Bergerac: The Tennis Racket (BBC-1 29 Nov 1985, with Reece Dinsdale)

In The Tennis Racket, bad boy tennis player Rory O’Brien is on the island to open a new sports shop owned by his manager John McKennan. Meanwhile O’Brien’s brother and coach Frank is receiving threats against his brother and asks Bergerac for help.

In a twist it turns out McKennan is bad lot and has gotten Frank involved with a group of crooks who are using him to smuggle diamonds (concealed in the shaft of one of his brother’s tennis rackets).

The real gem of the episode though is elderly actress Constance Chapman as Kate Fordham, a former tennis player who throws water over Rory and is the catalyst for Jim getting to the true facts of the case. For someone who doesn’t drink it’s really quite remarkable how often Jim find’s himself in Lil’s bar.

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×50 minute episodes / Broadcast 29 November 1985 at 9.25pm

Writer: Terry James / Production Design: John Hurst / Director: Les Chatfield

Series: Bergerac Season 4 Episode 7

cast
John Nettles as Jim Bergerac
Terence Alexander as Charles Hungerford
Sean Arnold as Crozier
Nancy Mansfield as Peggy Masters
Mela White as Diamante Lil
Louise Jameson as Susan
Deborah Grant as Deborah
Reece Dinsdale as Rory O’Brien
Jonathan Moore as Frank O’Brien
Constance Chapman as Kate Fordham
Andrew Burt as John McKennan
Jolyon Baker as Det Con Goddard
Michael Lees as Gerald Green
Jonathan Stratt as Monty
Ian Sharp as Haskins
James Mansfield as Reporter
Robert Farrant as Baldwin