1 9 9 6 – 1 9 9 8 (UK)
27 x 75 minute episodes
Hetty Wainthropp (Patricia Routledge), a sprightly and intelligent 60-year-old pensioner looking for a new challenge, decides to become a private investigator much to the chagrin of her unemployed husband, Robert (Derek Benfield).
Once she makes up her mind, she becomes an unstoppable force and – donning her worn beret and raincoat – sets out to investigate crimes which are usually of less interest to the local police force in and around their little village in the beautiful Lancashire countryside.
Hetty opens the Wainthropp Detective Agency with the help of her young sidekick, Geoffrey (Dominic Monaghan), a reformed shoplifter who carried his boss around on the back of his red and white Lambretta scooter.
By infiltrating knitting circles or posing as a dinner lady, Hetty constantly bemused the local constabulary’s DCI Adams (John Graham-Davies) with her success rate.
Geoffrey’s girlfriend Janet (Suzanne Maddock) was introduced as a regular character in later episodes.
Hetty Wainthropp
Patricia Routledge
Robert Wainthropp
Derek Benfield
Geoffrey Shawcross
Dominic Monaghan
DCI Adams
John Graham-Davies
Janet
Suzanne Maddock
