Roughnecks

1 9 9 4 – 1 9 9 5 (UK)
13 x 50 minute episodes

This drama series from the BBC centred on the working and personal lives of the crew of the fictional Norsco oil rig Osprey Explorer in the North Sea.

Kieran Prendiville (late of Tomorrow’s World and That’s Life) took two years researching the story and there was much drama due to the very nature of the subject, with hurricane-force gales, sub-zero temperatures and the forced intimacy of workers flown from the real world (two weeks on, two weeks off) to an island on stilts where safety and survival were never taken for granted.

Six episodes were broadcast in June and July 1994, with a subsequent seven episodes aired in November and December 1995.

Offshore filming took place on the oil rig Dan Countess, which was not in use at the time.

Tessa Buckingham
Teresa Banham
Ceefax
Colum Convey
Ian
Paul Copley
Tom
James Cosmo
Chris
Liam Cunningham
Hilary
Francesca Hunt
Heather
Ashley Jensen
Terry
Bruce Jones
Drew McAllister
John McGlynn
Izzy
Anne Raitt
Kevin
George Rossi
Archie
Clive Russell
Wilf
Hywel Simons
Cinders
Ricky Tomlinson
Davey
Alec Westwood
Edvard
Martin Wenner
Cath
Katy Murphy
Telegram Sam
John Kazek