Steptoe and Son

The Diploma follows Harold as he decides to leave his long‑standing rag‑and‑bone trade and enrol in a formal course to earn a diploma in television repair. The series stars Harry H Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell, both appearing in leading roles.

The Diploma is a television programme presented as a single episode within a broader series. It falls under the genre of episodic drama and centres on one self‑contained storyline. The title itself hints at the central aim of the main character, and the piece is structured as a concise narrative rather than a serial. The story follows Harold, a man who decides to abandon his work as a rag‑and‑bone collector. Instead of continuing in that trade, he chooses to pursue formal training in television repair, seeking a diploma that will qualify him for the new profession. The episode tracks his decision to leave his old livelihood behind and his enrolment in a course that promises to equip him with the technical skills required for TV maintenance. The episode features performances by Harry H Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell, who bring the characters to life. Their involvement adds a recognisable presence to the production, anchoring the narrative around Harold’s career shift. As a concise piece, the programme delivers its premise within the limited runtime of an episode, keeping the focus on the personal change and the pursuit of a vocational qualification. Overall, the episode presents a straightforward look at a man’s attempt to re‑train, using the familiar faces of Corbett and Brambell to anchor the narrative. The concise storytelling keeps the focus on the vocational goal.