Heartbeat (TV series)
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Heartbeat is a British television series which began in 1992 on Yorkshire Television. Now 2006 in its 15th series, it has clocked up nearly 300 episodes - a feat that few series achieve.
Background of the series
The show is set in the 1960s and revolves around the work of a group of police officers in the fictional North Yorkshire town of Ashfordly, whose "patch" also includes the nearby village of Aidensfield, a fictionalised version of the real-life village of Goathland in the North York Moors, where the series is mostly filmed. Each episode is an hour long, including commercial breaks.
The series is loosely based on the Constable books by Nicholas Rhea. The show was originally a starring vehicle for ex-EastEnders actor Nick Berry but over time it has evolved into an ensemble drama. In the 2005 series no fewer than twelve regular actors have their names and faces included in the opening credits – an all-time record for any British series. However, the central character, as far as there is one, remains the Aidensfield village policeman.
The Yorkshire moors scenery is the backdrop to most episodes. In earlier series, Aidensfield's most distinctive local landmark – like that of its real-life counterpart – was the RAF Fylingdales Early Warning Station, the exterior of which appeared in numerous episodes. This is no longer featured, however. When the action moves further afield (for example, due to a criminal attempting a getaway by sea), the town of Whitby is normally used. (Scarborough is occasionally featured instead for variety.) Other real-life towns and cities — such as Leeds, York, Sheffield, Hull, Middlesbrough, Northallerton, Harrogate and Saltburn — are also sometimes mentioned.
Although the show is often criticised for seeing the 1960s through rose tinted spectacles, in reality the series has tended to avoid the usual "swinging sixties" clichés. If there is a cultural revolution going on, then it's not going on in Aidensfield and Ashfordly, and the notion that people were friendlier and the world was safer in the 1960s is given short shrift. The local people are often portrayed as insular and suspicious of strangers, and the area's high crime rate speaks for itself.
Some episodes do, however, make reference to swinging sixties culture, as well as to hippies and psychedelia, usually imposed on the community by outsiders. Sixties pop music is prominent, forming the soundtrack to the show, though sometimes the choice of music seems incongruous – such as an upbeat "swinging sixties" track accompanying a shot of a dour middle-aged rustic Yorkshireman.
When the programme began, it was set in 1964. The setting then moved on, approximately in "real time", until it reached early 1969, where – apart from the Christmas episodes – it has now remained for several years. However the show's chronology has been seen to be quite flexible: the inhabitants of Ashfordly and Aidensfield have certainly celebrated more than four Christmases between 1965 and 1969. The 1998 episode Heartbeat: Changing Places which follows Sgt. Rowan as a Mountie opens with the caption 1968 which is sometimes said to be the only explicit time reference in the series, though one 2004 episode was specifically set on 6 February 1969, the date being deliberately displayed clearly in an extreme close-up of "today's newspaper". Whenever a car or motorcycle's tax disc is shown on screen, it is always valid until 31 December 1969.
Plot
First series
The first series dealt mainly with the experiences of a married couple, PC Nick Rowan and Doctor Kate Rowan, arriving in a small Yorkshire village after living in London. Both faced initial suspicion from the villagers, but over the course of the series came to be accepted as part of the community. The stories focused almost entirely on the experiences of the two main characters. The build-up to the wedding of Sandra and Alan, two youngsters from the village, provided a running thread through the first series. However, Sandra and Alan were never seen, or even mentioned, after the first series.Subsequent series
Once the characters had settled in, subsequent series focused more on the criminal and medical storylines, with a greater role for the other policemen at the Ashfordly station, who had appeared in the first series but only as quite minor supporting characters. Various new characters were introduced along the way, such as Gina Ward, played by Tricia Penrose. After Kate Rowan's death from leukaemia, Nick Rowan gained a new love interest, teacher Jo Weston. The two married and emigrated to Canada, and the central role of local Aidensfield bobby has since changed hands several times.As it reaches middle age, the show has become highly formulaic, with most episodes following a very similar structure. The main storylines are generally to do with criminal activity and related medical matters, and personal traumas. Typically one or more crimes take place, which are investigated by the Aidensfield bobby and the other policemen from the Ashfordly police station. The villains are almost always apprehended by the end of the episode, and usually appear for one episode only.
