

Only When I Laugh
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About
Only When I Laugh is an ITV1 sitcom broadcast from 29 October 1979 to 16 December 1982 for four series with seven episodes each, and a Christmas special in 1981. The title is the answer to the question, "Does it hurt?" A naïve middle-class man is admitted to an NHS hospital ward, shared with a working-class layabout and an upper-class hypochondriac. The trio never fail to cause a nuisance for the poor, unsuspecting staff.
Cast
Episodes
Season 1
A Bed with a View
Young Norman Binns is admitted to Dr Thorpe's ward and is tricked by pessimistic Roy Figgis into swapping beds so that Figgis can have the bed with the window view. As a result, Thorpe and staff nurse Gupte confuse the two men's symptoms.
Operation Norman
Norman has to have an appendectomy but Figgis' doom-laden description of operations and Thorpe's wariness do not give him confidence, so he hides in the toilet, having to be coaxed out.
The Rumour
Thorpe is telling Gupte that his dog Victor is unwell but Gupte misunderstands and thinks he's talking about his son. The patients also fall prey to the misunderstanding, for various reasons each believing that they are going to die.
The Man with the Face
Glover has been seeing a Greek girl and panics when her violent boyfriend comes looking for him so Figgis wraps his head in bandages, claiming that he is a burn victim, setting up a series of confusions.
Let Them Eat Cake
Fed up with the quality of the hospital buffet, the patients go on strike but are soon defeated. However, server Clegg decides to go on strike himself, but has his foot run over whilst on picket outside the hospital.
Tangled Web
Norman is reading a hospital romance, when he sees new nurse Sally, who is exactly like the fictional heroine. He wants to express his feelings but finds rivalry in Glover, Thorpe and Gupte, all keen to pursue.
Is There a Doctor in the House?
When Glover is discharged, an unhappy Figgis, without someone to quarrel with, goes to the pub, pretending to be a doctor and diagnosing people with terrible illnesses, filling the ward.
Where does Only When I Laugh rank today?
Only When I Laugh is #4128 on the Bowood.TV Daily Streaming Charts today.
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Watch Only When I Laugh Online Free — All Episodes in HD
Looking for a place to watch Only When I Laugh online for free? You've landed on the right page. Only When I Laugh is a popular English comedy series from 1979 that you can stream right now on Bowood.TV in high quality, no signup required.
About Only When I Laugh
Only When I Laugh is an ITV1 sitcom broadcast from 29 October 1979 to 16 December 1982 for four series with seven episodes each, and a Christmas special in 1981. The title is the answer to the question, "Does it hurt?" A naïve middle-class man is admitted to an NHS hospital ward, shared with a working-class layabout and an upper-class hypochondriac. The trio never fail to cause a nuisance for the poor, unsuspecting staff. Across 4 seasons and 29 episodes, originally airing on ITV1.
Only When I Laugh Cast and Characters
The cast features James Bolam (as Roy Figgis), Peter Bowles (as Archie Glover), Christopher Strauli (as Norman Binns), and Richard Wilson (as Gordon Thorpe). Their performances are a major reason Only When I Laugh has built such a passionate audience.
Where to Watch Only When I Laugh Online
Bowood.TV lets you stream Only When I Laugh online free, instantly, in HD. There's nothing to install — open the page, hit play, done. Works perfectly on Jio, Airtel, Vi networks across India and on slow mobile data thanks to our adaptive video pipeline.
▶ Watch Only When I Laugh NowWhy People Are Watching Only When I Laugh
Only When I Laugh flies under the radar but it deserves your attention. What makes it work is sharp comedic timing that lands consistently. If you enjoy English storytelling that doesn't follow the same tired beats, this is the kind of show you'll end up recommending to friends.
Frequently Asked Questions about Only When I Laugh
Where can I watch Only When I Laugh online for free?
You can watch Only When I Laugh online free on Bowood.TV. Just open the page and hit play — no signup, no subscription, full HD streaming on phone, tablet, or desktop.
How many episodes does Only When I Laugh have?
Only When I Laugh has 29 episodes across 4 seasons. All episodes are available to stream right here on Bowood.TV.
Is Only When I Laugh good? What's the rating?
Only When I Laugh holds a 6.7/10 rating based on 14 reviews — a solid pick if the genre interests you.
Who is in the cast of Only When I Laugh?
The main cast includes James Bolam, Peter Bowles, Christopher Strauli, and Richard Wilson.
Is Only When I Laugh available in English?
Yes — Only When I Laugh was originally produced in English and that's the version you'll stream here on Bowood.TV.
When was Only When I Laugh released?
Only When I Laugh first aired in 1979.
Do I need an account to watch Only When I Laugh on Bowood.TV?
No. Bowood.TV is free and you can watch Only When I Laugh without creating an account. Sign-up is optional — only useful if you want a personal Watchlist or to comment on episodes.
Similar Series You Might Like
If you enjoyed Only When I Laugh, check out Night Court, Grimsburg, Chad, Complete Savages, and According to Jim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I watch Only When I Laugh for free?
You can watch Only When I Laugh online for free on Bowood.TV. All 29 episodes across 4 seasons are available to stream in HD without a subscription, signup, or paywall. Just open the show page and press play.
How many seasons and episodes does Only When I Laugh have?
Only When I Laugh currently has 4 seasons and a total of 29 episodes. The series status is "Ended", so the episode count may grow as new seasons are released. You can browse the full episode list on Bowood.TV and continue watching from where you left off.
What is Only When I Laugh about?
Only When I Laugh is an ITV1 sitcom broadcast from 29 October 1979 to 16 December 1982 for four series with seven episodes each, and a Christmas special in 1981. The title is the answer to the question, "Does it hurt?" A naïve middle-class man is admitted to an NHS hospital ward, shared with a working-class layabou… It belongs to the Comedy genre.
In which language is Only When I Laugh originally available?
Only When I Laugh was originally produced in English. On Bowood.TV the show is available in its original English audio, which is the most authentic way to experience the dialogue, music, and performances. Check the player options on the watch page for available subtitle tracks.
When was Only When I Laugh first released?
Only When I Laugh first premiered on October 29, 1979 (1979). The series has since concluded its run.
All Seasons
Browse every season of Only When I Laugh — 4 seasons in total
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