Gerald Thomas played a joke on Joan Sims during the wine tasting scene. Initially tap water was to be used as a substitute for wine but Thomas swapped it for neat gin between takes. Sims downed the drink and her reaction was genuine. To make matters worse for Sims, the scene was shot at 8.30 in the morning.
Hattie Jacques was scheduled for a leading role but was forced to leave the filming after one day due to illness leaving her in a small part, in a hospital scene. A script rewrite built up the Joan Sims role and Liz Fraser was brought in as an extra character.
Eleanor Summerfield filmed a scene with Charles Hawtrey, but the entire performance was cut because the scene had censor problems. This was due to a reference by Summerfield to Hawtrey being able to "do your part from the wardrobe". Another BBFC cut meant the alteration of Sam's line to Penny from "you're making it a little bit hard for me madam" to "you're making it a little bit difficult for me madam". These cuts remain in all later releases of the film.
Yoki the Chimp had a bit of an episode and started smashing the ornaments in the hall of the house where filming was taking place. It took his owners over an hour to calm him down before any filming could take place.
Carole Shelley (Helen Delling), Liz Fraser (Delia King) and Fenella Fielding (Penny Panting) all died within the space of 12 days: Shelley on August 31, 2018, Fraser on September 6, 2018 and Fielding on September 11, 2018.