In parallel, the regular "lovable rogue" character of the day dreams up some scheme or other, often involving making money on the fringes of the law. This forms the sub-plot. Sometimes these sub-plots are closely interwoven with the main storyline; other times they barely impinge and might be better termed "parallel plots".
Other regular local characters get involved in the main plot or sub-plot in one way or another, with the Aidensfield Arms village pub and Aidensfield Garage featuring regularly.
Storylines are usually resolved within the episode, but the development of the main characters and their personal relationships – especially love interests – takes place over many episodes or even series.
The show sometimes suffers from abrupt lurches in continuity. Extremely dramatic and traumatic events that afflict the central characters are usually forgotten by the next episode, and characters who assume great importance in one episode, as, for example, "close friends", are frequently never seen nor mentioned again.
Episode Listing
For a listing of the "Heartbeat" episodes, see Heartbeat (TV series episodes)
Characters and cast
Police
Aidensfield village bobbies- Nick Berry as PC Nick Rowan, later Sgt (1992-1998). Newly arrived from London to become Police Constable for Aidensfield, Nick was good natured and became very popular with the people of Aidensfield. Very happily married to Dr. Kate Rowan (who later died) and with whom he had a daughter, Katy, Nick was affected deeply by Kate's death. About two years later, Nick met school teacher, Jo Weston, and they started courting, and later married. Several months after his wedding with Jo, Sgt. Rowan accepted an offer to join the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and left Aidensfield, with Jo and Katy, to go to Canada.
- Jason Durr as PC Mike Bradley, later acting DC (1997-2003). Motorcycle-riding Aidensfield village bobby, sometimes transforming into square-jawed action hero, to be found grappling with armed villains, dragging survivors from collapsing quarry workings, jumping onto the roofs of trains etc. Husband of the solicitor Jackie Bradley. After he and Jackie divorced as a result of her infidelity, he started seeing Dr. Tricia Summerbee, and they were on the point of becoming engaged when she died tragically in a horse riding accident. Dr. Summerbee's death hit him very hard.
- James Carlton as PC Steve Crane (2003-2004). During an investigation into the disappearance of a six year old girl, Steve found himself alone on a bridge with the girl and her father (who had arranged for his daughter's kidnapping). During the ensuing struggle between Steve and the father, Steve fell off the bridge (presumably pushed off the bridge), and, in spite of all the efforts to save him, he plummeted to his death.
- Jonathan Kerrigan as PC Rob Walker (2004-). Aidensfield bobby, almost identical in character to his predecessor Mike Bradley. He had a tough upbringing (his father is in prison for theft), but his personality does not particularly reflect this. He began an affair with Dr Helen Trent after she separated from her husband. Subsequently Helen's divorce was finalised, and the two married in an episode first broadcast in June 2006. Helen died just weeks later, at the end of the 15th series.
- Derek Fowlds as Sgt Oscar Blaketon, now retired (1992-). After a near-fatal heart attack forced him to retire from the police force, Blaketon became proprietor of Aidensfield post office and general stores, and later owner of the Aidensfield Arms (pub). Also an occasional private detective. He has a reputation for being cynical and suspicious, but he has a soft side too, and has at various times been a voice of wisdom or shoulder to cry on for younger policemen facing moral dilemmas or personal traumas.
- Philip Franks as Sgt Raymond Craddock (1998-2002). Welsh disciplinarian, rather vain and pompous. Noted for his sarcasm, he delivered some of the more amusing lines in the show to date. His favourite hobby is ballroom dancing.
