So what's the verdict guys ?
Never a dull moment eh ?

Good. Not quite got the edge of the first series, but still worth watching. I shall be interested to see which way it goes.

I have to say, I usually HATE this sort of crap, in fact I can't stand TV at the best of times, but I absolutely love Benidorm and have, in the past, likened many of the characters to BE members to the EX in the past!

I thought they got the slimy neighbour from the caravan site absolutely spot on - he reminded me so much of the skint Brits living from hand to mouth I have met over here, desperate to make 20€!

Cilla is obviously a fan of the show, she won't win any Best Actress awards though.

Excellent, thought the first 30 mins was a little down, while they set the scene nd told us what was happening to characters not in the current series, but it really picked up when Madge got going. Loved the head butt, and the reaction to it. Didn't expect Cilla to get involved with the swingers though..

That's what I love, when things go contrary to expectations.

The head butt was a gem. Here's hoping it goes from strength to strength.

Not quite so good last night I thought. Maybe they are running out of ideas or changed the scriptwriter.
The new additions/replacements haven't added much, with the possible exception of the Geordie trani.and the ones they replaced are sadly missed.

I don't entirely agree. There was a lot of laugh out loud stuff, especially with the waspish humour between the gay characters. I think that the new characters suffer from the usual problem. They stand in the shadow of old favourites who are, as you say, sadly missed, and will take some time to develop. They may not.

In any series like this there are certain key characters, and if you cut them, the series dies. I think the key ones are the Garveys, the gays and the swingers.

When you have a loser character like the tranny's son, I think he has to do something that is genuinely amusing or he is just going to be an irritant.

Did anyone note the number plates in the first episode last week?

3 numbers followed by 4 letters including vowels on Spanish plates ?

Yes, I did, and wondered if they had changed, as it was nearly 2 years since I had a Spanish reg car.

I knew Benidorm quite well, and the programme makes me laugh and shudder at the same time. I’ve taken out a few ladies in my time there and learnt quickly that before inviting a lady back to your apartment it’s best to verify, if possible, that they are who they say they are, to prevent any nasty surprises later.

The worst surprise can be when you wake up sober next morning and think did I really bring that home ?

Then try and escort them quietly of the premises only to find all the neighbours out on their doorsteps.

As the country song goes, " All the girls look prettier at closing time."

Years ago you couldn’t phone for an official taxi in Benidorm as their radio system didn’t work and I opted for a pirate one driven by a local bar owner. He turned up early in the morning in a battered English Sierra. We didn’t even get to the motorway before he crashed into a lamp post on a corner.

I called an ambulance and waited with him, but the police turned up first. The bar owner was four times over the alcohol limit and I missed my plane.

I can’t resist it. I was in Café Benidorm to pull a bird, which was about the easiest thing in the world, when the resident entertainer, Kane, got a guy to sit on the stage where he took the piss out of him.

A lot of fat-bellied people covered in tattoos cheered madly, and the guy next to me at the bar kept shouting that Kane got it wrong, the arsehole on the stage didn’t come from Bradford, he came from Leeds.

I got so pissed off and said to the pot-bellied prat that it didn’t matter where the prat came from, both places were arsehole places anyway.

The fat guy gave me a malevolent look and staggered over to speak to his pals congregated in front of the stage. I saw a dozen malevolent eyes swing in my direction and noticed that the lone Spanish bouncer, the bravest guy I’ve ever met, had come over to get his stun gun and mace spray from behind the bar.

I legged it and hid behind the giant rubbish bin at the Orange Hotel next door. The pot-bellied monsters were staggering around in the street calling out, ‘Where is that ****?’

I kept quiet, but it was one of the best evenings I’ve ever had.

What an interesting life you have led. I look forward to the unabridged version coming out.