Drama

of , IT and gangsta rap can be strange DRAMA and comfortless, leaving these working-class heroes happy to try their luck at one more job. They cemented their friendships in Germany and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet Spain, and this new series takes the “cowboy” builders on an incredible journey from Middlesbrough to Arizona.

“The timing seems absolutely right for the return of Auf Wiedersehen, Pet,” says Controller of Drama Commissioning, Jane Tranter. “The fact that all the original team have embraced it so enthusiastically demonstrates the power that the show still has to excite people. It’s moved on, in spirit and in time, and the maturity of the characters has brought a new edge and humour to the storytelling.”

A BBC production for BBC ONE, Auf Wiedersehen, Pet is produced by Joy Spink and directed by Paul Seed. The executive producers are Laura Mackie and Franc Roddam.

Being April

Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, the hit drama of the Eighties, which followed the fortunes of an intrepid band of British brickies, returns to BBC ONE this spring.

The production reunites the original cast of Jimmy Nail (Oz), Timothy Spall (Barry), Kevin Whately (Neville), Tim Healy (Dennis), Pat Roach (Bomber), Christopher Fairbank (Moxey) and newcomer (Wyman), with original writers and and creator Franc Roddam.

The last 15 years have been kinder to some of the lads than others. One drives a Bentley, another a taxi. Marriages have come and gone. But when Oz turns up with an irresistible offer, the “Magnificent Seven” find that the friendships they made on the road to Düsseldorf Three kids. Three dads. One mum. Mum is have, against the odds, survived. April (Pauline Quirke), a 39-year-old single mother, living in Leicester, who has had three The days of Thatcher and three million children by three different fathers, in the new unemployed have gone. But the brave new world drama series, Being April, for BBC ONE.

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Richard (Victor McGuire), April’s husband since she was 18, is a plumber who still adores her. They separated years ago but never got round to a divorce. Eddie (Nicholas Gleaves) is a barman with whom she had a fling nine years ago – until, a week after moving in with him, she discovered that they were both looking for Mr Right. Sunil (Nitin Ganatra) followed – sexy, young and rich. A year into their affair, April fell pregnant, at which point Sunil mentioned that he was actually engaged to Nikshita (Amita Dhiri) …

Richard, Eddie and Sunil are three guys who hardly know each other – and hate the bits they do. They are also three guys who haven’t a clue what being a father really means. But their three kids are quite happy with their unconventional family and, though none of them has a dad in anything much more than a name, April would do anything for her kids.

She is a woman whose life kind of happened rather than being planned and who is now Allie Henshall () and husband taking control and getting the fathers to be … Gavin Ferraday (Jason Merrells) are the proud well, fathers. All her life, she’s been a daughter, proprietors of Henshall-Ferraday, a successful a girlfriend, a wife, a mum. And now? Now family hairdressing business based in she’s going to try just being April. . Allie’s sisters, Darcey () and (Sian Reeves), take care of On hand to advise and give moral support is beauty and nails. All appears to be going well Taneshia (), April’s best friend and until Mia () and her husband workmate, and the new man in her life, Callum Finn () arrive on the scene. (Clive Russell), her first boyfriend in years. Callum is desperate for a family and thinks that Before long, the beautiful yet conniving Mia has April is his dream come true … but is he hers? opened a rival salon, Blade Runner, right across the road from Henshall-Ferraday, and the Being April is written by Pete Lawson and charismatic Finn, once the love of Allie’s life, is produced by Deborah Jones. Syd Macartney once again making a play for her affections. and Claire Winyard direct and Mal Young is the executive producer. A BBC production for With her business under threat from Mia and BBC ONE. her heart under siege from Finn, Allie is forced to fight. And so begin “The Manchester hairdressing wars”… Cutting It Cutting It is the latest television drama from Debbie Horsfield, creator and writer of acclaimed series Making Out, The Riff-Raff Amanda Holden, Sarah Parish, Jason Merrells Element and Born To Run. and Angela Griffin sharpen their scissors in a war of passion and peroxide, as they battle to “I love the passion and power that’s run the best hair salon in Manchester in Debbie hairdressing,” says Debbie Horsfield. “It’s Horsfield’s Cutting It, a new drama series for creative, it’s intimate, it’s competitive, it’s sexy, BBC ONE. it’s fun – hopefully, like the characters in

