London Bridge (tv show)
Encyclopedia
London Bridge is a British television drama/soap opera
made by Carlton
for ITV
and shown in the London region
. It ran from 15 February 1996 to 31 March 1999. It featured many actors who have gone on to star in bigger TV shows, including Bad Girls
actresses Simone Lahbib
and Mandana Jones
and No Angels
star Sunetra Sarker
. London Bridge revolved around a restaurant, SE1, and the neighbouring block of flats. It started out as a late-night drama which ran for 26 episodes in 1996, before returning as a twice-weekly soap opera later that year. It was not as popular as other British soaps due to only being shown regionally, although did on many occasions beat rival soap Hollyoaks
shown on Channel 4
. The show was axed in 1999 due to all the TV regions jointly creating the returning Crossroads
and newly created Night and Day
to fill the gap in the schedule created by Channel 5
purchasing Home and Away
.
) being raped by a stalker. On becoming twice-weekly the soap introduced Cliff Lewis (Billy Geraghty) as Nick's former friend and the link to Nick's mysterious past. It was revealed that Nick and Cliff had been involved in an armed robbery together which had left a man dead. When Nick was murdered by being locked in the fridge at SE1, Cliff was the prime suspect. Cliff eventually told Nick's wife Isobel that he had seen her kill Nick and they embarked on a relationship. Isobel was eventually put on trial for Nick's murder, but was acquitted after the jury heard about the violence Nick had inflicted on her.
on 14 November 2011.
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
made by Carlton
Carlton Communications
Carlton Communications was a British media company. It was led by Michael Green and listed on the London Stock Exchange from 1983 until 2 February 2004, when it taken over by Granada plc to form ITV plc with Carlton gaining 32% of the new company....
for 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 shown in the London region
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. It ran from 15 February 1996 to 31 March 1999. It featured many actors who have gone on to star in bigger TV shows, including Bad Girls
Bad Girls (TV series)
Bad Girls is an award-winning British television drama series that was broadcast on ITV from 1999 to 2006. It is produced by Shed Productions, the company which later produced Footballers' Wives and Waterloo Road...
actresses Simone Lahbib
Simone Lahbib
Simone Lahbib , born 6 February 1965 in Stirling, Scotland is a Scottish actor who has received widespread recognition for her portrayal of strong, emotionally charged characters....
and Mandana Jones
Mandana Jones
Mandana Jones is a British actress best known for her role as prisoner Nikki Wade on the British television series Bad Girls.-Biography:Mandana Jones was born on 26 February 1967 to a Welsh father and an Iranian mother. She is the youngest of three, having two older brothers...
and No Angels
No Angels (TV series)
No Angels is a critically acclaimed British television comedy drama series, produced by the independent production company World Productions for Channel 4, which ran for three seasons from 2004 to 2006. It was devised by Toby Whithouse.-Premise:...
star Sunetra Sarker
Sunetra Sarker
Sunetra Sarker is an English actress, most notable for her role as Dr Zoe Hanna on Casualty.Sarker has a degree in Information Systems for Business with French from Brunel University....
. London Bridge revolved around a restaurant, SE1, and the neighbouring block of flats. It started out as a late-night drama which ran for 26 episodes in 1996, before returning as a twice-weekly soap opera later that year. It was not as popular as other British soaps due to only being shown regionally, although did on many occasions beat rival soap Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks
Hollyoaks is a long-running British television soap opera, first broadcast on Channel 4 on 23 October 1995. It was originally devised by Phil Redmond, who has also devised shows including Brookside and Grange Hill...
shown on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
. The show was axed in 1999 due to all the TV regions jointly creating the returning Crossroads
Crossroads
Crossroads, or crossroad, or cross road may refer to:* Intersection , a road junction where two or more roads meet-Music:* "Cross Road Blues", a blues song by Robert Johnson, later recorded as "Crossroads" by many other musicians...
and newly created Night and Day
Night and Day
- Literature :* Night and Day , a novel by Robert B. Parker* Night and Day , a 1919 novel by Virginia Woolf- Music :* "Night and Day" , written by Cole Porter...
to fill the gap in the schedule created by Channel 5
Channel 5
-In the Americas:*Channel 5 – Rosario, Argentine television station, founded in 1964, which broadcasts from the city of Rosario*Great Belize Television, Belize television station, known as "Channel 5", founded in 1991 and broadcasting from Belize City...
purchasing Home and Away
Home and Away
Home and Away is an Australian soap opera that has been produced in Sydney since July 1987 and is airing on the Seven Network since 17 January 1988. It is the second-longest-running drama and most popular soap opera on Australian television...
