In The Likely Lads Terry works with friend Bob Ferris as an electrician at Ellison's Electricals, before joining the British Army.

Terry's army service is not shown, nor is his marriage (although his wife was due to appear in the episode "End of an Era", and remains on the credits despite the scene being cut).

Despite being particularly proud of his working-class status, Terry is notably workshy, informing Bob in one episode that he has "dropped out of the rat race".

Terry often uses his previous army service (in "the hot tropic night") to avoid working, because of his "dodgy spine", "Burmese malaria", and other mysterious ailments, including a never-explained leg injury.

consists of reminiscent nostalgia, while the film is largely made of observations of the current status and lifestyles of the main protagonists, and perhaps fear of the future ("..the only thing to look forward to – the past").

As the series goes on, Thelma's attitude towards Terry begins to soften, as she describes him as "honest" and "unpretentious" when a snobbish friend of hers insults him, and she turns to him for advice when she and Bob experience marital problems.

Terry is a fairly politicised character and often airs his views, which Bob refers to as "The Thoughts of Chairman Collier".

A staunch "armchair socialist", Terry mentions that his grandfather and uncle were on the Jarrow March, with Bob interjecting that they "dropped out at Durham" when the pubs opened.

In "No Hiding Place", Terry describes his impression of several nationalities: Orientals are "cruel", Egyptians are "cowardly", the Italians and French are "greasy", the Spanish are "lazy", Russians are "sinister", Americans are "flash", Germans are "arrogant", and the Danish are "pornographic".

Bob eventually narrows it all down to the fact that "from the barren wastes of Manchuria to 127 Inkerman Terrace", Terry "can't abide anyone".