If you grew up in the UK during the late eighties, there’s a distinct possibility that a certain mischievous face is burned into your subconscious. I’m talking about Brian Boyes. Or, as everyone called him, Bad Boyes.
It wasn't just a TV show. For a lot of us, it was a weekly lesson in how to almost—but not quite—get away with murder in a school blazer. Produced by the BBC and airing between 1987 and 1988, the series followed the chaotic exploits of a kid who just couldn't help himself. He wasn't a villain. He wasn't even "evil" in the way modern TV portrays anti-heroes. He was just a magnet for disaster.
Honestly, looking back at it now, the show feels like a fever dream. It lacks the polished, sanitized vibe of modern CBBC or Nickelodeon. It’s gritty. It’s loud. It’s uncomfortably relatable if you were the kind of student who spent more time in the corridor than the classroom.
What Exactly Was Bad Boyes About?
The premise was simple enough. Brian Boyes, played by Christopher Errington, was a middle-schooler with a penchant for trouble. He wasn't a criminal mastermind. Most of his "crimes" involved trying to avoid homework, dodging the school bully, or attempting to impress a girl.
Usually, it backfired. Spectactularly.
What really set the Bad Boyes TV series apart from its contemporaries like Grange Hill was the tone. While Grange Hill was busy tackling heroin addiction and teen pregnancy, Bad Boyes was essentially a live-action cartoon. It had this frantic, slightly manic energy. You’d have Brian breaking the fourth wall, talking directly to the camera, explaining his "brilliant" plans that you knew were going to fall apart in exactly three minutes.
The show was written by Jim Eldridge. If that name sounds familiar, it should. Eldridge was a powerhouse in children’s media, also known for King Street Junior and the Sci-Fi High series. He knew how to write for kids without talking down to them. He captured that specific brand of 80s cynicism—that feeling that every adult was out to get you and every school rule was designed specifically to ruin your life.
The Cast That Made the Chaos Work
Christopher Errington was the heart of the show. He had this expressive, rubbery face that was perfect for physical comedy. He could go from "innocent angel" to "terrified victim" in a heartbeat. It’s a shame he didn't do much more acting after the show ended; he had a natural timing that’s hard to teach.
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Then you had the supporting cast.
- The Mom: Played by Maureen O'Farrell. She was the classic long-suffering parent who had clearly seen it all before.
- The Dad: Played by Gregory Cox. He often felt like he was just trying to survive the day without his house being burned down by one of Brian's experiments.
- Bernice: Brian's younger sister. She was the ultimate foil. Sharp, annoying, and always ready to snitch.
There’s something about the family dynamic in 80s British sitcoms that feels so much more grounded than what we see today. They lived in a house that looked like a real house—slightly cluttered, a bit beige, and perpetually stressed. There were no Hollywood mansions here. Just a kid in a terraced house trying to figure out how to bypass a parental lock or hide a bad report card.
Why the 80s Vibe Hits Different Now
Watching the Bad Boyes TV series today is a trip. The fashion alone is enough to give you whiplash. We’re talking oversized sweaters, bowl cuts, and those specific high-waisted trousers that everyone seemed to wear.
But it’s more than the clothes. It’s the freedom.
Brian was constantly out on his bike, wandering the neighborhood, getting into scrapes without a smartphone in sight. If he got into trouble, he had to talk his way out of it in person. There was no deleting a text or blocking a contact. The stakes felt higher because the social interactions were so immediate.
The Episodes We Can't Forget
There were only two seasons—13 episodes in total. But man, they made an impact.
One particular episode involved Brian trying to manage a paper round while simultaneously dealing with a rival and a very aggressive dog. It sounds mundane, but the way it was filmed—with those tight close-ups and the mounting sense of dread—made it feel like an action thriller.
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Another classic involved a school trip. Is there anything more stressful than a 1980s school trip? The threat of being sent home in disgrace was the ultimate sword of Damocles. Brian, of course, spent the entire time on the edge of that blade.
The humor wasn't sophisticated. It was slapstick. It was loud. It was exactly what a ten-year-old wanted to see at 4:30 PM on a Tuesday. It tapped into the universal desire to see authority figures get taken down a peg, even if Brian usually ended up taking the fall too.
Why Did It Vanish?
It’s weird that a show this popular at the time has basically disappeared from the public consciousness. Unlike Press Gang or Byker Grove, you don’t see many "Where are they now?" articles about the Bad Boyes cast.
Maybe it’s because it was so "of its time." The humor was very much rooted in that specific 80s British school culture. Or maybe it’s because the BBC hasn't made a massive effort to digitize and promote it on iPlayer.
Whatever the reason, it remains a cult classic for those who remember it. It represents a transition period in kids' TV. It moved away from the overly educational "Blue Peter" vibe and toward something a bit more rebellious and anarchic. It paved the way for shows like My Parents are Aliens or The Demon Headmaster, which took those weird, heightened realities and ran with them.
The Legacy of Brian Boyes
If you look closely, you can see the DNA of Brian Boyes in a lot of modern characters. That "lovable rogue" archetype—the kid who isn't bad, just misunderstood (and a bit of a disaster)—is a staple of storytelling.
But Brian felt more real. He wasn't a genius. He didn't have gadgets. He just had his wits and a very loud shirt.
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The Bad Boyes TV series reminded us that it was okay to fail. In fact, failing was usually the funniest part of the day. Every time Brian’s plans crumbled, it felt like a win for the audience because we’d all been there. We’d all tried to skip a test or hide a broken vase.
How to Revisit the Series
Finding the show now is a bit of a treasure hunt.
- YouTube: Occasionally, fans will upload grainy VHS rips of old episodes. The quality is terrible, but the nostalgia hit is 10/10.
- Archive Sites: Some TV historians keep records of the production scripts and casting calls.
- DVDs: Good luck. This isn't exactly a high-priority release for the BBC archives. You might find a bootleg at a car boot sale if you're lucky.
It’s a shame, really. There’s a whole generation of kids who would probably love the chaotic energy of Brian Boyes. In a world of highly curated social media feeds and "perfect" child influencers, seeing a kid mess up every single week is actually quite refreshing.
Final Thoughts on the Bad Boyes Experience
Look, was it high art? No. Was it the best thing on television? Probably not. But for a specific group of kids, it was our show. It was the 25 minutes of the week where we felt seen.
Brian Boyes was every kid who ever felt like the world was a bit too small and the rules were a bit too tight. He was the embodiment of "having a go," even when you knew the odds were stacked against you.
The show was a product of its era—a bit loud, a bit messy, and completely unapologetic. And honestly? We could use a bit more of that today.
Your Next Steps for a Nostalgia Trip
If you're feeling the itch to revisit this era of television, don't just stop at the Bad Boyes TV series.
- Check out the BBC Archive: Search for "Children's BBC 1987" to see clips of the continuity announcers and promos from that year. It sets the mood perfectly.
- Dig into Jim Eldridge’s bibliography: If you liked the writing style, his books carry that same sharp, witty tone that made the show work.
- Join a 80s/90s British TV group: Places like Reddit or specialized forums are full of people who remember these "lost" shows and often share clips or memories that aren't indexed on major streaming sites.
Stop looking for a polished remake. Instead, lean into the grainy, low-budget charm of the original. Sometimes the best way to remember why a show mattered is to see it exactly as it was: a bit of 80s chaos captured on tape.