Hetty Wainthropp Investigates
Encyclopedia
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates is a genteel British crime–comedy drama television series which aired from 1996 to 1998 on BBC One
. The series starred Patricia Routledge
as the title character (Henrietta "Hetty" Wainthropp), Derek Benfield
as her patient husband Robert, Dominic Monaghan
as their lodger
(and her assistant) Geoffrey Shawcross and John Graham Davies
as DCI Adams.
Later episodes include Suzanne Maddock
as Janet Frazer, a feisty young auto mechanic who sells a car to Geoffrey; their relationship develops by the end of the series.
Many of the episodes have been featured on the American PBS series Mystery!
.
The series is based on characters from the 1986 novel Missing Persons by David Cook (who co-wrote the series with John Griffith Bowen
). The incidents in Cook's book were inspired by his own mother's real-life experiences. Before Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, there had been a feature-length pilot episode, entitled Missing Persons, originally broadcast in 1990
on ITV
and featuring Tony Melody
as Robert Wainthropp. However, ITV opted not to pursue a series.
Hetty Wainthropp is a retired working-class woman from Darwen
in North West England, who has a knack for jumping to conclusions and solving crimes of varying bafflement which often are too minor to concern the police. Although on occasion her husband offers assistance, he more often than not tends to the home while Hetty gads about the countryside with young Geoffrey in search of resolution and justice. In many episodes Hetty seeks the help and advice of DCI Adams of the local constabulary.
This wholesome series was very popular with viewers, but despite this no further episodes have been commissioned. In a 2008 interview, Routledge said that the cast and crew had been told by the BBC at the end of the fourth series that a fifth series would be commissioned, though it never was.
Special
such as Burnley
, Darwen
, Blackburn, Rossendale
and Bolton
. Music for the series was composed by Nigel Hess
, and in 1997 was awarded the Ivor Novello Award
for best television theme.
in the UK, currently Acorn Media UK
, with Madman Films releasing "Hetty Wainthropp" in Australia; in Belgium and the Netherlands distribution was done by Lime-Lights Pictures.
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
. The series starred Patricia Routledge
Patricia Routledge
Katherine Patricia Routledge, CBE is an English character comedy actress and singer. She is best known for her role as character Hyacinth Bucket in the British television series Keeping Up Appearances and Hetty Wainthropp in the British television series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates...
as the title character (Henrietta "Hetty" Wainthropp), Derek Benfield
Derek Benfield
Derek Benfield was a British playwright and actor.He was born in Bradford, Yorkshire, and educated at Bingley Grammar School. He was the author of the stage farce Running Riot and the second actor who played Patricia Routledge's character's husband in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates...
as her patient husband Robert, Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Monaghan
Dominic Bernard Patrick Luke Monaghan is an English actor. He has received international attention from playing Merry in Peter Jackson's adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings and for his role as Charlie Pace on the television show Lost....
as their lodger
Lodger
Lodger may refer to:* Lodger , a 1979 art rock album by David Bowie* Lodger , a Finnish indie rock band* Lodger , a short-lived supergroup comprising members of Powder, Supergrass, and Delicatessen...
(and her assistant) Geoffrey Shawcross and John Graham Davies
John Graham Davies
John Graham-Davies is a British actor most famous for playing Les Hunter in the soap-opera Hollyoaks from 2001 to 2005.During his early career, Davies was a member of the original cast of John Godber's 1977 play Bouncers. He has also appeared in Coronation Street in 1989 and 2000, Heartbeat in 1999...
as DCI Adams.
Later episodes include Suzanne Maddock
Suzanne Maddock
Suzanne Maddock is a British actress. She appeared in the ITV police procedural drama The Bill as PC Cass Rickman from 1999 to 2002. Her character was killed off in the highly-rated Sun Hill Serial Killer storyline....
as Janet Frazer, a feisty young auto mechanic who sells a car to Geoffrey; their relationship develops by the end of the series.
Many of the episodes have been featured on the American PBS series Mystery!
Mystery!
Mystery! is an episodic television series that debuted in 1980 in the USA. It airs on PBS and is produced by WGBH...
.
The series is based on characters from the 1986 novel Missing Persons by David Cook (who co-wrote the series with John Griffith Bowen
John Griffith Bowen
John Griffith Bowen is a British playwright and novelist. He was born in Calcutta, India, studied at the University of Oxford and worked in publishing, drama and television.-Novels:...
). The incidents in Cook's book were inspired by his own mother's real-life experiences. Before Hetty Wainthropp Investigates, there had been a feature-length pilot episode, entitled Missing Persons, originally broadcast in 1990
1990 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1990-91 United States network television schedule.The year 1990 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1990.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and featuring Tony Melody
Tony Melody
Anthony John "Tony" Melody was an English television actor who appeared in a number of long running comedies and soap operas. He was a prolific character actor with over 100 television roles.-Early life:...
as Robert Wainthropp. However, ITV opted not to pursue a series.
Hetty Wainthropp is a retired working-class woman from Darwen
Darwen
Darwen is a market town and civil parish located within Lancashire, England. Along with its northerly neighbour, Blackburn, it forms the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen — a unitary authority area...
in North West England, who has a knack for jumping to conclusions and solving crimes of varying bafflement which often are too minor to concern the police. Although on occasion her husband offers assistance, he more often than not tends to the home while Hetty gads about the countryside with young Geoffrey in search of resolution and justice. In many episodes Hetty seeks the help and advice of DCI Adams of the local constabulary.
