Bread(1986)

Bread is a British sitcom that aired on BBC1 from 1986 to 1991, written by Carla Lane. Set in Liverpool's Dingle district during Thatcher's Britain, the series follows the Boswell family—a devoutly Catholic household led by matriarch Nellie—as they navigate poverty and survival with no legitimate income. Nellie's feckless husband Freddie has abandoned her for another woman, leaving her to manage five adult children: Joey, Jack, Adrian, Aveline, and Billy. Living together on Kelsall Street, the family scrapes by through benefit fraud and selling stolen goods, pooling whatever money they can into a central fund. The show balances dark humor with genuine warmth, capturing the struggles and resilience of a working-class family trying to get by. Bread became a cult favorite for its unflinching portrayal of poverty and its blend of comedy with social commentary.