- Duncan Bell as Sgt Dennis Merton (2002-2004). A strait-laced and honourable Scotsman to whom the men were loyal. He married the much younger pharmacist Jenny Latimer. Left the series to move nearer to the hospital where Jenny was being treated after her mental breakdown.
- Georgie Glen as Sgt Noakes (2003-). Occasional stand-in sergeant.
- John Duttine as Sgt George Miller (2005-). Blunt Yorkshireman. Moved to the Ashfordly job from the York police force, and still lives in York. Has a wife and children who are referred to occasionally but not so far seen.
- William Simons as PC Alf Ventress (1992-). Likeable, soft-spoken Yorkshireman. Famed for his encyclopedic local knowledge, his smoking habit, and his occasional lapses (sleeping on the job) and eccentricities (penchant for boiled eggs). His wife, "Mrs Ventress", is regularly referred to by name but has never appeared in person. In his younger years Ventress had a gambling problem, but that is now under control. He is now retired from active police duty, but remains working in a civilian capacity at Ashfordly police station.
- Mark Jordon as PC Phil Bellamy (1992-). Phil is a nice, laid-back and somewhat goofy bloke with a good heart and a great sense of humour. He has had a thing for Gina ever since she arrived in Aidensfield, but she kept turning him down for years before finally warming up to him. Phil and Gina were planning to get married, but when their baby died, Gina called the engagement off and Phil was left alone again. In the 2006 series, Phil married Debbie Black, a single mother with three children, whom he met while investigating a burglary at her house. Debbie later left him to join her first husband in South Africa.
- Ryan Early as PC Tom Nicholson (2001-2002). A rookie who met an early death, when he was shot and killed by a gunman.
- Steven Blakely as PC Geoff Younger (2004-). Fresh-faced bumbling rookie cop.
Medical
- Frank Middlemass as Dr. Alex Ferrenby (1992-1993). Suffered a brain haemorrhage (possibly brought on by a head injury he received when attacked during a burglary at his surgery), which led to him falling into a river and drowning while fishing.
- Niamh Cusack as Dr. Kate Rowan (1992-1995). Married to PC Nick Rowan, she moved from London to Aidensfield with him when he was made Police Constable for the area. A nice and caring person, she found it difficult to practice medicine in Aidensfield, due to a bias there against female doctors. Even Aidensfield's resident doctor, Dr. Ferrenby, was not encouraging to Kate, although he later accepted Kate as his junior partner. Kate took over the practice completely, following Dr. Ferrenby's death. Although Kate and Nick were delighted when Kate found that she was pregnant, Kate was horrified to discover, during the pregnancy, that she was suffering from leukaemia, and she kept the information about her illness a secret from Nick and the townspeople. Kate also refused life-saving medication, which might have kept her alive, because she was worried about the medication having an adverse effect on her unborn baby. Due to her sacrifice, she died, from the leukaemia, shortly after she gave birth to her and Nick's daughter Katy. (When Katy was a pre-schooler, she was taken, by her father, Sgt. Nick Rowan, and her step-mother, Jo, to Canada with them, when her father joined the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.)
- Kazia Pelka as Maggie Bolton (1995-2001). Caring district nurse. Married to Dr Neil Bolton, with whom she had a son, Sam, born after his death. Left the series after accepting a hospital job.
- David Michaels as Dr. Neil Bolton (1997-1999). Died trying to save a child from a house fire, leaving his pregnant wife Maggie to bring up their son.
- Clare Calbraith as Dr. Tricia Summerbee (2000-2002). A very caring and compassionate doctor who had suffered from a heart condition since childhood, her relationship with PC Mike Bradley began when she showed compassion for him over the break-up of his marriage. She and PC Bradley were about to become engaged when her accidental involvement in one of the cases that he was working on as a DC led her to attempt to assist him and the police on horseback. She fell off the horse and died from her injuries.
- Aislín McGuckin as Dr. Liz Merrick (2003-2004). Of Aidensfield's six doctors to date, she is the only one to survive her time in the district. She married Lord Ashfordly's groundsman Ben Norton and moved with him to Kenya.
