The title on the episode is a take on Fellini's 1963 drama 8 1/2
Ian McNeice (Eric Morgan) later appeared in All Quiet on the West End Front (1994) as Hargreaves. He also appeared with Dennis Waterman in 10 episodes of Stay Lucky (1989), from Flameproof and Free (1993) to One Jump Ahead (1993). He again appeared with him in Big Topped (2007)
David Lodge who appeared in The Sweeney as a boxing trainer was also a boxing trainer in this episode of Minder