Inside Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em cast from health struggles to 'incontinence'

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em is the 1970s sitcom following the misfortunate events of accident-prone Frank Spencer (played by Michael Crawford). Michele Dotrice played Betty, the long-suffering wife of her TV husband.

The BBC show ran from 1973 to 1978 and returned in 2016 for a special. It was one of the most popular hit series of all time, regularly garnering 25 million viewers and being broadcast in 60 countries.

Express Online takes an inside look into the two main cast members' lives off-screen from health struggles to one star suffering from "incontinence".

Michael Crawford

Crawford is best known for playing the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em and the titular character in the musical The Phantom of the Opera.

The actor, 82, previously opened up about his health woes and he was dealt a big blow in 2004, when he was forced to leave a show because of ill health.

He learned he was suffering from the post-viral condition myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), which debilitated him for six years.

ME has a wide range of symptoms, but the most common is extreme tiredness.

Addressing his health struggles in 2016, he said on Loose Women: "It's something that medically has not been explained yet, so there are thousands and thousands of people suffering.

"What happened to me, it's something like the flu and it never went away. I lost myself. I lost my enthusiasm. The people I speak to, this is exactly how they described it, what I say to people is that you have to find yourself again. Find you inside this person the illness has turned you into."

The actor revealed it took up to four years for him to make a full recovery.

Michele Dotrice

Dotrice played Betty Spencer in the sitcom and had previously opened up about her struggles off-screen.

Speaking fondly of her time working with Michael on the show, Michele revealed the pair were used to playing “straight” characters so the comedy viewers saw on screen was “real”.

“I have a marvellous legacy from Michael…incontinence," she joked on This Morning in 2017.

As Holly and Phil started to double over with laughter the actress continued her story, telling them: “I would pee myself regularly, it’s a nightmare, he’s got a lot to answer for.

“I’ve peed on more West End stages than you’ve had hot dinners.”

Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em: Secrets and Scandals airs tonight on 5 at 5pm