- Sarah Tansey as Jenny Latimer (later Merton) (2001-2004). Pharmacist, married to Sgt Merton. Left the series when she suffered a mental breakdown and was taken into care.
- Sophie Ward as Dr. Helen Walker, formerly Helen Trent (2004-2006). Another in the long line of caring medical characters. Classy Helen is noted for her flowing golden tresses and her soft, posh voice. Helen moved to the area with her oily husband Matthew (Trent), but they soon separated and she embarked upon an affair with PC Rob Walker while awaiting a divorce but still in fact married. Subsquently Helen's divorce was finalised and the two were married. She was killed in an explosion at the Aidensfield police house at the end of the 15th series (July 2006). The explosion resulted from a homemade bomb planted by a disturbed schoolboy as revenge for the death of his dog during a police chase accident.
\"Lovable rogue\" lineage
- Bill Maynard as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass (1992-2000). Curmudgeonly yet lovable old rogue, always getting into scrapes. Although he often had troubles with the police, he did come to have a (slightly grudging) respect for Nick Rowan. Left the series to join his sister[?] in the Caribbean. This was due to Maynard's illness. The character later appeared in the spin-off, The Royal.
- Geoffrey Hughes as Vernon Scripps (2001-2005). Bernie Scripps' half brother. Small-time businessman and entrepreneur. Replaced Claude Greengrass as the author of the hare-brained schemes which drive the show's various sub-plots. He landed a windfall by discovering very valuable modern art, and seemed set for life. But he agreed to insure an oil tanker, which was lost at sea, so Vernon lost all the money he had gained. He was devastated, but it didn't take long before he began with his get-rich-quick schemes again. Vernon finally quit the series in dramatic style – faking his own suicide to escape the taxman.
- Gwen Taylor as Peggy Armstrong (2005-). David Stockwell's aunt (known as "Aunt Peggy"). Indomitable old battleaxe, created in the Claude Greengrass / Vernon Scripps tradition to dream up colourful wheezes and bully David Stockwell.
Other regular
- Tricia Penrose as Georgina ("Gina") Ward (1993-). Spirited Liverpudlian, landlady of the Aidensfield Arms. The tearaway niece of publican George Ward, Gina was sent to Ashfordly by her parents to straighten her life out. Much to her own surprise, Gina found the pace of life in Ashfordly to her liking and rapidly dropped her previous rebellious ways. She became the licensee of the pub after the death of her uncle. Gina is unlucky in love, and has had a string of failed romances. She was once engaged to PC Phil Bellamy and fell pregnant to him. She gave birth to a premature baby who died in infancy, and their engagement was then broken off. Gina and Phil remain on good terms – even if they are sometimes a little awkward in each other's company. During the most recent series Bellamy married, and Gina had a steady boyfriend in Jack Hollins, however both of these relationships have now ended and there are continuing hints that the pair might eventually reunite.
- Peter Benson as Bernard ("Bernie") Scripps (1995-). Proprietor of Aidensfield Garage, mechanic, taxi operator and undertaker, though he appears to be some way past retirement age. A melancholy individual, he is often roped (reluctantly) into madcap escapades by Claude Greengrass and (later) his half-brother Vernon Scripps.
- David Lonsdale as David Stockwell (first appeared as a one-off character in 1994, regular 1996-). Village buffoon. Clumsy, slow-witted, easily-led and uneducated, but with the proverbial "heart of gold". Whipping boy first to Claude Greengrass, then Vernon Scripps, then Peggy Ashcroft. David earns a living of sorts by doing odd jobs such as making deliveries, digging graves, gardening, and driving a taxi (originally for Vernon Scripps, though since the latter's departure from the series David is now apparently self-employed as a taxi driver, with his base being Bernie's garage). David originally "worked" for and lived with Claude Greengrass, and he took on Greengrass' house when the latter emigrated. Later Vernon Scripps moved in with David, until he too left the series. David's latest "house guest" is his aunt Peggy (Ashcroft), who took it upon herself to move in with him. For many years David was accompanied by a lurcher dog called Alfred (q.v.). Alfred's death upset David greatly, but the grief was lessened by Peggy's gift of a new dog (as yet unnamed).
