Fans, ready for 50 years in 90 minutes: will Sir David Jason’s final Granville in 2026 be yours?

A vintage till rings in the nation’s memory, as a beloved corner-shop comedy returns to your screens with unexpected new emotion.

Half a century after the first pilot flickered onto British televisions, a 90‑minute anniversary special will shine a warm light on a small shop with big stories, and on the man who kept its doorbell tinkling through generations.

What’s happening and why it matters

Sir David Jason is set to reprise Granville one last time in a feature-length retrospective, Open All Hours: Inside Out, scheduled to air on U&GOLD in 2026. The 90‑minute programme will unfold as the grocer draws his shutters in Doncaster, closing a chapter that began in 1973 and stretched across two hit runs: Open All Hours (1976–1985) and its modern revival Still Open All Hours (2013–2019). The special promises fresh material written by Roy Clarke, the original pen behind the series, alongside unseen backstage moments and personal recollections.

One final shift behind the counter: a 90‑minute special, a new Roy Clarke scene, and a farewell to a shop that outlived its era.

The shape of the farewell

Rather than a simple clip show, the production is presented as a narrative goodbye. Granville will lock up, look back and, crucially, step into a small new scene crafted by Clarke to carry the character across the threshold. That blend of nostalgia and new writing matters: audiences get context for the comedy they loved, and closure that respects the show’s rhythms.

• A feature-length (90 minutes) format built for weekend scheduling
• Broadcast on U&GOLD in 2026, timed to mark 50 years since the series first took flight
• Fresh scripted material by Roy Clarke to anchor the farewell
• Behind-the-scenes memories and artefacts from across five decades
• Granville’s shop in Doncaster as the emotional setting for a final lock-up

Fifty years on, the shop bell still rings: routine, community, and a stubborn till that minted comedy gold.

Dates, duration and the essentials at a glance

From pilot to phenomenon

Open All Hours began modestly, with a 1973 pilot that leaned on tight character work: Ronnie Barker as Arkwright, the penny-pinching shopkeeper, and David Jason as his nephew Granville, forever coaxed into errands and dreams. The series ran from 1976 to 1985 and became a fixture in British households, cherished for the gentle stakes of small-town life.

Decades later, Still Open All Hours returned the keys to Jason, elevating Granville from dogsbody to shopkeeper. That second life, which ran from 2013 to 2019, proved British sitcoms could age without losing their bite—so long as they held to place, character and repetition with purpose.

Five milestones that shaped the shop

• 1973: A pilot introduces Arkwright and Granville, rooted in routine and wit.
• 1976–1985: Four series build a gallery of regulars, catchphrases and running gags.
• 2013: Granville inherits the shop, shifting the centre of gravity without losing tone.
• 2019: The last run of Still Open All Hours consolidates a new ensemble.
• 2026: A 90‑minute farewell ties both eras into a single arc.

The man behind the counter

Sir David Jason, now 85, has said the shop comedy holds a singular place in his career. That attachment spans more than half his life and tracks the evolution of British television: from three-channel living rooms to streaming-era reappraisals. His return also comes after a difficult spell with Covid, during which he endured a serious collapse marked by transient paralysis in his arms and legs. Fans will be reassured to see a production designed to prioritise comfort, control and celebration over physical demands.

This is not a stunt return. It is a controlled, crafted goodbye built around a performer’s history, pace and pride.

Health, timing and production choices

The decision to structure the special as a reflective, shop-bound piece reduces heavy choreography and long location days. That approach keeps energy for storytelling rather than logistics. Expect careful blocking, seated scenes and a pace that lets the actor lead. The result should protect performance quality while delivering candid reflection.

Why this farewell strikes a chord

Granville’s journey mirrors changes in British high streets. Independent shops have thinned, replaced by supermarkets and parcels left with neighbours no one sees. The series stored up the rituals that remain: handwritten signs, a reluctant bargain, gossip ringed around a counter. A final lock-up is more than plot; it nods to the working lives that stitched communities together.

Comedy thrives on repetition. In Open All Hours it was the stubborn till, Arkwright’s frugal twitches, and customers who knew their place. Repetition also carries meaning over time. The 2026 special can turn those loops into an archive of feeling, showing how gags become glue.

What to expect on the night

• Structure: a present-day farewell threaded with archive moments that add contrast rather than simply replaying clips.
• New writing: a short scene by Roy Clarke to advance character, not just nod to the past.
• Tone: warm, pacey and edited for clarity; jokes that breathe, sentiment that lands late rather than early.
• Setting: the Doncaster shop as an anchor, with brief cutaways to cast and crew memories.
• Audience cues: a few easter eggs for long-time viewers—props, signage, or a familiar turn of phrase.

Come for the memories, stay for the small new beat that lets Granville step out of the doorway with dignity.

How fans can prepare and make it count

Reacquaint yourself with key rhythms: Granville’s learned patience, the transactional dance with regulars, the way a single prop—often the till—lands a punchline. A simple way to prime your ear is to watch one early episode and one from the revival back-to-back; you will hear how timing shifted while intent stayed steady.

If you plan a group viewing, assign each person a “shop role” for fun—regular, supplier, passer-by—and ask them to pick one moment that defined their relationship with the show. That helps the special become more than background nostalgia; it turns it into shared memory work.

Context that widens the picture

Anniversary specials often walk a narrow path between comfort and innovation. The advantage here is authorship: Roy Clarke’s hand gives the new scene the same grammar as the originals. The risk lies in tone—tip too far into reverence and laughs go quiet. The 90‑minute window helps by allowing beats of silence without rushing the gags that follow.

For those curious about how such programmes get made, think of three layers: archive rights, new writing, and talent availability. The archive allows context; the new pages justify the event; the lead actor’s health and schedule fix the pace. When all three align, a special can serve both devoted fans and curious newcomers without feeling like a museum tour.