What we were watching

Do you remember these shows that were on TV this week ten, 20, 30 and 40 years ago?

1977

Peter Gilmore was back in BBC1 drama The Onedin Line as gruff sea captain James Onedin, a role he fully embraced – when buzzed by speedboats from the Royal Naval College during filming, he gave them what for!

1987

Dr Finch-Royce, played by John Cleese, gave marriage counselling to Sam and Diane in Channel 4’s Cheers. Cleese later declined to reprise the role so a new character, Dr Crandall, was invented – who was remarkably similar.

1997

Roly-poly Richard Griffiths was back in a fifth series of BBC1’s detective drama Pie In The Sky, playing Henry Crabbe, a detective who was also a chef. The character’s culinary expertise inspired Richard’s guest appearance on MasterChef in 1999.

2007

Michelle Ryan was genuinely frightened when she first saw James Nesbitt as Hyde during filming of the BBC1 Saturday night thriller series Jekyll. ‘When this horrible creature was suddenly there in front of me I couldn’t help but scream,’ admitted Michelle.