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Fat Friends

  • TV Series
  • 2000–2005
  • 48m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
1K
YOUR RATING
Fat Friends (2000)
Drama

Drama series following eight women's struggle to lose weight at a weekly slimming club.Drama series following eight women's struggle to lose weight at a weekly slimming club.Drama series following eight women's struggle to lose weight at a weekly slimming club.

  • Creator
    • Kay Mellor
  • Stars
    • Ruth Jones
    • Janet Dibley
    • Alison Steadman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Creator
      • Kay Mellor
    • Stars
      • Ruth Jones
      • Janet Dibley
      • Alison Steadman
    • 14User reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations total

    Episodes25

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    Photos4

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    Top cast99+

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    Ruth Jones
    Ruth Jones
    • Kelly Chadwick…
    • 2000–2005
    Janet Dibley
    • Carol McGary
    • 2000–2005
    Alison Steadman
    Alison Steadman
    • Betty Simpson
    • 2000–2005
    Gaynor Faye
    Gaynor Faye
    • Lauren Harris
    • 2000–2005
    James Corden
    James Corden
    • Jamie Rymer
    • 2000–2005
    Lisa Riley
    • Rebecca Patterson
    • 2002–2005
    Lynda Baron
    Lynda Baron
    • Norma Patterson
    • 2002–2005
    Jonathan Ryland
    Jonathan Ryland
    • Kevin Chadwick
    • 2000–2005
    Richard Ridings
    Richard Ridings
    • Alan Ashburn
    • 2000–2004
    Kathryn Hunt
    • Val Lorrimer
    • 2000–2002
    Barrie Rutter
    Barrie Rutter
    • Douglas Simpson…
    • 2000–2005
    David Harewood
    David Harewood
    • Max Robertson
    • 2004–2005
    Paul Warriner
    • Paul Thompson…
    • 2002–2005
    Bill Rodgers
    Bill Rodgers
    • Sid…
    • 2000–2005
    Josie Lawrence
    Josie Lawrence
    • Julia Fleshman
    • 2000–2002
    Oliver Pickering
    • Russell Simpson…
    • 2002–2005
    Julian Kerridge
    • Sean Hurst…
    • 2002–2005
    Rita May
    Rita May
    • Joan Kirk
    • 2000
    • Creator
      • Kay Mellor
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews14

    7.41K
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    Featured reviews

    tristram-4

    Hilarious and subversive

    Great cast make this very funny satire on the obsession to lose weight. The great thing about this series is that it does not present fat people as pathetic trying to mock them but as normal people which one can identify with. If you like good comedies, Don't miss!
    10mathmaniac

    Weight Watchers, Watch Out...

    Weight Watchers does everything to be able to identify the factors that make people overeat. Weight Watchers tries to think of ways to help people watch their habits and the 'triggers' that make them reach for food when caloric intake for the day is already enough.

    It would be natural for Weight Watchers to have a presence in Prime Time TV, showing these situations with wit and wisdom, featuring talented actors.

    Too late! It's already been done. 'Fat Friends' looks at the lives of characters and spins stories that make food not a villain but understandably comforting when stress has reached a certain level. In short, it's what everyone at a WW meeting can relate to.

    Not by accident, every episode seems to have a 'weigh-in' at a group meeting. Ding! Ding! Ding! This familiar ritual is not the WW meeting and weigh-in of the sensitive sympathetic crowd. The leader is a stern taskmaster - that's the British twist to the dieting weekly check- in.

    All the actors are good, the writing is funny and insightful. I particularly liked hearing a young James Corden explain that he needs to be 'big.'

    Well worth watching if you can see it on amazon instant video. It's probably also available on DVD.
    8mikeiskorn

    Love This Program

    I've never actually watched it until now! Even though I love Gavin and Stacy, I never knew some of the cast were in this, too. Now, the first 2 series were perfect. Heartfelt. Beautifully written. However, I have to agree with the other reviewer that the 3rd and particularly the 4th series just missed this spark. That being said, they were both very enjoyable to watch and I would happily watch them again. I love this kind of UK drama and Kay Mellow shows here that she is one of the best writers of this genre around!
    9isabeldf-42223

    Really Funny and Relatable Show

    I watched this with my mum who is going through slimming world at the moment and we both agreed that it is so relatable. The show markets itself as a comedy about a group of people going through a weight loss group.

    The one thing I liked about the show the most is that it really feels like an ensemble piece; each main character gets their own episode so we were really able to see the personal issues they were all facing. No character felt like they were 'more important' than the others. Not only this, but in these episodes we were able to see how they struggled not only with weight but also with other things. We saw issues with relationships, religion, financial stress as well as a variety of eating disorders too.

    The show did well at humanising all of the characters and not making them seem like greedy monsters which a lot of other shows about fat people seem to do. Furthermore, the show managed to exaggerate things and add comedic value in all the right places and overall, it's just a really great dramatic comedy that hits all the right places.
    alupka

    Been there, seen that

    A funny film that shows what it is like to be fat in this world where a lot of things are about looks. Sometimes the films becomes sad, but it is always optimistic.

    Everyone who has been on a diet and has tried to lose weight will recognize the problems in one of the characters. It was very easy for me to relate to that.

    The film does not mock fat people. But it shows the fact that we all know - you don't have to be slim to be happy.

    We all know this, but not everyone really believes it and lives his/her life accordingly.

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    7.0
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    7.1
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    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      A lot of the cast in fat friends later went on to star in either Gavin & Stacey or Early Doors.
    • Connections
      Featured in Drama Trails: 'Coronation Street' to 'Kingdom' (2008)

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    FAQ19

    • How many seasons does Fat Friends have?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 12, 2000 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Толстые друзья
    • Filming locations
      • Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Rollem Productions
      • Tiger Aspect Productions
      • Yorkshire Television (YTV)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

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    • Runtime
      • 48m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo

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