TV ShowEndedITV1DramaComedyCrime

Rumpole of the Bailey

1975 – 1981 · 45m per ep · TV-PG · English · United Kingdom

Rumpole of the Bailey is a British television series created and written by the British writer and barrister John Mortimer. It stars Leo McKern as Horace Rumpole, an aging London barrister who defends any and all clients, and has been spun off into a series of short stories, novels, and radio programmes.

7.1(239 reviews)

15.9655% popularity

At a glance

Details

First air date: Dec 17, 1975
Last air date: Dec 3, 1992
Status: Ended
Seasons: 7
Episodes: 42
Episode runtime: 45m
Original language: English
Country: United Kingdom
Network / platform: ITV1
Creator / showrunner: John Mortimer
Certification: TV-PG
Production companies: —

Where to watch

Streaming availability has not been added yet.

Keywords

lawyercriminal lawyer

Seasons & episodes

Season 1

1978 · 6 episodes

0 of 6 watched0%

Hide watched

Cast

Leo McKern

Horace Rumpole

Marion Mathie

Hilda Rumpole

Media

Reviews & ratings

7.1

239 community reviews

AR
Alex Rivera6.1/103/18/2026
Binge-worthy
Every episode leaves you wanting more. The character arcs are exceptional.
52 found helpful
JK
Jordan Kim7.1/103/14/2026
Peak television
One of the best shows in its genre — tightly written and beautifully acted.
44 found helpful
SP
Sam Patel8.1/103/10/2026
Must-watch series
The season finales alone are worth the watch.
36 found helpful
ML
Morgan Lee6.1/103/6/2026
Brilliant writing
Gripping from the first scene. Already recommending to everyone.
28 found helpful
CW
Casey Wong7.1/103/2/2026
Slow burn payoff
Takes a few episodes to hit stride, then it's unstoppable.
20 found helpful