.
Characters
Major characters included:- Nick Kemp (Oliver HadenOliver HadenOliver Haden is a British actor best known for his role in British film 'Blue Ice' . He has currently left teaching drama at the langley academy He had held this role since April 2005....
), the head chef and part-owner of SE1, a cockney with a violent temper and criminal connections - Isobel 'Bel' Kemp (Nicola King S1/Sally Edwards S2-4), Nick's wife, a middle-class accountant and part-owner of SE1
- Liz Kemp (Rosalind MarchRosalind MarchRosalind March is a British actress.March's career as an actress began back in 1979 when she played Madge in several episodes of the series The Dick Francis Thriller: The Racing Game...
), Nick's sister and manager of SE1, a sarcastic woman who doesn't suffer fools gladly - Jed Kemp (Sean Francis), Liz's son who works behind the bar at SE1 and drives a mini cab
- Mary O'Connor (Simone LahbibSimone LahbibSimone Lahbib , born 6 February 1965 in Stirling, Scotland is a Scottish actor who has received widespread recognition for her portrayal of strong, emotionally charged characters....
), a resident of the flats who is raped and later has an affair with Nick - Ravi Shah (Ayub Khan-DinAyub Khan-DinAyub Khan-Din is a British Pakistani actor and playwright.As an actor, Khan-Din participated in some 20 British films and TV series in the late 1980s and the 1990s...
), a lawyer and resident of the flats - Sam Haynes (Mandana JonesMandana JonesMandana Jones is a British actress best known for her role as prisoner Nikki Wade on the British television series Bad Girls.-Biography:Mandana Jones was born on 26 February 1967 to a Welsh father and an Iranian mother. She is the youngest of three, having two older brothers...
), Ravi's doctor girlfriend and later wife - Anthony 'Ant' Webster (Charles Simpson), Ravi's landlord and best friend who develops romantic feelings for Sam
- Claire Turner (Jo-Anne Stockham), the mother of Ant's daughter Elizabeth
- Cliff Lewis (Billy Geraghty), Nick's childhood friend and a chef at SE1
- Sid Kemp (Desmond Jordan), uncle of Nick and Liz
- Nancy Parker (Annabel LeventonAnnabel LeventonAnnabel Leventon is an English actress. Leventon has acted in various roles on stage and in film-Selected filmography:- External links :...
), Sid's ex-wife and Cliff's mother
Storylines
In its late-night format the show featured a gritty storyline involving newcomer Mary O'Connor (Simone LahbibSimone Lahbib
Simone Lahbib , born 6 February 1965 in Stirling, Scotland is a Scottish actor who has received widespread recognition for her portrayal of strong, emotionally charged characters....
) being raped by a stalker. On becoming twice-weekly the soap introduced Cliff Lewis (Billy Geraghty) as Nick's former friend and the link to Nick's mysterious past. It was revealed that Nick and Cliff had been involved in an armed robbery together which had left a man dead. When Nick was murdered by being locked in the fridge at SE1, Cliff was the prime suspect. Cliff eventually told Nick's wife Isobel that he had seen her kill Nick and they embarked on a relationship. Isobel was eventually put on trial for Nick's murder, but was acquitted after the jury heard about the violence Nick had inflicted on her.
DVD Releases
London Bridge Volume One, featuring the first 13 episodes, was released by Network DVDNetwork DVD
Network DVD is a DVD publishing company that specialises in classic British television. In particular, it has the rights to a number of well-known ITV programmes...
on 14 November 2011.