After giving up his army surplus when 'Dad's Army' ended on the BBC, Arthur Lowe went over to ITV to don priest robes for 'Bless Me Father', scripted by Peter De Rosa.
Set in the 1950's, it was yet another run of the mill ecclesiastical offering, lining alongside the likes of 'All Gas & Gaiters', 'Our Man At St Marks' and 'Oh Brother!' ( which was then followed by 'Oh Father!'' ). Lowe played Father Charles Duddleswell, a grumpy Irish Catholic priest who takes under his wing young novice priest Father Neil Boyd ( Daniel Abineri ), for whom his service in the pulpit is not easy.
Duddleswell also makes life difficult for his live-in housekeeper Mrs. Pring ( Gabrielle Daye ), who seems to let his brusque manner brush over her head.
'Bless Me Father' was popular enough to run on London Weekend Television for three series. I was not keen on it myself. Religious comedies are not really my thing ( with the exception of 'Father Ted' ). Still, it was miles better than the dire 'A.J. Wentworth, B.A', which Lowe had the misfortune to have cemented as his final sitcom due to his death in 1982.
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