The unaired pilot episode featured Jack Smethurst (Eddie), Rudolph Walker (Bill) and Nina Baden-Semper (Barbie) with Gwendolyn Watts as Joan Booth (instead of Kate Williams as in the series and film). The pilot episode script was modified slightly for the first episode of the series, which was titled "New Neighbours".

All Star Comedy Carnival was an annual Christmas special produced by ITV, containing new mini-episodes of popular British sitcoms and light entertainment programmes with some musical interludes. Broadcast annually on Christmas Day from 1969 to 1973, Love Thy Neighbour featured in 1972. Hosted by Jimmy Tarbuck.

Eddie and Joan Booth, a white couple, live next door to Bill and Barbie Reynolds, who are black. Although Joan and Barbie are best friends, Bill and Eddie are complete opposites. Without their husbands' knowledge, Joan and Barbie enter a "Love Thy Neighbour" competition to win a cruise, but must contend with the problem of their antagonistic husbands. To add to the problems, Joan's mother-in-law is coming to stay, and Barbie's father-in-law is coming from Trinidad.