- Fiona Dolman as Jackie Bradley (née Lambert) (1999-2001). Smart, hard-working and successful solicitor, often acting on behalf of individuals under arrest. She met PC Mike Bradley through her work, and they married, rather in haste. Jackie always seemed slightly ambiguous about the relationship, and she felt "suffocated" in the isolated rural community. Conflicts of interest also arose from her position defending criminals arrested by her husband. She later started an affair with one of her clients, whom she had known only a matter of weeks. Following this, she and Mike Bradley divorced and she left the series.
- Vanessa Hehir as Rosemary ("Rosie") Cartwright (2004-). Mechanic, works for Bernie Scripps at Aidensfield Garage. Daughter of a local farmer. Implausibly young and pretty to be getting her nails dirty in Bernie's workshop.
- Rupert Vansittart as Lord Ashfordly (1992-). Minor aristocrat. His seat is Ashfordly Hall, an old country house surrounded by a large estate. A "get off my land" character, he must have a bob or two since he employs numerous maids, housekeepers, gamekeepers, gardeners etc. His first name is Charles and he appears to be a bachelor. He has a sister called Patricia ("Patty") who has appeared a few times. One of his most amusing incidents was when he was sold some magic mushrooms and ran around Aidensfield with a shotgun!
- Murray Head as Jack Hollins (2005-6). A liberal and somewhat intellectual artist and art teacher. After meeting Gina Ward in the Aidensfield Arms, Jack persuaded her to attend his art classes. Claiming to have recognised some talent, he continued to encourage her artistic aspirations and the two eventually became romantically involved – despite Jack being some years her senior. They fell out after he attempted to exhibit a nude portrait of her against her wishes and it is unlikely that he will return.
- Successively, "Tramp", "Rosie" and "Boots" as Alfred (1992-2005). A lurcher dog, originally belonging to Claude Greengrass and inherited by David Stockwell when Greengrass left the series. He became David's constant companion and appeared in numerous episodes. After a long and happy life, Alfred finally died of heart failure in an episode first broadcast on October 30th 2005.
- Juliette Gruber as Jo Rowan (née Weston) (1995-1998). Teacher. Left the series with her husband, Sgt Nick Rowan, to go to Canada where she continued her career as a teacher.
- Alice Jones as Katie Rowan (1995-1998). Daughter of PC Nick Rowan and the late Dr Kate Rowan.
- Josefina Gabrielle as Debbie Bellamy, formerly Debbie Black (2005-6). Wife of PC Phil Bellamy, and mother of Jane, Susan and PJ Black. Debbie suffers from incipient alcoholism. Her marriage to Phil eventually proved to be bigamous; Barry Black, her previous husband and father of her children had moved to South Africa to escape debt, and not died in a motorcycle accident as she had claimed. At the end of the 15th series she and her children left to join him.
- Lauren Drummond as Jane Black (2005-6). Teenage stepdaughter of PC Phil Bellamy
- Gabriella Dixon as Susan Black (2005-6). 11-year-old daughter of Debbie Bellamy, sister of Jane and PJ Black and step-daughter of PC Phil Bellamy.
- Oliver Pyrah as baby Sam Bolton (1999-2000). Son of Nurse Maggie Bolton and Dr Neil Bolton.
- Callum Sheard as baby Sam Bolton (2000-2001). Son of Nurse Maggie Bolton and Dr. Neil Bolton/ PJ Black (2005-)- Son of Debbie Bellamy and step-son of PC Phil Bellamy.
- Lisa-Marie Boucher - regular extra.
- Stuart Golland as George Ward, publican (1992-1996).
