Heat of the Sun (ITV Crime Drama Trevor Eve)

In the excellent but short lived Heat of the Sun it is the 1930’s and Supertintendent Albert Tyburn (Trevor Eve) of Scotland Yard crosses the line once too often and rather than be forced out of the force all together he is sent out to Kenya in Nairobi to head up a new criminal investigation unit. He soon finds that the gin drinking ex-pats are none too keen to have him around but he finds that murder and mystery are never far away.

His cases include murder and kidnap but he constantly finds himself brushing up against his boss Commissioner Ronald Burkitt (Michael Byrne) who cares more about what people think and keeping the British upper lip very stiff than with getting results.

A typically top notch performance from Trevor Eve, fabulous production values and strong writing make Heat of the Sun very watchablee indeed. It’s a bit forgotten these days running as it did for just three episodes but it was high calibre stuff and guest stars included the likes of Tim Woodward, Hugh Bonneville, Diana Quick, Cathryn Harrison, Joss Ackland and Geoffrey Bayldon.

Cast: TREVOR EVE as Superintendent Albert Tyburn; SUSANNAH HARKER as Emma Fitzgerald; MICHAEL BYRNE as Commissioner Ronald Burkitt; FREDDIE ANNOBIL-DODOO as P.C. Jonah Karinde; JULIAN RHIND-TUTT as as Assistant Superintendent James Valentine; DAVID HOROVITCH as Dr Emil Mueller; SEAN GALLAGHER as Chico DeVille

Producer: Ann Tricklebank / Music: Nick Bicat / Executive Producer: Ted Childs

UK / ITV Network – Carlton / 3×120 minute episodes / 28 January – 11 February 1998 Wednesdays at 8.00pm

THE EPISODES

1. PRIVATE LIVES
Ex Scotland Yard detective Albert Tyrburn arrives in Nairobi to set up a criminal investigation unit. He does not find himself popular among the gin swilling ex-pats especially after a murder occurs.

Guest Cast: PAUL BROOKE as Sir Rex Willoughby; TIM WOODWARD as Lord Harry Ellermere; SOPHIE DIX as Kika Trefususis; DANIEL BETTS as Viscount Guy Cameron; HUGH SIMON as Gussie Carstairs; JAMES CALLIS as Ass Supt Clive Lanyard

WRITER: Russell Lewis / DIRECTOR: Adrian Shergold

2. HIDE IN PLAIN SIGHT
Tyburn investigates the death of one girl and the abduction of another from a Christian mission in Nairobi. Meanwhile Burkitt is more concerned with clearing the town of native prostitutes in preperation for an impending royal visit.

Guest Cast: CATHRYN HARRISON as Charlotte Elliott; DIANA QUICK as Avril Watcham; DEBORAH FINDLAY as Matilda Watcham; HUGH BONNEVILLE as Rev Edward Herbert; EDWIN STEWART as John McAllister

WRITER: Timothy Prager / DIRECTOR: Diarmuid Lawrence

3. THE SPORT OF KINGS
When a young boy working for millionaire newspaper baron Max Van Der Vuurst is found murdered, the colony closes ranks to protect its own and Tyburn finds that his investigations are floundering. Meanwhile preperations are under way for the biggest event of the the year in Nairobi’s social calender – race week.

Guest Cast: JOSS ACKLAND as Max Van Der Vuurst; JAMES ELLIS as Archie McCourt; GEOFFREY BAYLDON as Rafe Goodwin; JOHNATHON FIRTH as Capt Charles Keaton; DAVID QUILTER as Cookie

WRITER: Russell Lewis / DIRECTOR: Paul Seed