Watching is a British television sitcom, produced by Granada Television for the ITV network and broadcast for seven series and four specials between 1987 and 1993.

The series was written by Jim Hitchmough and starred Paul Bown and Emma Wray as mismatched couple Malcolm Stoneway and Brenda Wilson.

Plot

Watching was set in Merseyside, with Brenda from Liverpool and Malcolm from Meols on the Wirral, the "posh" part of Merseyside on the other side of the River Mersey. The title refers to Brenda and her sister Pamela's hobby of "people watching", and to Malcolm's hobby of birdwatching, which initially Brenda endures rather than enjoys, but later comes to appreciate.

Quiet biker Malcolm, who lived with his domineering mother (played by Patsy Byrne - Nursie from Blackadder), was accompanied on his birdwatching trips by loud scouser Brenda, who was forced to ride in the sidecar of his Norton motorbike. The series followed their on/off relationship, during which Malcolm married Lucinda (played by Elizabeth Morton).

"Watching" is a 1983 song by the British pop group Thompson Twins. It was released as the fourth and final single from the band's third studio album, Quick Step and Side Kick. The single peaked at number 33 in the UK Singles Chart in July 1983.

Background and release

The original album version of the song featured singer Grace Jones on backing vocals. Jones had also worked extensively with the band's producer Alex Sadkin at his Compass Point Studios in Nassau, Bahamas in the early 1980s, and was there completing her 1982 album Living My Life at the same time the Thompson Twins were there recording Quick Step and Side Kick. However, when the song was remixed for release as a single, Jones' vocals were not included.

The B-side of the single, "Dancersaurus", is an instrumental remix of "Watching". The 12" single contains extended remixes of both tracks. In addition to the then-standard 7" and 12" formats, Arista Records opted to release the single as a shaped picture disc, cut into the design of the band's infamous three-heads logo (although slightly larger than a standard 7" single, the picture disc plays the 7" versions of both the A and B sides).