Tough Love (ITV 2000, Adrian Dunbar, Ray Winstone)

Thriller Tough Love followed high flying Detective Chief Inspector Michael Love (very popular in the north for bringing down the crime figures) who finds his career on the line when an inquiry into corruption is started against him.

Matters are further heightened because it’s his best friend DC Lenny Milton who is investigating. There was a sequel in July 2002 called Lenny Blue.

Winstone said of the production “Tough Love is not the normal cop show. It’s an intelligent script that does not treat the audience like idiots,”

He also talked about how the storyline throws up dilemmas met by everyone in real life. “You can forgive acquaintances, but you can’t forgive a friend.” Ray added. “The drama examines the reactions of a friend asked to doubt his close mate. I used an incident in real life to help play the part. I’m a good guy and bad guy to a point, and I like the part because of this.”

production details
UK / ITV Network – Granada / 2×90 minute episodes / Broadcast 1 – 8 October 2000 Sundays 9.00pm

Writer: Edward Camfor-Dumas / Titles: Huge Design / Costume: Lyn Avery / Music: Alan Parker / Design: Claire Kenny / Camera: Dominic Clemence / Executive Producers: Susan Hogg, Simon Lewis / Producer: Tom Grieves / Director: David Drury

cast
ADRIAN DUNBAR as D.C.I. Michael Love
RAY WINSTONE as D.C. Lenny Milton
DAVID HAYMAN as Barry Hindes
COLIN TIERNEY as D.S. Connelly
HAZEL ELLERBY as Mags Milton
SALLY DEXTER as Helen Love
ANNABELLE APSION as D.I. Karen Irving
VINCENT FRIELL as D.C. Kevin Hughes
BRUCE BYRON as D.C. Gerry Singleton
GEORGE ANTON as D.I. Donald Parkin
SOPHIE STANTON as D.S. Denise Wright
JAKE WOOD as Pete Ainsworth
AMANDA DREW as D.C. Jilly Barnes
SAM RILEY as James Milton