Written by Bob Larbey, On the Up first took to the airwaves on BBC1 in 1990 and ran for three highly successful series. Fielding a strong cast of central characters, the plot centres around Tony Carpenter (played by Dennis Waterman), a small time East End cab driver who transforms his business into a luxury car hire firm, becoming a self-made millionaire en route. With a long standing penchant for upper class women, he marries Ruth (played by Judy). Stunningly attractive, intellectually superior and highly volatile, Ruth is a constant contributor to Tony’s trials and tribulations as he struggles to adapt to the sumptuous trappings and surroundings as befitting of his financial status. The situation is also complicated by the presence of his live in staff, insolent chauffeur and butler Sam (Sam Kelly), PA Maggie with a sharp line in back chat (Jemma Russell) and housekeeper and cook, the invariably tipsy Mrs Wembley (Joan Sims) whose relationship with the sherry bottle gave rise to the show’s only catchphrase “Just the one Mrs Wembly?” even though it was clearly her third or fourth. Add to the mix a spoilt public school based teenage daughter, nice but dim, model friend and a mother whose political views are in direct conflict with her son’s well-to-do lifestyle and you have the perfect catalyst for Ruth to wreak maximum havoc on the marital bliss front. With Tony and Ruth’s love hate relationship increasing with every episode as a result of the staff’s continued input into their lives, inevitably the difference begin to take their toll with the couple repeatedly drifting apart and reuniting on a less frequent basis. The series ultimately draws to a close with Ruth confessing to an affair and serving Tony with a divorce order.

Judy firmly believes that a chance meeting with Gareth Gwenlan (the shows producer) at a drama school reunion, played a major part in her being invited to play the role of Ruth. She had also worked with Dennis Waterman year’s earlier on the cult TV series The Sweeney who was equally keen for Judy to play his wife. It was a portrayal that the actress clearly relished, depicting an upper class, snobby, social climbing bitch with flair and poise. However, over the course of the series, she also showed her character not to be totally devoid of empathy, occasionally dropping the hard exterior to reveal a much softer centre. That said, the laughs came thickest and fastest when husband and wife were at each others throats.

On the Up was to provide Judy with not only one of her most memorable television portrayals  to date but some of her happiest working moments. A mere glint in the eye evolving into a broad smile and laughter as she recalls the time she forgot to set the handbrake on the car she had just parked and watched helplessly as it began to roll sedately down the hill amid a chorus of protestation from cast and crew alike. Then there was the time Ruth and Tony met and attempted a conversation while walking in opposite directions on a moving travellator  at the airport. The numerous re takes leaving both exhausted as a result of a certain amount of corpsing coupled with the sheer energy required to give the appearance of standing still! Finally no one could ever forget the endless fits of giggles shared with the wonderful Joan Sims in rehearsal. Her only regret is that the series was not allowed to enjoy a longer run