Back Up (BBC-1 1995-1997, Martin Troakes, James Gaddas)

Crime drama series. Cases of a group of coppers working in an Operational Support Unit.

production details
United Kingdom / BBC1 / 1x75m-e / 11x50m-e / 1995/97

Creator: Roy Mitchell, Nigel McCrery / Producer: Hilary Salmon / Costume Design: Sally Pearson / Titles: Lynda Sherwood-Page / Script Editors: Clare Elliott (season 1). Andrew Clifford(season 2) / Police Consultant: Philip Fenerty / Music: John Lunn / Executive Producers: Chris Parr, Caroline Oulton(season 1)/ Tony Virgo & Julian Murphy(Season 2)

regular cast
Sgt Bill Parkin (Sarge)………………. MARTIN TROAKES
PC Jim Reaper (season 2)…………. JAMES GADDAS
PC Gill Copson (Dippy)…………….. KATRINA LEVON
PC John Barrett (Thug)……………… NICK MILES
PC Lionel Adams (Oz)……………… WILLIAM TAPLEY
PC Eric Warren (Token)……………. CHRISTOPHER JOHN HALL
PC Ian Macrae (Jock)………………. ALEX NORTON
PC Roger Tennant (Flub)………….. CULUM MacPHERSON
PC Susan Li (Bruce)……………….. COLETTE KOO
PC Wayne Cheetham (Bog)……… OLIVER MILBURN
Insp Harlow (Jean)………………….. WAYNE MORRIS\
D.I. Overton………………………….. PETER SULLIVAN
Supt Hallsworth…………………….. SAM COX
D.C.I. Chivers……………………….. SUZAN CROWLEY
PC Goole…………………………….. CHRISTOPHER QUINN

THE EPISODES

SEASON ONE 6 Episodes / 1x75m-e 5x50m-e / 7 Sep – 26 Oct 1995

1. NOT ALL THERE
The members of Charlie Van are assigned to a team investigating serial murders.

John Kerridge…………………………..SEAN SCANLAN
Dept Supt Lawlor…………………….. STUART FOX
Evans…………………………………… DAVE DUFFY
Kate Warren………………………….. ANDY HAY
Sarah Devanney……………………… BEVERLY HILLS
Angela………………………………….. HILARY REYNOLDS
Christina……………………………….. LIZ BRAILSFORD
Ayshea………………………………… PAMELA MOISETVITCH
Sgt Gilliard……………………………. DANIELLA WHEATLEY
C.I.D. Officer………………………….. STEPHEN PAGET

WRITER: Roy Mitchell
DIRECTOR: Jan Sargent

2. TENDER LOVING CARE
An ex-soldier back from Bosnia has plans to prevent his sister getting married – plans which result in the team being called in.

Instructor………………………………. CONNOR McINTYRE
Kate Warren………………………….. BEVERLEY HILLS
Brenda Parkin………………………… AMELDA BROWN
Ted……………………………………… DAVID STOLL
Tony Deeley………………………….. SAM HALFPENNY
Susan Deeley………………………… ANGELA BELTON
Alan Forbes…………………………… TIMOTHY WATSON
Tracy…………………………………… ANNIE MILES
Dr Sharma……………………………..BALRAJ SINGH SOMAL
Vicar…………………………………… GERRY HINKS

WRITER: Steve Trafford
DIRECTOR: Jan Sargent

3. TOLERATION ZONE
The team are called in when a community takes vigilante action to rid its area of prostitutes.

Kate Warren……………………………. BEVERLEY HILLS
Brenda Parkin………………………….. AMELDA BROWN
Dave……………………………………… CHARLES SIMPSON
Tracy…………………………………….. ANNIE MILES
Joyce……………………………………. DIDO MILES
Ali………………………………………… AYUB KHAN DIN
Cheryll………………………………….. DONNA ALEXANDER
Ralf Johnson………………………….. STEVE TOUSSAINT
Val………………………………………. JOANNE ELEY
Tina……………………………………… LAURA BECKFORD
Sgt Gilliard……………………………. TERRY JOHN

WRITER: Steve Trafford
DIRECTOR: Jan Sargent

4. BADLANDS
Events threaten to spiral out of control on a tough inner city housing estate.

Kate Warren……………………………. BEVERLEY HILLS
Dave……………………………………… CHARLES SIMPSON
Tracy…………………………………….. ANNIE MILES
Melanie…………………………………. FIONA JOHNSON
D.C.I. Milne……………………………. ANTHONY SMEE
Irene…………………………………….. ANNA MOTTRAM
Sharon………………………………….. EMMA REES
Elaine…………………………………… MICHELLE BONNARD
Michelle………………………………… DONNA SMART
Betty……………………………………. STELLA MORAY
Madge………………………………….. MARYANN TURNER

WRITER: Simon Andrew Stirling
DIRECTOR: Douglas Mackinnon

5.HAPPY THAT WAY
The team have to go undercover as prostitutes, drug dealers and rent boys, in order to stamp out crime on a local common.

