Seven years after 'Only When I Laugh' ended, ITV came up with another medical themed sitcom in the shape of 'Surgical Spirit'. The show's protagonist is surgeon Sheila Sabantini ( portrayed by Nichola McAulfie ), an intimidating woman whose tongue is so sharp one could use it to shave with and whose way with insults would make Anne Robinson blush. Underneath her fiery exterior however does lay a well-meaning and caring woman. Duncan Preston plays Doctor Jonathan Haslam, a fellow surgeon who finds himself somehow attracted to Sabantini. Over the show's run, a relationship eventually blossoms between the pair which then results in the two getting married.
Peter Learmouth wrote the scripts and whilst the show was vaguely amusing to watch, sadly it was rarely very funny, marred with too few genuinely funny lines as well as being hampered with patently obvious canned laughter.
Nicola McAulfie puts in a worthy enough performance as the sharp but well meaning Sabantini though Duncan Preston, who television credits include 'Victoria Wood - As Seen On T. V' and 'Harry Enfield & Chums' in my opinion is the show's main saving grace who as Jonathan was the only one with the guts to bring Sheila back down to earth. Also in the cast were Andrew Groves as Sheila's son Daniel and Marji Campi as theatre administrator Joyce Watson. A then unknown Catherine Tate appeared briefly in one episode.
'Surgical Spirit' was enough of a hit to run on ITV for seven seasons before ending in 1995. It was repeated throughout the '90's on Granada Plus and more recently has been repeated on ITV-3.
Peter Learmouth wrote the scripts and whilst the show was vaguely amusing to watch, sadly it was rarely very funny, marred with too few genuinely funny lines as well as being hampered with patently obvious canned laughter.
Nicola McAulfie puts in a worthy enough performance as the sharp but well meaning Sabantini though Duncan Preston, who television credits include 'Victoria Wood - As Seen On T. V' and 'Harry Enfield & Chums' in my opinion is the show's main saving grace who as Jonathan was the only one with the guts to bring Sheila back down to earth. Also in the cast were Andrew Groves as Sheila's son Daniel and Marji Campi as theatre administrator Joyce Watson. A then unknown Catherine Tate appeared briefly in one episode.
'Surgical Spirit' was enough of a hit to run on ITV for seven seasons before ending in 1995. It was repeated throughout the '90's on Granada Plus and more recently has been repeated on ITV-3.