Victoria Wood wrote this first season in just one month. When it later came to writing the second season, she found the success of this first season meant it took her much longer as she was feeling the pressures of trying to come up with something just as funny.
This opening episode attracted over 12 million viewers when it first aired in November 1998.
The set was intended to be a fully functioning replica of a canteen. That included an industrial toaster with which the crew fed the studio audience.
Each episode was filmed twice, first on a Friday night and then on a Saturday night. This gave them the choice of two takes and also afforded Victoria Wood the chance to change any lines she didn't think were working.