D.C. Stoppard……………………………. JONTY STEPHENS
Tracy………………………………………. ANNIE MILES
Raelene Adams………………………… JULIANNE WHITE
Nick Adams…………………………….. TRISTAN MEETHAM
Dan Romilley…………………………… RICHARD CORDERY
James……………………………………. PAUL VIRAGH
Karen…………………………………….. SARAH SMART
Gifford……………………………………. TREVOR BYIELD
Brian Spink……………………………… IAN BLOWER
Hopley…………………………………… PETER WADDINGTON
Eamon Vernon………………………… ROY LEE

WRITER: Roy Mitchell
DIRECTOR: Douglas Mackinnon

6. CLUBBING
The team have to join forces with the Drugs Squad to take part in a raid on a club.

Kate Warren………………………….. BEVERLEY HILLS
Brenda Parkin……………………….. AMELDA BROWN
Tracy………………………………….. ANNIE MILES
Foxton………………………………… JAMES CLYDE
Gifford…………………………………. TREVOR BYFIELD
Beckwith……………………………… ALAN COOK
D.C.I. Clews…………………………. COLIN McFARLANE
Linton McLinton…………………….. TREVOR THOMAS
Eamonn Vernon…………………….. ROY LEE
Letitia Halifax……………………….. SARA CARVER
Coroner Phelps…………………….. LAURA DAVENPORT

WRITER: Roy Mitchell
DIRECTOR: Bob Blagden

SEASON TWO 6 Episodes / 1997

1. A NIGHT OUT WITH THE LADS
The unit, whilst searching for proof of an illegal boxing bout, discover the body of a teenage boy.

David Coupland………………………….. BILLY GERAGHTY
Jim Kellett………………………………… AL HUNTER ASHTON
Tania………………………………………. KEELEY FORSYTH
Liam……………………………………….. DAVID SHANE
Armitage………………………………….. BERNARD LATHAM
Brenda Parkin……………………………. AMELDA BROWN
Ch. Con. Ames………………………….. RUPERT BAKER
Mrs Kellet………………………………… ALISON BELBIN
Tracy………………………………………. ANNIE MILES
Flo Barrett………………………………… KATE CRUTCHLEY
Tony Squire………………………………. RICHARD HARBUTT

WRITER: Roy Mitchell
DIRECTOR: Bob Blagden

2. PARTNERS
Two escaped convicts lead the team a merry dance.

Christopher Carter……………………… ROB SPENDLOVE
Lynne Vaughan………………………… JULIA CHATTERLEY
Sally Vaughan………………………….. MELANIE WALTERS
Kevin Simpson…………………………. JOE TUCKER
D.C. Kath Reaper……………………… KATE GARTSIDE
Tracy……………………………………… ANNIE MILES
Jim Holmes…………………………….. FREDDIE EARLLE
Donald…………………………………… DAVID TELFER
Alan Vaughan………………………….. PETER PACEY
Zoe Thomas……………………………. EMILIE OLDKNOW
Mrs Thomas……………………………. MARIE CLIFFORD
Mr Thomas……………………………… MARK SPALDING

WRITER: Susan Wilkins
DIRECTOR: Bob Blagden

3. TOUCHED
The team are called to the aftermath of a horrific train crash.

Tracy………………………………………… ANNIE MILES
Brenda Parkin…………………………….. AMELDA BROWN
Youden…………………………………….. DON WARRINGTON
Dr Flynn……………………………………. BARRY JACKSON
Sean Hannigan…………………………… BARRY EWART
Mountford…………………………………. MICHAEL STAINTON
Coroner……………………………………. IAN PRICE
Meera……………………………………….ZITA SATTAR
Jago……………………………………….. PHILIP CHILDS
Jacqueline Kinnaird……………………. SUZANNE SINCLAIR
Jury Foreman…………………………… JACKI PIPER
Farmer…………………………………… STACY DAVIES

WRITER: Avril E. Russell
DIRECTOR: Jan Sargent

4. PRESENCE
A housing estate is being ruled by a protection racket.

D.S. Kath Reaper……………………… KATE GARTSIDE
Brenda Parkin………………………….. ANNIE MILES
Jefferson Taylor………………………… AMELDA BROWN
Toby Skinner…………………………… DANIEL NEWMAN
Jefferson Taylor……………………….. EDWARD O’CONNELL
Dougie Skinner…………………………NICOLAS TENNANT
Mike Skinner………………………….. NEIL PHILLIPS
Gloria Skinner…………………………. LYNDA ROOKE
Don………………………………………. MARC FINN
Angela Skully………………………….. JUDI ARMSTRONG
Neil……………………………………….. RICHARD HAYDN
Sally………………………………………. LENA ANDERSSON

WRITER: Robin Mukherjee
DIRECTOR: Jan Sargent

5. NOT CRICKET
The team are called in when a factory owner is suspected of using child labour.

D.S. Kath Reaper………………………….. KATE GARTSIDE
Tracy…………………………………………. ANNIE MILES
Brenda Parkin……………………………… AMELDA BROWN
Jennings……………………………………. GEORGE IRVING
Whitlock……………………………………. RICHARD AVERY
Sharma…………………………………….. BADI UZZAMAN
Shiv…………………………………………. ALBERT MOSES
Meera………………………………………. MEERA NARASIMKAN
Madhu……………………………………… MAMTA KASH
David Stone……………………………….. STEVE HUISON
Sheila………………………………………. RACHEL VICTORIA ROBERTS
Tania……………………………………….. KEELEY FORSYTH
Armitage…………………………………… BERNARD LATHAM

WRITER: Robin Mukherjee
DIRECTOR: Jan Sargent

6. SOMETHING FOR THE WEEKEND, SIR
The team face a tense time when they try to break a paedophile ring especially as Copson believes Overton is involved.

D.S. Kath Reaper………………………….. KATE GARTSIDE
Liam…………………………………………… DAVID SHANE
Armitage……………………………………… BERNARD LATHAM
Tania………………………………………….. KEELEY FORSYTH
Brenda Parkin………………………………. AMELDA BROWN
Gallie…………………………………………. STEPHEN CRITCHLOW
Jean Armitage……………………………… JUDITH BARKER
Simmons……………………………………. PAUL JERRICHO
Ruth Simmons…………………………….. LAURA COX
Talbot………………………………………… ANTHONY JACKSON
Dr Hallsman……………………………….. TERESA McELROY
Claire……………………………………….. NIKE WHITE

WRITER: Roy Mitchell
DIRECTOR: Bob Blagden