Porridge (TV series) to make more episodes, but Barker was wary of being "stuck with a character" and also wanted to move on to other projects, so the series came to a close. Barker did, however, reprise his role as Fletcher in a sequel, "Going Straight", which ran for one series in 1978. A feature-length version of the show was made in 1979 and in 2003 a follow-up was aired. The prison exterior in the title sequence is the old St Albans prison gatehouse and HM Prison Maidstone, which was also featured in the BBC comedy series "Birds of a Feather" (HMP Slade
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