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Our Friends in the North

1979 (Season 1, Episode 6)
TV-MA
TV Episode | 70 min | Drama, History

Tosker and Mary's marriage has disintegrated to the point where it is completely over, but for the sake of their children, Anthony and Bernadette, they stay together. Depressed and worried about the loss of his hair, Tosker frequents local...See moreTosker and Mary's marriage has disintegrated to the point where it is completely over, but for the sake of their children, Anthony and Bernadette, they stay together. Depressed and worried about the loss of his hair, Tosker frequents local nightclubs with Geordie and together they have continual one-night stands. Nicky has returned to more conventional politics and wins selection as the Labour Party candidate in the constituency next door to Eddie Wells MP, who has since rejoined the Labour Party himself. His Conservative opponent Claudia Seabrook, the daughter of the now disgraced former Home Secretary Claude Seabrook, is given Colin Butler as an agent by the regional office, and he begins to run an extreme smear campaign against Nicky. Geordie, now living next door to Nicky, has been making a living selling drugs for corrupt Newcastle policemen. Shortly before his flat is raided by the police, he discovers that Julia has committed suicide and is convinced that Benny Barratt was responsible. He travels to London, leaving his flat empty for a disillusioned and depressed Anthony to enter. The police find Anthony in Geordie's flat hours later, drunk and waving a gun around. In London, Geordie confronts Barratt, who has recently been released from prison, although Barratt denies anything to do with Julia's death. The now retired Roy Johnson, who has become a neighbour and friend of Felix, requests a meeting with Commissioner Jellicoe to vent his frustration about the brutality of the police force and how his report was never read years ago, but he is called away to deal with an attack on his allotment. The culprit is Anthony, who having escaped from the police has angrily vandalised the allotment, but on Mary's insistence he later apologises to Johnson, forming a tentative friendship with him. Horrified at the smear campaign he has run and his extreme beliefs, Claudia sacks Butler as her agent, but the damage to Nicky's campaign is irreversible. Felix, meanwhile, begins to show early signs of memory loss. At a disco, Tosker meets a woman named Elaine and completely falls in love with her. He finally asks Mary for a divorce, but he cannot bring himself to tell Anthony and Bernadette, who have grown to heavily dislike him. Returning to Newcastle to find his flat raided and the police looking for him, Geordie goes on the run again, bidding farewell and good luck to Nicky. It is announced that the Willow Lane flats that Nicky worked with Donohue to build and whose existence he had campaigned against ever since are to be demolished. Nicky is unable to find happiness in this long-desired goal being fulfilled as he is certain to lose the election, despite bringing Mary onboard to help him at the last moment. After the election, which Nicky appears to have come to terms with, he watches the demolition of the flats with Mary. Despite their feelings for each other being evident, and with Tosker now engaged to Elaine, Mary tells Nicky that she must put the needs of her children first and leaves him. Written by GusF See less
Read more: Plot summary
Writer
Peter Flannery (written by)
Composer
Cinematographer
Editor
Casting Directors
Production Designer
Status
Edit Released
Updated Feb 19, 1996

Release date
Feb 19, 1996 (United Kingdom)
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Cast

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32 cast members
Name Known for
Daniel Craig
Geordie Peacock Geordie Peacock   See fewer
Mark Strong
Tosker Cox Tosker Cox   See fewer
Christopher Eccleston
Nicky Hutchinson Nicky Hutchinson   See fewer
Mary Woodvine
Alison Alison   See fewer
David Haddow
Detective Inspector Martin Oldfield Detective Inspector Martin Oldfield   See fewer
Peter Michael McGowan
Detective Sergeant Conway (as Peter McGowan) Detective Sergeant Conway (as Peter McGowan)   See fewer
Nick Figgis
Anthony Cox Anthony Cox   See fewer
Emma Lightfoot
Bernadette Cox Bernadette Cox   See fewer
Gina McKee
Mary Cox Mary Cox   See fewer
Judith Parker
Mrs Noble Mrs Noble   See fewer
Freda Dowie
Florrie Hutchinson Florrie Hutchinson   See fewer
Peter Vaughan
Felix Hutchinson Felix Hutchinson   See fewer
Tony Haygarth
Roy Johnson Roy Johnson   See fewer
Robert Putt
Taylor Taylor   See fewer
David Bradley
Eddie Wells Eddie Wells   See fewer
Malcolm McDowell
Benny Barratt Benny Barratt   See fewer
Sam Lathem
Bouncer Bouncer   See fewer
Pearce Quigley
Detective Detective   See fewer
Chris Walker
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Boyd Detective Chief Inspector Paul Boyd   See fewer
Granville Saxton
Commissioner Jellicoe Commissioner Jellicoe   See fewer
Paul Rainbow
Inspector Inspector   See fewer
Pete Lee-Wilson
Colin Butler Colin Butler   See fewer
Larry Lamb
Alan Roe Alan Roe   See fewer
Steph Bramwell
Beattie Beattie   See fewer
Saskia Wickham
Claudia Seabrook Claudia Seabrook   See fewer
Tracey Wilkinson
Elaine Craig Elaine Craig   See fewer
Sion Probert
Journalist Journalist   See fewer
Stephen Thirkeld
Journalist (as Stephen D. Thirkeld) Journalist (as Stephen D. Thirkeld)   See fewer
Jean Southern
Mrs Rashleigh Mrs Rashleigh   See fewer
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