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Cutting It. Add to the mix the mayhem of family intensive factory farming and genetically relationships and the havoc created by a ‘blast modified crops. from the past’, and split ends are the least of the problems!” Mark is alarmed by the number of deaths at the local hospital where his grandmother has been The cast list also includes Lucy Gaskell as Ruby, admitted and suspects that Dr Tolkin (Mark Annette Badland as Brawdie, Bill Thomas as Strong) may be killing his patients. Lucia and Tom, Pearce Quigley as Eugene, James Midgley Lodge are dispatched by their newspaper, The as Shane, and Philip Martin Brown as Smedley. Post, to find out if there is any truth in the story. While Lodge lies in bed with a hangover, Lucia Cutting It is produced by Diederick Santer with follows Tolkin to the headquarters of Zomede, a directors Andy De Emmony and Catherine major pharmaceutical company. But, as she Morshead. The executive producers are Laura makes her way back to the hotel, she is attacked. Mackie, Sally Haynes and Debbie Horsfield. A BBC production for BBC ONE. Up-and-coming Government Minister Alan Buckley (James Fleet) is tipped for the top. He has just been appointed Head of the Ministry of Fields Of Gold Rural Affairs and it falls to him to make sure that there are no problems with the secret testing of the latest state-of-the-art GM wheat crop, which is being grown at Mark’s farm. The last thing he needs is two journalists poking about. Luckily, he is old friends with The Post’s editor (played by Ron Cook).

The two-part drama, a gripping and entertaining tale which delves deep into the topical and controversial issue of what we eat, is written by Ronan Bennett (Lucky Break, Face) and Alan Rusbridger. The producer is Liza Marshall, who won Best Newcomer at last year’s RTS for The Sins. The director is Bill Anderson and the executive producer is Laura Mackie. A BBC production for BBC ONE.

Man And Boy

Ioan Gruffudd heads the cast of Man And Boy, a contemporary, perceptive and deeply moving Anna Friel, Max Beesley and Phil Davis star in drama for BBC ONE. It is adapted by Kevin Fields Of Gold, a fast-moving conspiracy thriller Hood from the highly acclaimed best-seller by for BBC ONE. Tony Parsons.

Anna Friel plays press photographer Lucia and Harry Silver (Ioan Gruffudd) hits 30 and panics. Phil Davis is a world-weary journalist, Lodge, He has a beautiful wife and the perfect child – who together find themselves investigating the but perhaps a sports car will make him feel sinister connections between government, big better? Unfortunately, he also decides to have a business and biotechnology. Max Beesley is one-night stand and throws it all away in a Mark, a farmer caught up in the world of moment of infidelity.

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by Ashley Pharoah (Where The Heart Is, Down To Earth, Life Support).

Charles Dale plays Clive Eustace, the eldest of the brothers, who runs the Paradise Heights discount warehouse in , selling everything from bargain beer to fake designer gear. All he wants is to make a decent living but he’s thwarted at every turn – not least by his His shattered wife, Gina (), leaves own brothers, Charlie (Neil Morrissey), who’s to go and work in Japan. Suddenly, it is just always on the look-out for an easy scam, and Harry and his four-year-old son, Pat (Dominic the youngest, Richard (Ralf Little), who’s still Howell, aged seven). They must learn to get deciding what he wants out of life. along together and Harry is forced to confront the realities of fatherhood in the modern world. Pam Ferris is their mother, Marion, and Joanne He comes to rely on his own parents and, in Froggatt is Julia, their adoptive sister. Between doing so, examines the role they have played in them, Marion and Julia manage to keep some his own life. sort of order in the family, but sometimes they can’t help trying out some schemes of their own. By turns funny, sharp, warm and sad, Harry’s Adding to Clive’s woes are local big-shot Jack story leads him through a minefield of Edwards (played by David Troughton), whose modern manners. money and muscle are a constant threat to the family’s survival, and his unresolved difficulties Man And Boy is produced by Kate Harwood with his ex-wife Claire (Lindsay Coulson). and directed by Simon Curtis. The executive producer is Laura Mackie. A BBC production As if that wasn’t enough, Julia is engaged to be for BBC ONE. married to Jack’s son, Toby (), and Charlie is having an affair with Jack’s elegant wife, Yvonne (Mary Tamm). Paradise Heights The Eustace brothers know that the only way to get Jack Edwards off their back is to pay him the money they owe him. The question is, how far Neil Morrissey, Charles Dale and Ralf Little star are they willing to go to get it? as three brothers struggling to keep their business afloat in Paradise Heights, a new Jane Tranter, BBC Controller of Drama drama series for BBC ONE, created and written Commissioning, says: “We’re delighted to have

