A Mellor drama to die for, Kay...
CHILDREN In Need was a week-long TV triumph that really reinvented how they engage us to dip into our pockets to help those who require it most.
Last night’s annual fundraising marathon lifted the total raised to a £50million. But it all started earlier in the week with reunited Bananarama KAY Mellor’s credits reads like a greatest hits of telly drama: Band of Gold, Playing The Field, The Syndicate and Fat Friends.
So expectations were high for her latest outing Loves, Lies and Records (BBC1 Thursday). And it did not disappoint.
The drama is set, of all places, in Greater Leeds Register Office. It centres on Kate, played wonderfully by Ashley Jensen, who is juggling a hectic home life with her two teenage kids and her policeman partner Rob. Kate is applying for a promotion at work where fellow registrars rars include flirty hunk Rick (Kenny Doughty) ghty) efficient Anna (Rochenda Sandall) ll) office veteran Judy (Rebecca Front) ont) and devoted dad James (Mark Stanley).
When a desperate new ew father comes to register his baby’s by’s birth he confesses that his girlfriend friend is dying and fears he’s run n out of time to grant her r final wish and get mar- ried. We see rebel Kate e LINDA Robson is a straight-talking mother figure so it was inevitable she would take charge when five unlikely celebs went on a psychedelic bus tour of the US. On Celebrity Road Trip: Going To Pot (ITV1) Pam St Clement, Justin Fashanu, Christopher Biggins, Bobby George and Linda were visiting states where cannabis is legal and debating whether it should be dancing up a storm on Pop Goes The 80s. Then came the awe-inspiring DIY SOS team’s Million Pound Build.
Nick Knowles and his crew headed to Swansea and set about transforming a drop-in centre that helps young adults transition from a life in care to independent living. After an 11-day bend every rule in the book to make it happen in a tear-jerking ceremony that comes just in the nick of time.
But when she lands the coveted role of Superintendent Registrar ahead of long- serving Judy, it looks like that impulsive nature might haunt her.
Brides
Judy sticks the knife in with a classic line: “I wonder if they would have given you the job if they knew you and Rick had sex? You were caught on CCTV at the Christmas Party. It’s a sackable offence.” Desperate Kate later breaks into the office out of hou hours in a bid to erase the tape. But sh she’s caught in the act by moody Jud Judy, who reveals she has a copy of t the incriminating evidence on a memory stick. As if th that’s not enough, Kate and James Jame begin to suspect a “brides for passports” racket after seeing familiar faces turning up regularly regu at ceremonies. The pair decide to investi- freely available in the UK. In California, after being cleared to take marijuana medicinally, they headed to a pharmacy for products. “They look like they are queueing in Sainsbury’s,” said Pam. She, Christopher and Bobby dived in, stocking up on massage oils and tablets. Fash wasn’t build in torrential rain, a state-of-theart community centre and 20-apartment complex was unveiled to tearful manager Emma Lewis.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the new house – nor mine either. If you haven’t donated to this fabulous cause there’s still time. Make sure you do. gate in their own time and it’s then that dedicated family man James makes an unexpected confession.
He is transgender and intends to begin living as a woman.
“I suppose I should never have married and had kids,” he admits. “I kept thinking it would go away.”
In typical style, Kay Mellor has tapped into another red hot topic, handling it with sensitivity and understanding.
She has clearly done her research properly here as the emotions are raw and uncomfortable.
In another intriguing plot, Kate’s policeman boyfriend Rob is called in after the body of a young girl is found.
Could it be that the bogus brides scam has claimed its first victim?
This first show packed a real punch and had it all – warmth, humour and emotional tension. The hour flew by and I’m already desperate to know what’s going to happen this week.
I think it’s safe to say Kay has another hit on her talented hands. tempted, while Linda took the middle ground, nibbling on a potlaced chocolate brownie at 4am to ease her jet-lag. It was after visiting 94-year-old cannabis chef Nona Marijuana that the wheels came off. After eating drug-laced pasta and ice cream, Biggins and Bobby returned for seconds and thirds. It came back to haunt them hours later. Biggins launched into My Way, before asking “What song is this?” He then fell silent with“cotton mouth” – a side-effect of being stoned. “Hurrah!” chuckled Linda, speaking for us all. While almost all around her, not you Fash, was as high as a kite, Linda stayed refreshingly grounded. Spliffing entertainment.