Are You Being Served? the first series on 14 March 1973. Although the first series was aired in the same timeslot as "Coronation Street" on ITV, consequently receiving relatively little attention, the repeats shown later in the year were much more successful. The show became a ratings hit, and after a successful 13-year run, "Are You Being Served?" came to an end on 1 April 1985. Of the original cast, only Frank Thornton, Mollie Sugden, John Inman, Wendy Richard and Nicholas Smith appeared in all 69 episodes of the programme's 13-year run; these five later featured in the sequel sitcom, "Grace & Favour" (also
Are You Being Served? cast members made guest appearances. "Are You Being Served?" aired in Canada in prime time on Global Television Network in the mid 1980s and late night on YTV. It also became available to Canadian viewers on PBS station WNED (Buffalo). The show aired on Saturday evening prime time from the mid 1980s to late 1990s. The series was also extremely popular in Australia. It started on ABC Television in 1974 and was repeated by ABC in Australia several times. By 1978 it had been acquired by the commercial Seven Network who successfully screened repeats of the program to audiences larger