Spending My Inheritance

Kris Marshall stars as a broke forty-something, watching his newly retired parents spend their hard-earned cash…

What are cash-strapped 40-somethings like Harry (played by Kris Marshall) supposed to do when they see their cash-rich, equity-released parents spending all their inheritance? It doesn’t help that Harry’s rich brother seems to upstage him at every turn as he tries to make ends meet and support his family. As their father's 65th birthday approaches, and the money starts disappearing, Harry decides to see if he can ‘help’ them to change course…

Chortle out loud at this utterly relatable family comedy as Harry’s parents discover a love of online shopping - with all their spending on exercise machines and looking after themselves, his parents seem in better shape than he is! When Harry tries to steer his parents towards charity work instead of spending money, the consequences are farcical. Harry tries to find out if his mum and dad have made a will, tries to avoid a holiday he knows he has to go on and when a water pipe bursts it means Harry and his wife need a place to stay for the night…

This laugh out loud series features Kris Marshall (My Family, Love Actually, Death in Paradise) as Harry and also stars Antonia Thomas (Misfits, The Good Doctor, Lovesick).

Writer Clive Coleman is an English barrister turned journalist, who worked as the BBC News Legal Correspondent. He’s won the BBC Radio Light Entertainment Contract Writers Award for his screenwriting and wrote the BBC Radio sitcom Chambers, that became a hit TV series. He’s also worked with Alastair McGowan, Dawn French and Richard Bean on show such as Weekending, The News Huddlines, Spitting Image and Dead Ringers.

Cast and credits

Directed by Sam Hoyle

Written by Clive Coleman

Harry - Kris Marshall
Jo - Raquel Cassidy
Brian - Kenneth Cranham
Liz - Judy Parfitt
Jess - Antonia Thomas
Amanda/Assistant - Manjeet Mann
Boguslaw/PAul - Stephen Critchlow
Pizza Boy/Doctor - Inam Mirza

Richard - Chris Pavlo

David - Dan Starkey

Stuart - Malcolm Tierney

Mike - Robert Lonsdale

Jan/Fran - Jill Cardo

Nick - Jonathan Tafler

Ed/Simon - Gunnar Cauthery

Radio Correspondent - Clive Coleman

First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 17 Nov - 22 Dec 2008

©2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2025 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd