Crocodile Shoes: Troubled Man (BBC-1 21 Nov 1996, with Idris Elba)

Things are going from bad to worse for Jed in Troubled Man, he has been framed by the devious Warren Bowles (who is really behind Ade’s death) and is arrested on charges of drug dealing, his soon to be brother-in-law Pep eventually puts up the 100,000 pounds bail and the crooked Inspector McCluskey is pointing the finger at Jed for Ade’s murder. Not only that his record company are demanding the return of the almost half million advance for Jed’s second album.

After another run in with the police Jed is sentenced to prison for 28 days but is determined to clear his name once he gets out. It seems Ade’s sister Lucy and his friends back home are the only ones who believe he is innocent.

A move straight into thriller mode for this second episode, things couldn’t possibly get much worse for Jed although he does meet a couple of interesting characters in jail (you think they are going to play a more prominent role but they are not seen again – although Jed does later dedicate a song to them, a young Idris Elba plays one of the two inmates).

production details
UK / BBC One – Big Boy – Red Rooster / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 21 November 1996

Writer: Jimmy Nail / Director: Roger Bamford

Series: Crocodile Shoes Season 2 Episode 2

guest cast
TONY LEARY as Court Clerk
McKENZIE FRASER as Magistrate
NADESHDA RICHTER BRENNICKE as Roxanne
ELIZABETH CARLING as Wendy
ANTHONY MILNER as Ted Quimby
STEPHEN FINEGOLD as Detective Calder
TREVOR BYFIELD as Connors
ROBERT MORGAN as Warren Bowles
ROB MARSTON as Court Policeman
MICKEY HUTTON as Tony
BRIAN WALSH as Bobby
JEFFREY KNOX as Omo
SAMMY JOHNSON as Archie
PAUL PALANCE as Big Chrissie
ROY PATTISON as Walter Fines
LISA HAYES as Clark’s Secretary
CHRISTOPHER FAIRBANK as Alan Clarke
DONALD SUMPTER as Pilsbury
SARA STEWART as Lucy
KENNETH MacDONALD as D.I. McClusky
PAUL HEGARTY as M3 Policeman 1
MARK HENSON as M3 Policeman 2
TIM BEASLEY as Guard 1
HARRY MILLER as Guard 2
IDRIS ELBA as Jo-Jo
OSCAR JAMES as Gentle
MOLLY BEAN as Becky Shepperd
LEO DOLAN as Humper
GED SIMMONS as Guard 3
NICOLA BELL as Female TV Reporter
JO DOW as Matt Ford