and Charley.