The Main Chance: It Couldn’t Happen Here (ITV 30 May 1975)

In It Couldn’t Happen Here Main and Clegg try to bring down agitator Joe Holroyd who is heavily disrupting a major building project using intimidation, violence and mob rule. Walter goes undercover to try and gain inside knowledge of Holroyd’s intentions but ends up getting badly beaten up for his trouble.

When Main sees how badly Clegg has been hurt he swings into action and in a great confrontation with Holroyd tells him he will have him put in prison within three months. He brings in private detective Peter Jarrett and his team to uncover enough info on Holroyd to bring him down.

In a nicely played out subplot the gorgeous Inge arranges a belated birthday dinner for David, she reveals that she has booked a flight home to Norway tomorrow and the pair end up spending the night together.

The gorgeous Inge makes preparations for her dinner date with David.

And David looks pretty smug about it too!

The fabulous Ray Smith is Holroyd, such a great character actor and highly believable as the tough agitator.

Another example of actors playing more than one role in the same series pops up here too in the shape of the excellent Stuart Wilson who plays William Trehearne in this episode but had previously appeared twice in series three in the quite prominent role of Margaret’s new assistant Edward Ransome. Still it had been a couple of years since the previous series.

We also learn, when Holroyd is threatening Clegg, that Walter has two grown up children, both married, and five grandchildren.

Margaret and Henry do not appear in this episode.

classic quote
“His name is Holroyd, he stops jobs. We want you to stop him.”

production details
UK / ITV – Yorkshire / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast Friday 30 May 1975 at 9.00pm

Writer: Edmund Ward / Production Design: Mary Rea / Director: Tony Wharmby

Series: The Main Chance Season 4 Episode 7

cast
John Stride as David Main
Glynn Edwards as Walter Clegg
Sharon Mughan as Inge Lindstrom
Artro Morris as Robert Jordan
Ray Smith as Joe Holroyd
Derek Francis as Sir James Darren
Stuart Wilson as William Trehearne
Keith Washington as Richard Darren
Frank Wylie as Yorkie
Joseph Brady as George Allen
Patrick Jordan as Smith
Frederick Jaeger as Peter Jarratt
Anthony Roye as Crown Court Judge