This wholesome series was very popular with viewers, but despite this no further episodes have been commissioned. In a 2008 interview, Routledge said that the cast and crew had been told by the BBC at the end of the fourth series that a fifth series would be commissioned, though it never was.
Series 1
- "The Bearded Lady" (3 January 1996)
- "Eye Witness" (10 January 1996)
- "Fingers" (17 January 1996)
- "Widdershins" (24 January 1996)
- "A High Profile" (31 January 1996)
- "Safe as Houses" (7 February 1996)
Series 2
- "Poison Pen" (30 November 1996)
- "Lost Chords" (5 December 1996)
- "Runaways" (13 December 1996)
- "The Astral Plane" (20 December 1996)
- "A Rose by Any Other Name" (3 January 1997)
- "Woman of the Year" (10 January 1997)
Series 3
- "All Stitched Up" (28 November 1997)
- "Daughter of the Regiment" (5 December 1997)
- "Serving the Community" (12 December 1997)
- "Fisticuffs" (19 December 1997)
- "Childsplay" (2 January 1998)
- "Pursuit by Proxy" (9 January 1998)
- "A Minor Operation" (16 January 1998)
- "Helping Hansi" (23 January 1998)
- "How Time Flies" (30 January 1998)
Series 4
- "Something to Treasure" (24 July 1998)
- "Family Values" (31 July 1998)
- "Digging for Dirt" (7 August 1998)
- "Mind over Muscle" (14 August 1998)
- "Blood Relations" (21 August 1998)
- "For Love nor Money" (4 September 1998)
Special
- "Wetty Hainthrop Investigates" (12 March 1999) — 'Comic Relief Special' starring Victoria WoodVictoria WoodVictoria Wood CBE is a British comedienne, actress, singer-songwriter, screenwriter and director. Wood has written and starred in sketches, plays, films and sitcoms, and her live stand-up comedy act is interspersed with her own compositions, which she accompanies on piano...
, Julie WaltersJulie WaltersJulie Walters, CBE is an English actress and novelist. She came to international prominence in 1983 for Educating Rita, performing in the title role opposite Michael Caine. It was a role she had created on the West End stage and it won her BAFTA and Golden Globe awards for Best Actress...
and Duncan PrestonDuncan PrestonDuncan Preston is an English actor probably best known for his appearances in television productions written by Victoria Wood. His best remembered roles are Clifford in the Victoria Wood As Seen On TV soap opera parody Acorn Antiques , and Stan in dinnerladies.In July 2010, Preston revealed he was...
.
Production
The series was filmed primarily in areas of LancashireLancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
such as Burnley
Burnley
Burnley is a market town in the Burnley borough of Lancashire, England, with a population of around 73,500. It lies north of Manchester and east of Preston, at the confluence of the River Calder and River Brun....
, Darwen
Darwen
Darwen is a market town and civil parish located within Lancashire, England. Along with its northerly neighbour, Blackburn, it forms the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen — a unitary authority area...
, Blackburn, Rossendale
Rossendale
Rossendale is a local government district with borough status. It is made up of a number of small former mill towns in Lancashire, England centered around the valley of the River Irwell in the industrial North West...
and Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
. Music for the series was composed by Nigel Hess
Nigel Hess
Nigel John Hess is a British composer best known for his television, theatre and film soundtracks, including the theme tunes to Wycliffe, Dangerfield, Hetty Wainthropp Investigates and Ladies in Lavender.-Biography:...
, and in 1997 was awarded the Ivor Novello Award
Ivor Novello Awards
The Ivor Novello Awards, named after the Cardiff born entertainer Ivor Novello, are awards for songwriting and composing. They are presented annually in London by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and were first introduced in 1955.Nicknamed The Ivors, the awards take place...
for best television theme.
DVD releases
In the United States, the DVD releases were distributed by Acorn Media; the DVD's were released by BBC Home VideoBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in the UK, currently Acorn Media UK
Acorn Media UK
Acorn Media UK is a DVD publisher which distributes and sells home video products with a particular focus on British television.- Company history :The company was founded in 1997 when Lesley Fromant set up a branch of parent company Acorn Media in the UK....
, with Madman Films releasing "Hetty Wainthropp" in Australia; in Belgium and the Netherlands distribution was done by Lime-Lights Pictures.
| DVD Name | Release Date | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Region 1 | Region 2 | Region 4 | |
| Hetty Wainthropp Investigates: The Complete Series 1 | 7 September 2004 | 11 October 2004 | 31 October 2007 |
| Hetty Wainthropp Investigates: The Complete Series 2 | 9 August 2005 | 22 January 2007 | 9 April 2008 |
| Hetty Wainthropp Investigates: The Complete Series 3 | 31 January 2006 | 5 March 2007 | 9 July 2008 |
| Hetty Wainthropp Investigates: The Complete Series 4 | 27 June 2006 | 10 September 2007 | 8 October 2008 |
| Hetty Wainthropp Investigates: The Complete Collection | 4 September 2007 | 7 January 2008 | 20 October 2009 |