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a new drama series from Ashley Pharoah, after number of other women, all perpetrators of the success of Down To Earth with Pauline social indiscretions which make them Quirke and . Paradise Heights is unacceptable to Irish society. part of BBC ONE’s push into contemporary, post-watershed signature drama, complementing Placed out of sight, and thus out of mind, by a other new series such as , created by society controlled by the colluding powers of David Wolstencroft, Debbie Horsfield’s Cutting Church and State, Theresa (Anne Marie Duff) It, David Nicholls’s Rescue Me and Outside The and the other women follow the daily grind of Rules by Alma Cullen, as well as the return of prayer and penance in the commercial laundry, ’s Clocking Off.” under the authoritarian scowl of Sister Bernadette (Tina Kellegher). Neil Morrissey is best known as the hapless Tony in . Charles Dale At first disconsolate, Theresa grows more played love rat Dennis Stringer in Coronation belligerent as time passes, refusing to accept the Street – this is his first role since leaving the soap injustice of her imprisonment. Her obstinacy – and Ralf Little starred as “our Anthony” in pays off – but not without cost and compromise. The Royle Family. Sinners is written by Lizzie Mickery and directed Created and written by Ashley Pharoah, with by Aisling Walsh. The ensemble cast includes one of the episodes written by Adrian Mead, Bronagh Gallagher, Ger Ryan, Ruth McCabe Paradise Heights is a BBC production for BBC and John Kavanagh. ONE. The producer is Polly Hill and the directors are Ashley Pearce and David Innes At least 22 Magdalen laundries were in Edwards. The executive producers are Simon operation in Ireland between the middle of the Lewis, Sue Hogg and Ashley Pharaoh. 19th century and the Seventies, and there were similar laundries in and Scotland. These were shelters for women, run by Roman Sinners Catholic nuns, often alongside orphanages which housed their children. The women had been thrown out of their homes and signed in by their families. They had no other place to go; nobody else wanted them.

Sinners is made by Parallel Films for BBC ONE. The executive producers are Robert Cooper and Kate Triggs for the BBC, and Alan Moloney for Parallel Films.

Spooks

Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes, Jenny Agutter, Peter Firth, Lisa Faulkner and David Oyelowo lead the cast of Spooks, a major new drama series for BBC ONE set in MI5. Sinners is a powerful new BBC Northern Ireland drama for BBC ONE which tells the story of a Spooks is written by David Wolstencroft, young single woman from the west of Ireland, award-winning writer and creator of Psychos; who is committed to the local Magdalen laundry Simon Mirren; and distinguished playwright by her family because she is expecting a child. Howard Brenton, who returns to television for There, re-christened Theresa, she encounters a the first time in 15 years.

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The Young Offenders

Starring four newcomers, award-winning writer- director Dominic Savage’s new film is the first improvised drama made for BBC ONE. The Young Offenders, Savage’s third film about the lives of young people in Britain today, follows four teenagers sent to a young offenders institution and explores how the experience affects them.

