Nearest and Dearest

The popular 1970s sitcom features Jimmy Jewel and Hylda Baker playing siblings Eli and Nellie Pledge, who are compelled to manage their family's pickle factory in Lancashire. This is the opening episode of series five, titled “Make Yourself At Home.”

The programme in question is a well‑known sitcom from the 1970s that centres on the comic partnership of Jimmy Jewel and Hylda Baker. They appear as a brother‑and‑sister duo, Eli and Nellie Pledge, and the series enjoyed considerable popularity during its run. The core of the show follows Eli and Nellie as they find themselves compelled to manage their family’s pickle factory, which is situated in Lancashire. The premise places the siblings in a familiar, working‑class environment, forcing them to cooperate on the day‑to‑day challenges of running the business together. The episode being highlighted is the opening instalment of the fifth series, titled “Make Yourself At Home”. As the first episode of the season, it re‑establishes the characters’ relationship and the setting of the pickle factory, setting the tone for the remainder of the series. Overall, the sitcom combines the chemistry of its two leads with the everyday humour that arises from a brother and sister trying to keep a family‑run factory afloat in a Lancashire town. The combination of familiar domestic situations and the quirky world of pickle production provides the backdrop for the series’ continued appeal.