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[Steve Russell]

QPR Screen References: No.15 – ‘Boys From The Bush’ – Episode: ‘Our Rellos’

Thanks to my mate Declin for unearthing nearly all of the ‘Boys From The Bush’ episodes that he
recorded on video.

I did manage to find three episodes on ebay recorded on a DVD a few years ago which
were then reviewed as number 3 in this series. There has been nothing released commercially and as far
as I know it has never been repeated by the BBC or anyone else for that matter.

The main characters are the Toomers, Reg and Doris, who emigrated from Shepherds Bush over 20 years
previously and I suppose Reg would be viewed as an archetypal Pom by the locals.

He runs ‘Melbourne Confidential’ with Dennis Tontine. Arlene is their Oz born daughter and also in the household
is Leslie, Reg’s young Chelsea supporting cousin who arrived in Melbourne after getting divorced in England.

This episode is the fourth from the second series and was shown on the 2nd June 1992. Reg arrives at his local
branch of the ‘Returned and Services League’, a similar organisation to the British Legion, for a committee
meeting.

As he’s about to go in, the bar man hands him a letter – “Letter for you Reg, Pommie stamp.” Reg looks at the
postmark and with a smile on his face, he replies –
“Better than that, London…W12.” It’s an invite from the North Shepherds Bush British Legion and they suggest

that the visit should be marked by a special trophy to be contested by their two respective Darts champions –
“Their champion and ours.”

Reg thinks it’s a foregone conclusion as he’s been the champion for the last five years. He tells his long suffering
missus, Doris, that it’s 24 years since he’s seen the ‘promised land’ – “I’m going home Doris.”

The big day arrives and Reg is full of confidence. He’s wearing his hooped top with a large crest and a
metal QPR badge.

When he’s introduced on stage he gives out a loud and defiant -“Come On You R’s.”
Despite other members of the committee bringing in a very useful ‘wildcard’ player, Reg manages to beat
him in the final and amid the celebrating, he turns to his young cousin and tells him:
“Les, I’m going home – Come On You R’s.”

This is short lived as the committee point out to him that he’s not a nationalised Australian and therefore doesn’t
qualify. Meanwhile Doris thinks about entering a Cornflakes competition to win a trip to England so that she can be
present at her mum’s wedding in West London
(which happens to be to Reg’s step-father and which Reg strongly disapproves of).

The final scene shows Reg and Doris at home in bed and she tells him that she’s sent in for that competition but
Reg is still smarting about not going to Shepherds Bush – ” Naturalisation, they can stick it, bloody Melbourne.”

[steveqpr881]

I used to love that show - for obvious reasons!