Jane Tranter, BBC Controller of Drama Commissioning, says: “The Young Offenders will throw a spotlight on one of the most alarming problems in Britain today, and Dominic Savage is the perfect director to take it on – an acclaimed, award-winning film-maker who has previously brought his unique vision to Producer Jane Featherstone says: “Spooks is a BBC TWO. This new project gives his work a topical and edgy drama about passion, jeopardy wider audience, and demonstrates our and the intrigue of people who have to lie for a commitment to highly original and innovative living – and who can never tell the truth to their mainstream drama.” loved ones about what it is that they do. Our ‘spooks’ are heroic in the way that only ordinary The Young Offenders, which is produced by people doing ordinary things can be. They are Ruth Caleb, follows Savage’s two previous films people like you and me, but they are dealing for BBC TWO, Nice Girl (for which he won the with a pro-life activist one week, a racist Bafta Award for Best New Director) and When I terrorist conspiracy the next, and an embassy Was 12, both of which were made with siege the week after that.” unknown actors, improvising dialogue in workshop sessions before filming began. The Gareth Neame, Head of Independent Drama Young Offenders is the first drama for BBC Commissioning for the BBC, says: “In a world ONE to follow the same production process. where the role of the intelligence services and secret agents is being thrown into greater relief, Dean (Danny Young), sensitive and intelligent, Spooks is a timely new drama from a first-class lives with his mum on an estate out of town. creative team and a superb cast. MI5 are in the They’re very close and she’s doing everything news every day – they’re in the front line in the she can to ensure that he doesn’t end up like the war against terrorism. But, until now, how they other kids on the estate. But when Dean’s friend, go about it has been hidden.” Charlie-boy (played by Bronson Webb), is released from his latest spell inside, it’s not long Spooks also features Lisa Eichhorn, Debra before the two of them are in trouble again. Stephenson, Anthony Head, and Dean is arrested for being in a stolen car, and is Julian Wadham. given two months in a young offenders institute.

The directors are Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey and Meanwhile, when Sam (Leo Gregory) plans an Andy Wilson, and the producer is Jane armed robbery on a South estate, his Featherstone. The executive producers are mate Danny (Akemnji Ndifornyan) goes along Stephen Garrett for Kudos and Gareth Neame with it. They are arrested and each sent down for the BBC. A Kudos production for BBC ONE. for two years. Once inside, Sam becomes a bully

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and joins in the ritualistic taunting of the weaker, Ruth McCabe, Karl Shiels, Frankie McCafferty, new inmates. He targets Dean, who has become Owen Roe, Brid Brennan and Declan Conlon. weak and vulnerable. Although the prison officer, Mike, tries to help Dean and keep an eye The sudden death of her father brings aspiring out for him as much as he can, it ends in tragedy. actress Nora Moggin (Angeline Ball) back from New York and home to the bosom of her closest Dominic Savage, who carried out several months friends: career-minded Kate O’Dowd (Zara of extensive research in young offenders Turner) and single mum Stevie Macutcheon institutions across the UK, says: “When you go (Susan Lynch). But Nora can’t quite bring into these institutions, there are those who need herself to admit to them that back in the Big to be aggressive from the off, otherwise they Apple her biggest role was as a bearded Pilgrim become victims themselves; and there are those, Father in the St Patrick’s Day parade – and she some of whom are as young as 15, who are may not be the only one who is hiding the truth. extremely vulnerable to them. The Young Offenders is about the criminal mentality, it’s Producer Lesley McKimm enthuses: “Any Time about what’s going on inside their heads.” Now takes a humorous look at three very different women who are trying to get to grips Executive producer David Thompson, Head of with life, love and each other – it’s witty, very BBC Films, says: “The Young Offenders follows touching story-telling that catches the pulse of on from Dominic’s last two extremely successful cosmopolitan .” collaborations for BBC Films, Nice Girl and When I Was 12. It addresses one of the most Written by Ali White, Any Time Now is a pressing social issues of our time. He’s the ideal Comet Films production for BBC Northern director for this project because of his unique Ireland and RTE in association with Bord way of making powerful stories come to life Scannan na hEireann/Irish Film Board. with total realism. He takes actors right to the edge, drawing them out in a remarkable way.” Born And Bred Any Time Now

