Hidden gem documentary that inspired 90s comedy legend free to watch on BBC iPla

Metro

4 hours ago

BBC iPlayer is secretly home to one of the most influential documentary films of the 1990s – and barely anybody in Britain knows it's there.
Three Salons At the Seaside – directed by Philippa Lowthorpe – was first aired in 1994 and, over 40 minutes, followed the story of three real hair salons in Blackpool.
Focusing on the staff and customers at Vanity Box, Tricia's Hair Salon, and Mary's Way, Three Salons At the Seaside has been retrospectively celebrated as a touching time capsule of 20th century Britain.
The documentary was thought to be lost to history, only surviving in bits and pieces on YouTube, but the BBC uploaded the entire thing to iPlayer in 2022.
Renewed interest in the documentary film inspired a 2022 American parody called Two Hairdressers in Bagglyport, which starred none other than Hollywood actress Cate Blanchett.
But most importantly, its resurrection encouraged Stockport-born comedy writer Craig Cash – of The Royle Family, Early Doors, and Gogglebox – to reveal that his writing partner Caroline Aherne had been a huge fan.
Together, Craig and Aherne – who died of lung cancer in 2016 – co-wrote The Royle Family, which ran for three seasons and numerous specials between 1998 and 2012.
Set in Manchester, The Royle Family was situated inside the home of the titular TV-obsessives, who were played by Ricky Tomlinson, Ralf Little, Liz Smith, and Sue Johnston, alongside on-screen couple Craig and Aherne.
It won several awards during its run and is often celebrated as one of the best British sitcoms of its time – it drew in 10 million viewers at its peak in 1999.
Speaking to the Radio Times in 2023, Craig said: 'We took inspiration from real life and our families. We watched the documentary about hairdressers, Three Salons at the Seaside, which we thought was hilarious.
'Sometimes people get bogged down in plot and narrative at the expense of character and dialogue. For us it was all about the pauses, how people really are.'
In particular, viewers have noticed that Hilary – a hair stylist and administrator working at Vanity Box – bears a striking resemblance in appearance and personality to one of Aherne's characters, Mrs. Merton.
The Mrs Merton Show ran between 1993 and 1998 on the BBC, and some estimations put the average viewing figures at somewhere between seven and eight million.
On Facebook, Paul Davies thought aloud: 'I wonder if Caroline Aherne took a little bit of the spirit of these wonderful ladies for her Mrs Merton character.'
Many fans of the documentary cite its peaceful atmosphere and honest portrayal of northern working class life as reasons for repeatedly watching it year after year.
Others have cited that it reminds them very precisely of the world before reality TV and social media, and even in the days before widespread internet usage and Sky TV.
Karen O'Mahoney said on Facebook: 'There's something so heartwarming about [Three Salons At the Seaside]. Hard to believe it's only 30 years ago, feels like another age.'
A scene which has stuck with viewers focused on a 'funeral bag' that Vanity Box handed out to its customers whenever they were having their hair done in order to say goodbye to a friend or relative.
The women in the salon would be given the funeral bag by Hilary upon their arrival at the salon – the clutch bag contained a small amount of money and a complementary mint.
Fiona Botham commented: 'I love the kindness of the funeral bag with a bit of money and a mint. The hairdresser owner seems such a lovely woman.'
In 2022, Three Salons At the Seaside was officially named by the Grierson Trust charity as one of the finest British documentaries made in the last 50 years. More Trending
As for the status of each of the three salons – Mary's Way closed down some time between 2008 and 2012 according to Google Maps, while the shop unit that used to be home to Tricia's was renovated for housing in 2016.
However, the Vanity Box is still going strong, with Google reviews from as recently as nine months ago still thanking the staff for their dedication and hard work at the centre of Blackpool's community.
The short film's creator, Phillipa Lowthorpe, went on to direct episodes of Netflix hit series The Crown and the long-running BBC wartime drama Call the Midwife.
Three Salons At the Seaside is streaming on BBC iPlayer.
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