For those who don't know, it's a fictional holiday camp where you follow the entertainments team over 2 seasons and all of their goings on. It's hilarious even to this day. It had a charm about it, an innocence if you will.
I became bored for some time on Grindr and changed my entire profile to be that of Peggy Ollerenshaw the chalet maid. Yes you'd get men wanting sex (she was played by a very young sue pollard so they can't be blamed) but some people got the joke and would inbox me asking how my day was, usually I'd reply with some random statement saying about Mr fairbrother and how he was going to get me another interview to become a yellow coat. Some people however didn't get the humour, they thought Peggy was real. They actually thought I was a cleaner working on a holiday Park in Clacton-on-sea (a place which doesn't exist).
Around that time I gave my mind the freedom to wonder, what ever happened to the characters after the last episode when they all went their separate ways, knowing yellow coats were a thing of the past. Here's where my mind took me....
Maplins Holiday Camps.
Maplins is no more, unfortunately. For about 3 years after the yellow coats left people would return, but they stopped coming. The first season with no yellow coats was awful, people just didn't know they weren't there. They'd ask the staff "where is Ted?", but nobody really knew. The parks did change though, self catering became their way, meaning the dining hall sat empty for a year or so, until Joe managed to get some cheap arcade games, he stuck them in there and encouraged everyone to try their luck. Entertainment wise, well day time became dull, there was the pool and a little bit of a park, but that was it. In the evening the new head of entertainment would introduce the band and the dancing would begin, only to be interupted by an act at about 9pm. The acts might have been comedy or a singer, but nothing amazing.
Joe eventually after 4 years sold Maplins for a pretty penny, the new company kept the branding and even brought back the yellow coats, but by then the damage was done, people weren't interested in what they saw as "old" fun and the parks soon closed their doors for good.
Ted Bovis.
The man, the Legend. He gave most of his life to Maplins, certainly helped the company and site out a number of times over the years. Ted went from strength to strength after leaving, he released an LP of "holiday hits" which went down a storm and even became number 1 in the UK charts. He presented a TV series on a Saturday night for about 2 years and he thought everything was great. He did go back to Maplins, once a week in its final season as a special guest. He would often remark about how things used to be at the site and how it could never go back to how it was. Ted went on to have a new wife and the two of them toured an act together until their dying days.
Spike Dixon.
Being the funny man for 2 long seasons took its toll on Spike. He left the company feeling sure about his future, only to find out that it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. He married April which was lovely, but after 2 children and calling time on his comedy career his marriage fell apart and he went back to the usual 9 to 5 job. He always wanted to make people smile, many say he was the highlight of the office day, which he liked, because it hid his deep depression which he developed after becoming bored of his routine but finding no way out.
Peggy Ollerenshaw.
Ah Peggy, there's nobody quite like her is there! She did indeed stay on at Maplins right until the company closed its doors, I think with the hope that she would once again become a yellow coat, but alas, she never did. Once the company closed she returned home and began taking any work she could. She did eventually find her path in life however, she worked in promotions for various companies and could often be found on high street corners shouting about special offers and getting into trouble for trying to get everyone involved in what she was doing. She was always great for business.
Yvonne / Julian.
They left Maplins with their eyes on the prize of a new start in Australia and they really did do it! They made their way over and set up a dance school, teaching people the art of the ballroom dance. They kept their grace and professionalism at all times, they even won some awards, not for dancing, but things like "dance school of the year" and such. Those certificates are still shown today in the family home, as they have since both retired from dancing and now they merely rub shoulders with the rich and famous.
Glad / Clive.
That famous voice of the announcements at Maplins and he, the squadron leader both went on to... Well actually they just ran the zoo at his father's estate. They did introduce new things like rides and tours etc, but nothing could get in the way of their love, it was always cute seeing the two of them together. They eventually retired in Wales and enjoyed walks around the countryside with fresh fish and chips.
And that's it. That's as far as my brain would wonder. It never happened as above, that's all what my brain thought of. The show however did become a musical on stage shows, but is best remembered for being on TV. The cast have since had several reunions and in one they even returned to the site where they filmed the show, it's now a housing estate, but do you remember them really tall trees by the pool? They're still there to this day!
The show will forever be, in my eyes, one of the best shows ever made. I'd love for there to be a modern version, but I think I might be alone in that.