James Bolam and Michael French star as father- and-son doctors in Born And Bred, a new family drama series for BBC ONE. Susan Lynch, Zara Turner and Angeline Ball play Dublin girls who have known each other GP Arthur Gilder (James Bolam) has lived in the long enough to believe that their friendship is Lancashire village of Ormston all his life but the invincible, in BBC Northern Ireland’s new time has come for him to hand over the reins of drama series, Any Time Now, for BBC ONE. his practice to his son, Tom (Michael French). Tom moves back to the village from Manchester, The four have made it into their thirties and, bringing with him his wife, Deborah (Jenna between them, managed to sleep with 47 men, Russell), and children, Helen (Charlotte Salt), break 11 hearts, consume some 5,000 pints, buy Michael (Ross Little), Catherine (Polly one house, fail once in marriage and produce a Thompson) and baby Philip. But this is the Fifties beautiful baby girl. But fate and chance keep and he also brings a sense of dynamism and conspiring to remind them that there are forces out change for a new age which Arthur does not there more changeable than the Irish weather… exactly embrace with open arms.

Set against the backdrop of contemporary As the village’s doctor, Arthur knows all the Dublin, Any Time Now also stars Ciaran residents of the tight-knit community and is McMenamin and Patrick O’Kane, and boasts a highly respected by them. There’s the Reverend regular cast of popular Irish actors including Brewer (Clive Swift), who is not your average

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man of the cloth; bold and brassy pub landlady he rekindles a complicated romance with his ex- Phyllis (Maggie Steed); the slightly dippy Jean girlfriend, who is due to marry his brother. (Naomi Radcliffe), who is infatuated with village mechanic Eddie (Samuel J Hudson); and The whole of Hospital is affected Wilf (John Henshaw), a stationmaster with a when a gastro-enteritis virus breaks out in the nose for trouble. hospital. Upstairs, the wards begin to close, while the Emergency Department becomes Tom takes on more than he bargained for when congested. As a result, a cerebral palsy sufferer he moves back to Ormston. First, he must dies when he fails to get treatment in time. The contend with battles at the surgery and cottage patient is the son of Justine Walker MP (Gillian hospital, as Arthur tries to cling on to his old- Taylforth), who wants to avenge her son’s death fashioned, tried-and-tested ways of doing things. through the Press. Chief executive Jan (Judy Tom, on the other hand, is determined that the Loe) looks to Max (Bob Gwilym) to take the hospital should adapt or die. Then he has to deal fall. Newly arrived nurse Roxanne Bird (Loo with an old flame, Linda (Tracey Childs), who Brealey) has no time to find her feet as the virus seems very pleased to see him back in the village, gains a grip on the hospital. despite the fact that she is about to marry his best friend, Len (Peter Gunn). And, if that were Though Nikki (Kelly Harrison) found new love not enough, there’s also the growing attraction while Jack (Will Mellor) was being treated for between Tom’s teenage daughter, Helen, and cancer, they decide to give it another chance. It’s mechanic Eddie … all good fun for them at the start but when Nikki’s life is endangered, Jack has to make “Born And Bred is a true family drama, a treat for everyone,” says Jane Tranter, Controller of serious decisions. Drama Commissioning. “Its story-telling is warm, familiar and based on a strong sense of Comfort (Martina Laird) and Fin (Kwame Kwei- community. The characters are as rich a mix as Armah) continue to do battle in their paramedic one is likely to meet and it is set in one of the duties but find a release after their shifts in the most glorious landscapes in Britain.” locker room. Comfort’s religious convictions are severely tested, while Fin continues to save lives, The series also boasts an impressive list of guest including that of Paul (Griff Rhys Jones), who stars. Episode one stars Roger Lloyd Pack, while gets stuck down a hole. and Paul Bown feature in episode two and Chris Walker appears in episode five. The series producer is Mervyn Watson and the executive producer is Mal Young. A BBC Born And Bred was filmed in and around production for BBC ONE. Lancashire. It is co-written by and Nigel McReary and produced by Phil Collinson. The executive producers are Simon Ella And The Mothers Lewis and Sue Hogg. A BBC production for BBC ONE.

