Drop the Dead Donkey — Season 5

Oct 1, 1996

Sally returns from a mental hospital. Helen is carjacked. Henry is offered a job at the BBC.

Oct 8, 1996

Gus is eager to impress a Japanese delegation of potential financiers while the newsroom are introduced to a novel concept - religious belief - except for George, who's lost all faith in public transport.

Oct 15, 1996

Gus hires a new security firm. Joy applies for a job at the BBC.

Oct 22, 1996

Joy's friend comes to work at the office but unwittingly lets slip some of their secrets from while they were growing up. Damien interviews John Major and has trouble staying awake. Gus chats to a girl over the internet but before asking her out he wants to practice on Sally but she gets the wrong idea.

Oct 29, 1996

Helen holds a dinner party to introduce her lesbian friend to the rest of the office but Damien tries to break them up. Gus finally dates the woman he has been chatting to on the internet but he wants to use Dave's chat up lines. Sally does a radio advert.

Nov 5, 1996

George buys Henry's old Jaguar and immediately has to spend 2000 pounds on a new gearbox. Sally is thinking about cosmetic surgery and Dave might break the habit of a lifetime and propose marriage to his girlfriend.

Nov 12, 1996

Sally does an old age pensioners advert, but it backfires on her. Dave is beginning to have second thoughts about getting engaged, then he finds out that his fiance is dumping him. One of Gus's old girl friends, who now works for Sir Roysten, comes to give Globelink the once over. Damien is the first subject on a new reality TV show. Damien interviews M.P.s Anne Coates and Tony Banks.

Nov 19, 1996

Henry's newspaper column is causing problems among the office staff. Gus is trying to sell tickets to Sir Roysten's benefit and he gets Joy to become a waitress for the evening.

Nov 26, 1996

Gus brings in a psychologist to interview the staff. Henry and Damien think that Dave is dating Princess Diana but have a surprise in store. George brings in his home made wine.

Dec 3, 1996

Damien ends up in hospital with a broken leg after being pushed down stairs by Liam Gallagher. Sally acts in a pantomime with Rosemarie Ford. Dave clears his debts with a bet on the football.

Dec 10, 1996

Most of the staff end up back at the office on the graveyard shift. Dave and Helen see the report on the drug tests that Gus has taken showing George with traces of ecstasy. Joy brings her brother who has been sleeping rough back to the office and he beats Gus's record score on a video game.

Dec 17, 1996

Henry finds out that he is dying so goes on a bender to end all benders but there is a surprise in store. Gus is having sex nightmares about Joy so he asks Dave for advice but the nightmares continue with someone else.