George Gently – a gripping new detective drama – premières Sunday 8 April at 9pm on 91Èȱ¬ One
Introduction
In his first literary adaptation for television, Our Friends In The North writer Peter Flannery re-visits Sixties Britain for George Gently, an adaptation for 91Èȱ¬ One of one of the Inspector Gently series of novels by Alan Hunter.
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Martin Shaw stars in the title role, and he is joined by a first-rate cast including Phil Davis, Richard Armitage and Lee Ingleby.
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Britain, 1964: a time when the line between the police and criminals has become increasingly blurred; when the proliferation of drugs is about to change the face
of policing forever; when Britain's youth stand on the brink of a social and sexual
revolution.
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Inspector George Gently is one of the few good men at Scotland Yard,
his sense of public duty an increasingly rare commodity in a police force where
corruption is rife and unchecked.
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But his relentless pursuit of notorious
gangsters such as Joe Webster (Phil Davis, Bleak House) leads to the murder of
Gently's beloved wife Isabella, a killing arranged by Webster himself in an act of
revenge upon Gently.
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When a grieving Gently learns of the murder of a young biker,
Johnny Lister (Christian Cooke, Where The Heart Is), who was part of a
Northumberland drugs ring, it has all the hallmarks of a Webster operation and he
insists on being given the case, deciding it will be his last...
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In Northumberland, George takes on the headstrong young Detective Sergeant Bacchus (Lee Ingleby, The Street), who is convinced that the prime suspect for Johnny
Lister's murder is Ricky Deeming (Richard Armitage, Robin Hood), the charismatic
leader of the Defenders biker gang.
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But, as the case grows ever more complex,
Gently must decide if Bacchus can be trusted – hot-tempered and ambitious, could he
too be drawn to the corrupt road taken by so many of his contemporaries? Or can
Gently keep Bacchus's integrity intact?
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As the case reaches its violent climax,
Gently begins to feel that his brand of policing is needed now more than ever – and
perhaps he is not ready to call this his last case after all...
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Peter Flannery says: "George Gently is a hugely interesting character and I know that Martin will bring him to life perfectly.
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"The youthful rebellion element of the film – the jukebox cafes, biker gangs and drugs running – contrast brilliantly with Gently's old-school persona; and the
spectacular landscapes, including wild fells and rugged coastline, really add to the dramatic visual style of the piece."
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George Gently is written and executive produced by Peter Flannery. Other executive producers are George Faber and Charlie Pattinson for Company Pictures and Polly Hill for 91Èȱ¬ One. Produced by Jake Lushington (Mysterious Creatures) and directed by Euros Lyn (Doctor Who).
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George Gently is a Company Pictures production for 91Èȱ¬ One. It was filmed on location in Dublin.
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George Gently was commissioned by Jane Tranter, Controller, 91Èȱ¬ Fiction.
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PPR
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