Michelle Collins, Juliet Aubrey and Sean Gallagher star in Ella And The Mothers, a passionate new drama about love, jealousy, desire – and IVF – for BBC ONE. It is adapted by William Gaminara from the book by Rachel Morris. Lara (Christine Stephen-Daly) continues to find it difficult to welcome locum registrar Simon plays Gina, trophy wife of the Kaminski (Chris Colquhoun), whom she sees as charismatic George (Sean Gallagher). Gina and a poor replacement for Spiller (Ian Kelsey). But Madeleine (Juliet Aubrey), a recently divorced Simon is less concerned about settling in when professional, find themselves in the same clinic

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for IVF treatment. Six years on, they discover a jealous and, later, viciously beats her. When Jan tragic mistake that threatens to destroy all of is admitted to Holby, Ric has to operate on her, their lives, and the two women find themselves while Danny (Jeremy Edwards) tells his father locked in a heart-rending battle over five-year- that he longer considers him part of the family. old Ella (Lucy Joyce). Julia Davis plays Nicola, Madeleine’s closest friend. Has-been surgeon (David Soul) returns to seek Meyer’s (George Irving) advice Gareth Neame, BBC Head of Independent when his wife becomes gravely ill. Meyer is Drama Commissioning, says: “This is a gripping persuaded to try a revolutionary new heart and passionate drama about the very pump in surgery but it’s not enough and Mrs contemporary issue of human fertility. The Fletcher (Mel Martin) dies. extraordinary power struggle between the two strong women at its centre dramatises the Attempting to rest at home after a night shift, overwhelming emotional bond that exists Liam (Adrian Lewis Morgan) goes next door to between parent and child.” complain about the noise. Without warning, a man takes him hostage and says that he is not Debbie Shewell, Head of Drama for RDF afraid to kill himself, his wife and son. Liam Television, says: “Ella And The Mothers is a makes a brave attempt to stop the man compelling story of love, jealousy and desire. suffocating his son but is chased from the flat The power and passion which drives the and pushed over the balcony onto the concrete characters’ lives threatens to rip their world below. Liam is rushed to Holby but even Ric’s apart. It’s drama with real heart, played by an operating skills cannot prevent the young nurse exceptional cast.” from going into a coma.

Ella And The Mothers is produced by Emma Owen’s (Mark Moraghan) past mistakes come Burge. Debbie Shewell is the executive producer back to haunt him when his estranged wife, for RDF Television and Gareth Neame and Laura (Karen Staples), suggests that they try Sally Woodward Gentle for the BBC. Gavin again for their daughter, Katie (Anna Diski), Millar directs. who is seriously ill. Owen’s answer depends entirely on whether ex-lover Chrissie (Tina Hobley) wants to re-ignite their old affair. Holby City “Bought” by Kerri’s (Anna Mountford) mum for her daughter at a fund-raising auction, Mubbs (Ian Aspinall) is surprised to find that Kerri’s mum is keen to get value for her money. Sam’s (Colette Brown) 30th birthday party provides the ideal opportunity for her colleagues to get together – and get into trouble. Adams The series producer is Kathleen Hutchison and (Jeremy Sheffield) is in the party mood and is the executive producer is Mal Young. A BBC soon socialising in the garden with Ric’s production for BBC ONE. daughter, Jess (Verona Joseph). Meanwhile, Ric (Hugh Quarshie) helps Sam to celebrate by sharing a sneaky joint with her upstairs, but The Inspector Lynley Mysteries trouble breaks out when Steve (Peter de Jersey) gets into a fight. are called and arrests are made. and Sharon Small return to Still experiencing marital problems, Kath (Jan BBC ONE as detective duo DI Thomas Lynley Pearson) spends time with hospital chaplain and DS Barbara Havers, in four new Inspector Father Michael (Martin Ledwith). But her Lynley Mysteries from the books by best-selling husband, Simon (Andrew Dunn), becomes novelist Elizabeth George.

