Girls on Top

(1985–86)

TV Programme | Colour
| Stars: Dawn French, Tracey Ullman, Jane Bertish

A feminist writer snags herself a Chelsea flat but has to take in flatmates to help pay the bills

Amanda Ripley, a feminist writer for the women’s magazine ‘Spare Cheeks’ lucks into an apartment in Kensington.

In order to pay the rent to Lady Carlton, the crazy romance novelist (with a stuffed pet dog named Josephine) who lives downstairs and owns the flat, she has to take in Shelley DuPont, a loud-mouthed American actress; Jennifer Marsh, a retarded friend from childhood; and Candice Valentine, the ‘slut’ who previously lived there and has nowhere else to go.

Series cast

(67)
Dawn French
Amanda Ripley
(13 episodes)
Tracey Ullman
Candice Valentine
(11 episodes)
Jane Bertish
Debbie / Policewoman
(2 episodes)
Jennifer Saunders
Jennifer Marsh
(13 episodes)
Vas Blackwood
Mikey
(1 episode)
Ruby Wax
Shelley DuPont
(13 episodes)
Michael Redfern
Delivery Man
(1 episode)
A new picture of the talented and lovely British actress Joan Greenwood under contract to the J. Arthur Rank Organisation.
Lady Chloe Carlton
(13 episodes)
Pauline Quirke
Cleaner
(1 episode)
Pauline Melville
Yvonne
(3 episodes)
Martin Allen
Commodities Broker / Reporter
(2 episodes)
Helen Atkinson Wood
Jane
(1 episode)
Steve Ausden
Hans
(1 episode)
Robbie Coltrane
Morris
(1 episode)
Guy Bertrand
Donald
(1 episode)
Allan Corduner
Benny
(1 episode)
Jean Channon
Lady in Hospital
(1 episode)
Josephine Antosz
Mrs Miller
(1 episode)
John Sessions
Rodney
(1 episode)
Suzanne Bertish
RSC Actress #1
(1 episode)
Arthur Smith
Delivery Man
(1 episode)
Helen Lederer
Debbie / Felicity
(3 episodes)
Amanda Dickinson
Shop Assistant / Waitress
(2 episodes)
Ron Cook
Ian
(1 episode)
Paul Brooke
Lawrence
(1 episode)
Simon Brint
Shelley’s People
(1 episode)
Joanna Maude
Reporter
(1 episode)
Paul Mark Elliott
Director
(1 episode)
The Beverley Sisters
Themselves
(1 episode)
Joanna Bowen
Waitress
(1 episode)
Alan Rickman
Dimitri / Voice of RADA
(2 episodes)
Geraldine Mcnulty
Tina
(2 episodes)
Chris Andrews
Peter Le Holocaust
(1 episode)
Jane Laurie
Receptionist
(1 episode)
Suzanne Morgan
Nurse
(1 episode)
Harry Enfield
Dr Banks
(1 episode)
Rupert Bates
Commodities Broker
(1 episode)
John Blundell
Photographer
(1 episode)
Roger Frost
Narrator
(1 episode)
Sue Vanner
Girl in nightclub
(1 episode)
Mark Arden
Disco Dancer
(1 episode)
Rashid Karapiet
Doctor
(1 episode)
Nigel Carrivick
Commodities Broker
(1 episode)
Ian Frost
Maurice
(1 episode)
Stephen Frost
Disco Dancer
(1 episode)
Rowland Rivron
Shelley’s People
(1 episode)
Pip Short
Doctor
(1 episode)
Steven Woodcock
Dennis
(1 episode)
Hugh Laurie
Tom
(1 episode)
Jack Elliott
Commodities Broker
(1 episode)
Katherine Helmond
Goldie DuPont
(1 episode)
Harriet Thorpe
Chris
(2 episodes)
David Joss Buckley
Mario
(1 episode)
Anna Gilbert
Commodities Broker
(1 episode)
Johanna Kirby
Fatima
(1 episode)
Angela Pleasence
RSC Actress #2
(1 episode)
Ronnie Golden
Disc Jockey
(1 episode)
Carys Llewelyn
Secretary
(1 episode)
Lyn Rees
Freddy Frog
(1 episode)
Ron Tarr
Bouncer 1 / Sid
(2 episodes)
Daniel Peacock
Commercial Actor
(1 episode)
Lia Williams
Secretary
(1 episode)
Harry Fielder
Bouncer 2
(1 episode)
Bill Ritchie
TV Reporter
(1 episode)
Llewellyn Williams
Head Waiter
(1 episode)
Harriet Walter
RSC Actress #3
(1 episode)
Shaun Waller
Director’s Assistant
(1 episode)
+ Show full cast (57 more)

