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In 1964, Cockney bobby PC Nick Rowan is transferred to the rural North Yorkshire village of Aidensfield (real-life Goathland), where his GP wife sets up in practice.
This nostalgic and gentle pan-generational confection came replete with picturesque countryside, upbeat storylines (save for a 1995 weepie where Kate Rowan died of leukaemia) and period pop hits.
Heartbeat‘s combination of crime and medical storylines, charismatic regular characters and wonderfully nostalgic soundtrack made it staple Sunday-night viewing for two decades, with the series’ many prestigious awards including Best Performing Peak-Time Drama and several ITV Programme of The Year awards.
It boasted an audience of 17 million at its peak and toppled Coronation Street from the top of the ratings, ultimately garnering a devoted worldwide following.
It also made Nick Berry (late of EastEnders) the highest-paid TV actor in Britain – a remuneration seemingly in direct inverse proportion to his acting talent . . .
After 18 series, the 1960s came to a shocking conclusion in the final series as PC Joe Mason, DS Rachel Dawson and district nurse Carol Cassidy headed to Australia to try and trace former Aidensfield garage mechanic Rosie and Blaketon and Ventress found themselves in a potentially fatal stand-off.
PC Nick Rowan
Nick Berry
Dr Kate Rowan
Niamh Cusack
Sgt Oscar Blaketon
Derek Fowlds
Claude Jeremiah Greengrass
Bill Maynard
Gina Ward
Tricia Penrose
George Ward
Stuart Golland
PC Ventress
William Simmons
PC Bellamy
Mark Jordon
Eileen
Anne Stallybrass
Jo Weston
Juliette Gruber
Maggie Bolton
Kazia Pelka