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In the first Inspector Lynley Mystery – A Great Merseybeat Deliverance (seen on BBC ONE in March 2001), Lynley and Havers were foisted upon one another by their boss at Scotland Yard to solve the murder of a farmer in Yorkshire, while the Joanna Taylor and Josie D’Arby set sparks flying local force was under investigation for from as Merseybeat returns to BBC ONE. corruption. The pair were like chalk and cheese and sparks flew as plain, working-class Havers Joanna Taylor () plays sexy PC Jackie resented Lynley’s charm, good looks and his Brown, while TV presenter Josie D’Arby (The affluent lifestyle as the eighth Earl of Asherton. Bigger Breakfast, Electric Circus) is rookie But despite their personal differences, they recruit Jodie Finn. Both Jackie and Jodie know cracked the case and a mutual respect blossomed. each other from their training days. Together, they bring a touch of glamour, energy and Now an established team, they set out to solve tough-talking to Newton Park Police Station. four new mysteries. In Well Schooled In Murder, There is never a dull moment when the two of the search for a missing schoolboy becomes a them are around and it soon becomes clear that hunt for a murderer through a web of lies and their relationship is going to be far from plain- corruption that has enveloped a school for years. sailing, as the rivalry between them escalates A playwright is killed during rehearsals at the into a cat fight in the car park. idyllic country retreat of a famous theatre producer in Payment In Blood. For The Sake Of It is up to Steve Traynor (Jonathan Kerrigan) Elena takes the team to Cambridge to help and Larry “Tiger” Barton (Chris Walker), as investigate the murder of a deaf university their tutor PCs, to keep the two new recruits in student, and the death of a vicar, by poisoning, line. Tiger is back to his old tricks and will do unravels the lives of the local community in anything for a quiet life with as little paperwork Missing Joseph. as possible. Steve, ever the maverick, is finding it difficult to handle Jodie, who is more than a While things develop well on the professional match for him. front, both Lynley and Havers have plenty to sort out at home. Still hurt by the marriage of Many familiar faces also return to Newton Park the love of his life and his best friend, Lynley Police Station, struggling to balance their lives turns to his close friend, Helen (Lesley on the beat with their lives out of uniform. Vickerage), for comfort. But it turns out that there’s a fine line between friendship and love. Supt Susan Blake () and husband Meanwhile, Havers has to deal with family Al (Paul Bown) are getting over the trauma of traumas; her father is on his deathbed and she’s the car blast which left Al seriously injured and finding it increasingly difficult to care for her Susan reassessing her priorities. In an attempt to mum, who has Alzheimer’s Disease. put to rest the ghosts of the past, they have moved house with their two children and are Guest artists include Martin Jarvis, Bill Nighy, hoping for a happier time ahead. John Sessions, Ronald Pickup, Jonathan Firth, Tim Piggott-Smith, Sophie Ward, Cherie Lunghi, Connie Harper (Michelle Holmes) has now been Pippa Hayward and Jason Merrells. promoted to sergeant but is finding it difficult to command the respect of her colleagues, who still The Inspector Lynley Mysteries is produced by think of her as a PC and “one of the lads”. Ruth Baumgarten and directed by Richard Laxton and Robert Young. The films are Inspector Jim Oulton (John McArdle) is trying to adapted by Lizzie Mickery, Val Windsor and piece his life back together after discovering wife Simon Block from the novels by Elizabeth Dawn’s (Kathy Jamieson) infidelity. Can he find George. The executive producer is Pippa Harris. it in himself to forgive her and move back in with A BBC production for BBC ONE. her and their daughter, Jenny (Julia Haworth)?

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Merseybeat is written by Chris Murray and Joe “Jealously, revenge, lust, greed … each film Ainsworth, produced by Kay Patrick and exposes the darker side to human nature,” says co-produced by Chris Murray. The executive producer Paul Knight. producer is Mal Young. A BBC production for BBC ONE. Produced by the BBC in association with Paul Knight Productions, Murder In Mind is produced by Paul Knight. The directors include Ferdinand Murder In Mind Fairfax, David Innes, Frank W Smith and Guy Burt. The executive producer is Mal Young.

