Tightrope (UK)

1 9 7 2 (UK)
13 x 30 minute episodes

Timeslip star Spencer Banks, John Savident (Coronation Street) and future BAFTA-winning producer and director David Munro starred in this tense thriller for young viewers which brilliantly captured the paranoia of the Cold War.

Martin Clifford (Banks) lives in a quiet English village called Redlow and is busy studying for his A-levels at Redlow Comprehensive School when someone intercepts the ‘School for Television’ broadcast during lessons with a message called “The voice of truth” asking students to question the authority of the establishment.

Martin suddenly finds himself at the centre of a dangerous international espionage plot.

Beneath the outwardly calm surface of Redlow lies an intricate network of spies and counterspies, with their focus of attention being the nearby American Air Force base – soon to become the communications centre for top-secret NATO exercises.

Martin is commissioned by British Intelligence to help uncover enemy agents in the village and finds his life balanced precariously on a tightrope – one false move on either side, and he could fall to his death.

Created and written by Victor Pemberton, whose previous writing credits included Dr Who and Ace of Wands, Tightrope was first screened in 1972.

All thirteen half-hour episodes are available on DVD release.

Martin Clifford
Spencer Banks
Forrester
John Savident
Mr Harvey
David Munro
Miss Walker
Marian Diamond
Mr Fletcher
Frederick Treves
Mr Clifford
George Waring
Mr Elliot
Michael Mellinger
Jessie Ruggles
Hazel Bainbridge
Ron Desmond
Michael Beint
Spud
Mike Grady