Charlotte Coleman as Jess and Geraldine McEwan as Mother
The first part of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit was screened on 10 January 1990. The three-part drama was written by Jeanette Winterson, adapted from her autobiographical novel. It told the story of Jess - an adopted child brought up in a strict Pentecostal family - who rejects her upbringing as she comes to realise she is a lesbian.
Jess was played by Charlotte Coleman, with Emily Aston as young Jess. The part of Jess's fanatical mother was taken by Geraldine McEwan in a towering performance that won her a Best Actress BAFTA. The programme also won the BAFTA for Best Drama and another for Film Sound. Its success led to an early repeat.
Winterson's adaptation was directed by Beeban Kidron and produced by Phillippa Giles. It had a more straightforward narrative than the novel, aiming to draw audiences in without in any way compromising the message of the book. Writing in the introduction to the published script, Winterson said she wanted to challenge "the virtues of the home, the power of the church and the supposed normality of heterosexuality."
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit still stands as a powerful coming of age drama. In 2010 it was named by the Guardian as the eighth best television drama series of all time.
January anniversaries
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The Six Wives of Henry VIII
1 January 1970 -
The Brains Trust
1 January 1941 -
The Archers
1 January 1951 -
Z Cars
2 January 1962 -
Trumpton
3 January 1967 -
Open University
3 January 1971 -
Camberwick Green
3 January 1966 -
Final edition of The Listener published
3 January 1991 -
Gardeners' World
5 January 1968 -
A Question of Sport
5 January 1970 -
Forces Programme
7 January 1940 -
Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit
10 January 1990 -
First in-vision television weather forecaster
11 January 1954 -
The League of Gentlemen
11 January 1999 -
Goodness Gracious Me
12 January 1998 -
Listen with Mother
16 January 1950 -
Life On Earth
16 January 1979 -
First episode of Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Breakfast Time
17 January 1983 -
Blankety Blank
18 January 1979 -
The Week's Good Cause
24 January 1926 -
Under Milk Wood
25 January 1954 -
Television Dancing Club
27 January 1948 -
Desert Island Discs
29 January 1942 -
Newsnight
30 January 1980 -
The State Funeral of Sir Winston Churchill
30 January 1965 -
Alas Smith and Jones
31 January 1984