The Canterbury Tales - Memorable TV The TV Shows

A series of six separate dramas reworking Geoffrey Chauncer's medieval tales into a modern setting.
(W) = Writer; (D)=Director

1) The Millers Tale (W: Peter Bowker; D: John McKay - 11 September 2003)
Smooth-talking Irish conman Nick Zakian arrives in a small Kent village posing as a talent scout and convinces Alison, the karaoke singing young wife of protective pub landlord John Crosby, that she will become a big star. But he really has designs on her body and John's money.
With:- JAMES NESBITT as Nick Zakian / BILLIE PIPER as Alison Crosby / KENNY DOUGHTY as Danny Absolon / DENNIS WATERMAN as John Crosby / RALPH RIACH as Malcolm Wickens

2) The Wife of Bath (W: Sally Wainwright; D: Andy De Emmony - 18 September 2003)
Beth is the star of a successful TV drama show and begins a relationship with her much younger co-star Jerome.
With:- JULIE WALTERS as Beth / PAUL NICHOLLS as Jerome / PASCALE BURGESS as Jessica / BILL NIGHY as James / BOB MASON as Ian / CAROLYN PICKLES as Judy / SAMANTHA BOND as Jane / SIOBHAN HEWLETT as Karen

3) The Knight's Tale (W: Tony Marchant; D: Marc Munden - 25 September 2003)
Paul and Ace are old friends who by chance end up sharing a prison cell together. Emily is a literacy teacher working in the prison and both men fall for her and become bitter rivals for her affection.
With:- CHIWETEL EJIOFOR as Paul / JOHN SIMM as Ace / KEELEY HAWES as Emily / BILL PATERSON as Theo / PADDY FLETCHER as Bowles / STEVE CHAPLIN as Biff

4) The Sea Captain's Tale (W: Avie Luthra; D: John McKay - 2 October 2003)
Meena is a spoilt young trophy wife of mobster Jetender. When she builds up huge debts buying expensive jewellery she finds her allowance is insufficient and uses her feminine charms to get money from another man.
With:- OM PURI as Jetender / INDIRA VARMA as Meena / NITIN GANATRA as Pushpinder / USHA PATEL as Misha / INDIRA JOSHI as Vena / LEENA DHINGRA Usha / LALITA AHMED as Rani / BARBER ALI as Gulati

5) The Pardoner's Tale (W: Tony Grounds; D: Andy De Emmony - 9 October 2003)
The story of three layabouts living in a town where a teenage girl has gone missing - the second to vanish in a year. A chance encounter with a strange girl leads them to a house with gold ingots hidden beneath the floorboards. But the strange girl is not what she seems and the three know more about the missing girl than at first seems.
With:- JONNY LEE MILLER as Arty / SAMANTHA WHITTAKER as Kitty Norman / BEN BENNETT as Baz / WILLIAM BECK as Colin / ROBERT EAST as Mr Norman / JILL BAKER as Mrs Norman / MELISSA LLOYD as Mandy Briggs / IAN BURFIELD as Ian Healey / TONYA KERINS as Viv Healey / JADE WILLIAMS as Amy Healey / JAYMIE PENNINGTON as Chloe Healey

6) The Man of Law's Tale (W: Olivia Hetreed; D: Julian Jarrold - 16 October 2003)
Constance, an illegal immigrant from Nigeria is befriended by a mixed-race couple who help hide her from the authorities. Their friend Alan meets her and falls madly in love with her and when she is eventually deported he follows her.
With:- NIKKI AMUKA-BIRD as Constance Musa / ANDREW LINCOLN as Alan King / ADAM KOTZ as Mark Constable / RAKIE AYOLA as Nicky Constable / KIKA MARKHAM as Leila King / LEO BILL as Terry