Jan Francis played Penny Warrender in Just Good Friends. In one of John Sullivan’s 80s classics, Jan played Vincent Pinner’s on-and-off boyfriend. Millions of people watched the three seasons of the show, and its 1984 Christmas special drew in over 20 million viewers.
No other persona played by Jan Francis could compare to Penny Warrender in terms of heights. Jan made appearances in Under the Hammer, Mistresses, Collision, and Emmerdale after Just Good Friends concluded in 1986. From 2004 to 2008, she performed in Seven Deadly Sins, Four Deadly Sinners, a touring production.
Jan Continues in British Sitcoms and Soap Operas
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Jan doesn’t perform as frequently as she did in the 1970s and 1980s, only reappearing to star in successively brief shows.
She last made an appearance on ITV’s Next of Kin, however, the program only lasted until season one. She had previously starred in the BBC series I Want My Wife Back, which did not survive through its debut season.
The actors and crew had hoped for a second season, but that hasn’t happened, according to Jan, speaking to Radio Times. Francis nevertheless informed the publication that she had fun producing the show:
“I think a lot of thought had been put into it, and it was a joyful experience. Do you get what I’m saying? The writers gave each phrase and perspective a lot of thought. I believe everything about it has a fantastic charm. And it’s hard to describe it. It’s certainly not a sitcom, I mean.
Jan Francis Refused to Remake of Just Good Friends
According to Francis, she turned down multiple pleas to bring back Just Good Friends, as reported by Radio Times. She believes that people should stop thinking about old shows and concentrate on making new ones:
“You simply think that for now, let’s try something new. Not turning around and harking back. In addition, aren’t they also bringing back Hyacinth Bouquet? They are returning with a ton of these items. Although they claim it was the “golden age of comedy,” you need to move on.
Jan thinks that despite having three seasons and one special, Just Good Friends still has worth. She continued,
“If you try to stretch it, it loses its flavor like a piece of chewing gum.”
The concept of a revival has been floated by several producers, but Jan has rejected them. She believes it is improper to continue the show without its late founder, John Sullivan. Francis elucidated:
“Someone else would had to have done it, and it was his. Writing for a lady and John’s talent made it a delightful experience. He was a prodigy who had a knack for creating comedies with depth. And I’m not sure if you could utilize the same characters under a different director. That would worry me. So let’s not make it ordinary. Something distinctive
Francis acknowledges the motivations behind the desire to revive popular series, but she opposes them.
“It simply touched a place and it’s incredibly hard to do,” Jan remarked. “It was of that time, they were that age.”
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