- Anne Stallybrass as Eileen Reynolds, Kate Rowan's aunt (1995-1998). Visited Nick and Kate Rowan, in order to give Kate a legacy from her uncle (Eileen's late husband). After Kate dies from leukaemia, Eileen returns to Aidensfield to assist Nick Rowan in the rearing of Katy, Nick's and Kate's daughter. Eileen then stays on after the marriage of Nick and Jo Weston to continue to assist with Katy. Eileen leaves Aidensfield after rekindling a Second World War romance with a Frenchman.
Recurring
- Simon Molloy as DI Shiner, a keen CID boss.
- Richard Lintern as Ben Norton, Lord Ashfordly's estate manager (2004)
- Emily Wright as Various
Video releases
VHS Name
| Release dates
| ||
UK
| Australasian
| ||
| Heartbeat | TBC 1992 | N/A | |
| Heartbeat 2 | TBC 1993 | N/A | |
| Foverver Yours | TBC 1995 | TBC | |
| Series 5 Episodes 4-9 | TBC 2001 | N/A | |
| Series 5 Episodes 10-15 | TBC 2001 | N/A | |
| Changing Places | TBC 1998 | TBC | |
| Volume 1 | N/A | TBC | |
| Volume 2 | N/A | TBC | |
| Volume 3 | N/A | TBC | |
| Volume 4 | N/A | TBC | |
| Fruits Of The Earth / A Talent For Deception | TBC 1995 | N/A | |
| Rumours / Playing With Fire | TBC 1995 | N/A | |
| Outsiders / Primal Instinct | TBC 1995 | N/A | |
| Secrets / Face Value | TBC 1995 | N/A | |
| End Of The Line / Keep On Running | TBC 1995 | N/A | |
| Bitter Harvest / Wall Of Silence | TBC 1995 | N/A | |
| Manhunt / Bang To Rights | TBC 1995 | N/A | |
| Series 1 (Only available in Goathland) | TBC 1996 | N/A | |
| Series 2 (Only available in Goathland) | TBC 1996 | N/A | |
| Series 3 (Only available in Goathland) | TBC 1996 | N/A | |
Unfortunately no DVD's have yet to be released and all of the above videos (apart from the final 3) are now deleted and not available in shops. However, there are listings for the other videos at amazon.co.uk and you can obtain them although some of them are very expensive.
Trivia
- The theme song for Heartbeat is the Buddy Holly song of the same title, sung by actor Nick Berry, who played the central character part of PC Nick Rowan (who was later promoted to Sgt. Nick Rowan). Nick Berry's recording of the theme song reached number 2 on the UK singles chart in 1992.
- The Torrey Canyon oil spill provided an off-screen plot point in a series ostensibly set in 1969, despite having actually occurred two years earlier.
- Occasionally records from the 1970s appear, anachronistically, on the soundtrack. The most recent record so featured is believed to be The Hollies' 1974 hit, "The Air That I Breathe".
- David Essex once appeared in the show, playing a traveller, or tinker. Other famous people to have appeared in cameo roles include Charlotte Church, Gary Barlow, David Dickinson, Lulu and George Cole.
- In some episodes the police are shown examining real maps of North Yorkshire. As expected, these place Ashfordly somewhere inland from Whitby on the North York Moors. However, the exact location of Aidensfield relative to Ashfordly is never made clear. The impression is given that the two are very close (for example, the Ashfordly police are often seen in the Aidensfield village pub when off duty). However, in one episode it was stated that racers in "hot rod" cars took about 17 minutes to make the journey. Even at a conservative 35 m.p.h. along the country roads, this still equates to a distance on ten miles – rather further than expected.
External links
- [itv.com - Drama]
- [itv.com - Heartbeat]
- [TV.com Heartbeat site]
- ["Heartbeat" - Scriptwriter]
- ["Heartbeat" - the key characters of the TV series]
- [Heartbeat Online]
- [Out of Time] A fanlisting with extras from the show.
- [The Addicted] A discussion board about the show.
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