The BEST episodes of Bread

Every episode of Bread ever, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of Bread!

They're penniless, jobless and with little hope of things ever improving, but life's never stale in the Boswell household. Sitcom set in Liverpool, written by Carla Lane.

Last Updated: 5/4/2025Network: BBC OneStatus: Ended

9.18

39 votes

#1 - Episode 6

Season 2 - Episode 6 - Aired 2/19/1987

The household is in uproar when the Boswells' dog needs an operation. Aveline returns from London after her modelling job.

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8.46

39 votes

#2 - Episode 5

Season 2 - Episode 5 - Aired 2/12/1987

Billy is distraught when Julie takes the baby and heads to London to stay with friends, and Freddie Boswell comes home to stay.

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7.79

14 votes

#3 - Episode 6

Season 1 - Episode 6 - Aired 6/5/1986

Billy finds out that he is to become a father, Joey learns of his dad's gambling debt, Adrian is made redundant, Aveline's nude pictures are published and Jack buries a stolen candlestick in his Grandma's grave.

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7.71

7 votes

#4 - Episode 3

Season 4 - Episode 3 - Aired 11/8/1987

Adrian and Eddie are abducted by Yizzel and his mate because of a gambling debt they claim is owed to them - Joey, as usual, has to sort the problem. Freddie is sleeping on the sofa, jobless and depressed and Jack is concerned about his health

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7.64

45 votes

#5 - Episode 1

Season 2 - Episode 1 - Aired 1/8/1987

Adrian has found a girlfriend, Carmen. Jack gets hijacked by a couple of punks who need a lift to Manchester.

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7.54

13 votes

#6 - Episode 1

Season 3 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/6/1987

Aveline has been mugged and the Boswell boys make a mass protest at the police station. Billy, meanwhile, has to break the news to his mother that his baby is to be christened in a Protestant church!

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7.45

11 votes

#7 - Episode 6

Season 3 - Episode 6 - Aired 10/11/1987

Joey is forced to confront Roxy's husband, with unusual results, and Aveline decides to give up her modelling career.

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7.43

7 votes

#8 - Episode 5

Season 5 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/16/1988

Billy and Adrian both leave home and Nellie decides to teach them a lesson by delivering their belongings to them personally. They both realise that the grass is not so green on the other side and return home, while Shifty appears to be heading in the opposite direction.

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7.40

10 votes

#9 - Episode 3

Season 1 - Episode 3 - Aired 5/15/1986

Freddie's mistress has left him, so he decides to pay the Boswells a visit - and is met with very different reactions.

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7.33

6 votes

#10 - Episode 3

Season 5 - Episode 3 - Aired 10/2/1988

Freddie's visit to the doctor has left him unsure of his future, but only Joey notices that his father is suffering from a serious heart complaint. Celia Higgins arrives in the street but finds getting access to her new home a challenge thanks to the Boswell's fleet of battered vehicles.

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7.25

4 votes

#11 - Episode 1

Season 6 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/10/1989

Adrian becomes a hero by accident and, despite warnings, starts to embellish his role in the proceedings. Billy is troubled by his forthcoming divorce, Joey gets a worrying letter from the Inland Revenue and Aveline has a check up after failing to become pregnant.

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7.25

4 votes

#12 - Episode 2

Season 6 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/17/1989

Joey visits the taxman to plead his case but his words fall on deaf ears, Aveline suggests to Oswald that he should have a sperm count and Billy attends court to get his divorce. But all troubles are briefly forgotten when the family go to the airport to meet Jack who has returned home from America.

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7.20

5 votes

#13 - Episode 3

Season 6 - Episode 3 - Aired 9/24/1989

Jack soon gets back into the swing of buying and selling but the piano he buys causes more trouble than it is worth. Joey tells his mother about his debt and the family agree to pull together to help him. Meanwhile, Aveline is making every effort to get pregnant and creating problems for Oswald.

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7.20

5 votes

#14 - Episode 5

Season 6 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/8/1989

Aveline is causing concern for everybody as she continues to believe in her phantom pregnancy. Adrian is concerned that Magdalena has not replied to his letter, Billy hears that Julie has a new lover and Jack goes for a job as a handyman at the 'big house'.

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7.20

41 votes

#15 - Episode 2

Season 2 - Episode 2 - Aired 1/15/1987

Julie goes into labor earlier than expected and Joey has to come to Billy's rescue.

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7.17

40 votes

#16 - Episode 4

Season 1 - Episode 4 - Aired 5/22/1986

A photographer suggests Aveline should pose topless and wishes he hadn't. Jack makes an unsuccessful entry into the art world.

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7.17

12 votes

#17 - Episode 5

Season 3 - Episode 5 - Aired 10/4/1987

Aveline is taken to hospital and the family gather to comfort her. Joey finds out that Roxy is married.

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7.14

7 votes

#18 - Episode 4

Season 5 - Episode 4 - Aired 10/9/1988

Yizzel's mate involves Shifty in an insurance job on his car but forgets that he didn't have an MOT certificate. Meanwhile, Shifty's romance with Martina continues and Celia starts to bond with Nellie.

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7.14

7 votes

#19 - Episode 1

Season 5 - Episode 1 - Aired 9/18/1988

Jack has left home to go to America for a while and Nellie is missing him greatly. Cousin Shifty is coming out of prison and heading for the Boswell home, and Aveline is engaged to a protestant vicar who none of the family have met.

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7.14

7 votes

#20 - Episode 2

Season 5 - Episode 2 - Aired 9/25/1988

Aveline brings Oswald home and he finds a family in chaos when they all show him their true colours. Adrian is accepted as a male model after a less than impressive interview and Shifty is back to his old ways.

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7.13

38 votes

#21 - Episode 3

Season 2 - Episode 3 - Aired 1/22/1987

Jack and Adrian witness a burglary, then find themselves pursued by the perpetrators.

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7.13

8 votes

#22 - Episode 2

Season 4 - Episode 2 - Aired 11/1/1987

The family attend Freddie's court case in order to provide moral support. Billy, however, has other plans as he is marrying Julie in secret. Meanwhile, Grandad has a visit from his nephew Eddie who is home from America and, much to Grandad and Nellie's horror, is gay!

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7.12

42 votes

#23 - Episode 2

Season 1 - Episode 2 - Aired 5/8/1986

Billy buys a ring for Julie, but later learns that opals are bad luck and is told to get rid of it.

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7.11

9 votes

#24 - Episode 7

Season 3 - Episode 7 - Aired 10/18/1987

Freddie has been arrested for running off with his dust cart after getting the sack, and Grandad has been taken to hospital after wandering off on his own.

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7.11

9 votes

#25 - Episode 4

Season 4 - Episode 4 - Aired 11/15/1987

After learning from the doctor that he doesn't have kidney trouble, Jack accidentally parks his van in the river! Nellie gives Freddie his marching orders after being unimpressed with his new job as a hot dog vendor!

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