Nigel Havers, Michael Greco and Patsy Kensit The Secret are among the stars who feature in the remaining Murder In Mind films, BBC ONE’s hit series of psychological thrillers created by and produced by Paul Knight. Haydn Gwynne, Robert Bathurst and Stella Gonet head the cast of The Secret, a new drama Each of the one-off dramas boasts a star-studded serial for BBC ONE which explores the power cast and takes viewers on a journey into the of friendship and how this power can cause psyche of a killer who has taken elaborate steps absolute devastation. to mask their guilt. Emma (Haydn Gwynne) and (Robert “The popularity of the first series clearly Bathurst) seem to have the perfect life: two well- demonstrates that there’s a real appetite for well- adjusted children, a successful business and a crafted ‘plays for today’,” says Mal Young, home in peaceful suburbia. However, when Controller of Drama Series. “Murder In Mind is interviewing for a PR officer to help promote unmatched by other popular thrillers, and the their design company, a ghost from Emma’s past calibre of actors and writers we’re able to attract walks into their lives and starts to destroy their proves that point.” seemingly perfect world.

Nigel Havers plays QC Nicholas Chadwick in This apparent stranger, Nadia (Stella Gonet), is Stephen Leather’s Flashback. Callous and a friend from Emma’s childhood. She knows devious, Chadwick uses his influence and power about Emma’s mysterious past, a past of which to frame one of his clients for the murder of a no one else – including Alex – is aware. A high-class hooker, played by Patsy Kensit. In terrible secret that the women share proves a Leather’s Memories, Neil Pearson is Stuart, a great source of power to Nadia, as she sets surgeon haunted by an event in his past, while about stealing all the things and people precious Michael Greco stars in Anthony Horowitz’s to Emma in her adult life. Swan Song. When a nightclub singer (Samantha Robson) is trapped in a loveless marriage, she The Secret is written by Lucy Floyd, directed persuades her lover, Mark (Greco), to take by Alrick Riley and produced by Paul Rutman. matters into his own hands. The executive producers are Sally Haynes and Laura Mackie. A BBC production for BBC ONE. Guest stars also include: Annette Crosbie, Neil Dudgeon and Maggie O’Neil in Anthony Horowitz’s Rage; Art Malik as Paul Waking The Dead Asher in Flashback; Neil Stuke as Colin Edwards in Victim; ex-Casualty star Rebecca Lacey as Stuart’s wife, Jenny, in Memories; and Dennis Waterman, currently appearing in the Trevor Eve, , Holly Aird, Claire West End’s Olivier Award-winning My Fair Goose and Wil Johnson return in Waking The Lady, in Regrets. Dead, the hit police series for BBC ONE.

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The first British TV series to deal with “cold cases”, Waking The Dead combines the disciplines of experts in the field of psychological profiling, forensic science and police detection. As Det Supt Boyd, Trevor Eve heads the crack squad of dedicated professionals, determined to track down the guilty using the most advanced forensic scientific analysis.

Waking The Dead also stars Sue Johnston as psychological profiler Dr Grace Foley; Holly Aird as forensic scientist Dr Frankie Wharton; Claire Goose as DC Mel Silver; and Wil Johnson as DS Spencer Jordan.

“Waking The Dead made a real impact last year and it’s great to see the show returning in 2002 along with other drama favourites – Clocking Off, In Deep, Merseybeat and Murder In Mind,” says Jane Tranter, Controller of Drama Commissioning. “It also complements the mix of strong contemporary new dramas which we have coming through, such as Rescue Me, starring Sally Phillips, Debbie Horsfield’s Cutting It and a new series with Pauline Quirke playing a single mum, Being April.”

In each two-part story, the series’ regular stars are joined by top actors in guest roles. In episode one, Sam West plays psychotic killer Thomas Rice, jailed for the abduction and murder of five women. In a twist of fate, the team is forced to enlist Rice’s help with an on-going investigation. Susannah Harker is Dr Claire Delaney, one of Rice’s victims who survived her ordeal, but has now become the focus of his morbid obsession.

Waking The Dead was created by Barbara Machin. The producer is Victoria Fea and the executive producer is Alexei De Keyser. A BBC production for BBC ONE.

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