Lads' Army

Shown on ITV, the series is based on the premise of subjecting today's delinquent young men to the conditions of conscripts to British Army National Service of the 1950s to see if this could rehabilitate them.

The success of the original series led to the experiment being repeated with the recruits having committed prior criminal offences.

The majority of the remaining recruits claimed some benefit from the experience, with some choosing to enlist in the real British Army following their time on the show.

The recruits are issued period uniforms and equipment and fed, quartered and trained according to the standards of the era.

Series 1 to 3 included interviews with celebrities who had completed National Service in the 1950s, including Joss Ackland, Michael Aspel, Brian Blessed, Richard Briers, Paul Daniels, Frederick Forsyth, Bernard Manning, Nosher Powell, William Roache, Andrew Sachs and Brian Sewell.

John Kyprianou received the Platoon's Top Shot (the highest score in the shooting range).

Morton was the only recruit to receive a dishonourable discharge for committing a criminal offence, namely an unprovoked assault (a headbutt) on John Kyprianou, who decided not to press charges.

Alan Brown also did not turn up on the first day due to a scheduled court appearance; he received a conditional discharge in connection with a fight that he had previously been involved in, with the requirement that he complete National Service.

After Scott Simpson quit before even being issued a single item of kit or his uniform, Alex Rennie was drafted in as a replacement recruit.

After the filming of the series, Michael Lowes suffered from clinical depression after facing indecent exposure charges, and was found dead in his home from an apparent suicide in 2010, at age 28.

[4] The main filming location for series two was at New Zealand Farm Camp on Salisbury Plain.

Matthew Tate was dishonourably discharged for hiding 8 shillings (the remainder of his wages from the second week), and trying to frame the rest of the platoon for stealing said money.

After Wesley Worrall and Steven Bedford were discharged, Chris Danns and Matthew Rawlings were drafted in, as replacement recruits.

At the end of the final episode, the narrator stated that 11 of 24 who passed out had subsequently applied to join the regular British Army.

Keith Burke, Adam Mercer, Dean Whittaker, and Andrew Jimson were dismissed on Bin Day, just before the interrogation phase.