Hadleigh: Divorce (ITV 2 Apr 1976, with Shane Rimmer)

In Divorce James is giving serious consideration to the deal set up by Gregory Baker. He is playing host to the Sheik who is behind the offer to buy Melford. The Sheik, Nadir, seems to be saying all the right things but it very quickly becomes obvious that his plans for Melford would a huge amount of change.

Meanwhile an American in a helicopter lands on Hadleigh’s front lawn, he is a middle-aged, unfit looking scruffy businessman, Howard Pollack, who tells James that Jennifer wants him to start divorce proceedings. Hadleigh thinks Pollack is here to tell him about Baker but it turns out that he himself is the man having the affair with Jennifer. Worse than that she is pregnant with his child. Hadleigh feels he has no option but to push the divorce through as quick as possible.

Pollock puts a spanner in the works by refusing to sign a confession of adultery but does agree to appear in court in person. Hadleigh’s lawyer Tim Balfour thinks Pollack is up to something. He is of course, he reveals in court that not only is Jennifer pregnant but that her affair with Baker began several months before she actually separated from James.

Shock of shocks in the best episode of the season so far. Pollack, played by the fabulous Shane Rimmer, may initially seem like an unlikely choice for Jennifer but she obviously likes older men and he is the kind of character that would take no nonsense from her.

Hadleigh’s guest Sheik Nadir (played by Marc Zuber) has designs on Melford Park but once James learns that his plans include turning Melford into a Safari Park there is no chance he will sell.

production details
UK / ITV – Yorkshire / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Friday 2 April 1976 at 9.00pm

Writer: Ian Curtis / Production Design: Mary Rae / Director: Christopher Hodson

Series: Hadleigh Season 4 Episode 5

cast
Gerald Harper as James Hadleigh
Peter Dennis as Sutton
Ambrosine Phillpotts as Lady Helen
David Horovitch as Tim Balfour
Shane Rimmer as Howard Pollack
Marc Zuber as Sheik Nadir
Geoffrey Lumsden as Judge
Dorina Rae as First Woman
Helen Barnaby as Clerk of Court
Noel Cameron as Counsel
Lesley Mason as Second woman