Film clips

(2)
Main title from Girls on Top (1985-86) season one

Girls on Top (1985-86) season one opening credits

Date published

Main title from Girls on Top (1985-86) season one.

Main title from Girls on Top (1985) season two

Girls on Top (1985-86) season two opening credits

Date published

Main title from Girls on Top (1985) season two.

Episode guide (13 episodes)

Season 1 (7 episodes)

  • Episode Episode title Transmitted
    Four-Play 23 Oct 85
    Staying Alive 30 Oct 85
    C.O.D. 06 Nov 85
    Cancel Toast 13 Nov 85
    Ident. Candy Time 20 Nov 85
    Skankin’ 27 Nov 85
    Hark 04 Dec 85
  • Season 2 (6 episodes)

  • Episode Episode title Transmitted
    Mr Fluffy Knows Too Much 30 Oct 86
    Big Snogs 06 Nov 86
    Who’s Ya Uncle Shelley? 20 Nov 86
    Bring Me More Flamingoes 27 Nov 86
    Mr Yummy Brownie 04 Dec 86
    Lower the Donkey 11 Dec 86
  • Pictures

    (27)
    Joan Greenwood (as Lady Chloe Carlton) in a screenshot from Girls on Top (1985-86) (16)
    Joan Greenwood (as Lady Chloe Carlton) in a screenshot from Girls on Top (1985-86) (15)
    Screenshot from Girls on Top (1985-86) (14)
    Screenshot from the ‘Lower the Donkey’ (1986) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (13)
    Screenshot from the ‘Mr Yummy Brownie’ (1986) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (12)
    Screenshot from the ‘Bring Me More Flamingoes’ (1986) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (11)
    Screenshot from the ‘Who’s Ya Uncle Shelley?’ (1986) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (10)
    Screenshot from the ‘Big Snogs’ (1986) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (9)
    Screenshot from the ‘Mr Fluffy Knows Too Much’ (1986) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (8)
    Screenshot from the ‘Hark’ (1985) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (7)
    Screenshot from the ‘Skankin’’ (1985) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (6)
    Screenshot from the ‘Ident. Candy Time’ (1985) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (5)
    Screenshot from the ‘Cancel Toast’ (1985) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (4)
    Screenshot from the ‘C.O.D.’ (1985) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (3)
    Screenshot from the ‘Staying Alive’ (1985) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (2)
    Screenshot from the ‘Four-Play’ (1985) episode of Girls on Top (1985-86) (1)
    Pressbook for Girls on Top (1985-86) (1)
    DVD cover of Girls on Top (1985-86) (1)
    Australian DVD cover of Girls on Top (1985-86) (1)
    Joan Greenwood (as Lady Chloe Carlton) in a photograph from Girls on Top (1985-86) (1)
    DVD cover of Girls on Top (1985-86) (2)
    Video cover from Girls on Top (1985-86) (3)
    Video cover from Girls on Top (1985-86) (1)
    Video cover from Girls on Top (1985-86) (5)
    Video cover from Girls on Top (1985-86) (4)
    Video cover from Girls on Top (1985-86) (2)
    DVD cover of Girls on Top (1985-86) (3)

    Production

    (4)
    Paul Jackson
    Director
    (5 episodes)
    Ed Bye
    Director
    (2 episodes)
    Dawn French
    Writer
    (7 episodes)
    Jennifer Saunders
    Writer
    (7 episodes)

    Companies

    (1)
    Central Independent Television
    Production company