Porridge (TV series) himself as the judge, a character role subsequently played by Maurice Denham in two episodes of the third series. The theme music for the closing credits was written by Max Harris, who had also written the theme music for numerous other TV shows, including "The Strange World of Gurney Slade" and "Doomwatch", and would go on to write the theme for "Open All Hours", another of the Seven of One pilots. The cheery theme was "deliberately at variance with the dour comedy" and given a music hall feel by Harris because of the lead character's Cockney origins. Following the pilot
The Hustler (Porridge) Fletcher has the last laugh, because he bet the entire landing that he will be in a single cell by Sunday, so he can pay Ives his winnings after all. The Hustler (Porridge) "The Hustler" is an episode of the BBC sitcom "Porridge". It first aired on 12 September 1974. In this episode, Fletcher and his friends hold an illicit gambling syndicate under Mr Mackay's nose. Fletcher is still working in the prison farm, and he and fellow inmate Horrible Ives are taking bets over which hen will lay an egg first. Ives loses and Fletcher describes him as such