Original subtitles

'Please leave a message after the tone.'

'Jack? It's Brian.

'Just haven't heard from you for a while.

'Well, since...

'Look, give me a call when you get a chance.'

'hi, Jack. It's Sandra. Call me.'

'all right, mate? It's Gerry.

'I wondered if you fancy a pint some time this week?

'Give us a shout if you do.'

'ok, Jack. I know you're upset, I get that.

'But would it kill you to let us know you're all right?

'Jack, where are you?'

♪ it's all right, it's ok

♪ doesn't really matter if you're old and grey

♪ it's all right, it's ok listen to what I say

♪ it's all right, doing fine doesn't really matter

♪ if the sun don't shine

♪ it's all right, I say, it's ok

♪ we're getting to the end of the day. ♪

It's just one of his long, dark teatimes of the soul. He'll be back.

Brian, I don't think... he'll walk through that door any minute.

I'll see you there in 10 minutes, sir. Ok, fine.

Would've been bloody impressive, though, wouldn't it?

Morning. I think you'll like this case, should get the juices flowing.

On 30th September, 1998,

the studios of roxy radio in barnet burned to the ground.

The local radio station was part of sir Max Wyatt's media empire.

As you'll know, he was the subject of some scrutiny in the late '90s.

He was ripping off his employees' pensions.

When he got whisper of the investigation

he topped himself in his roller.

Actually, it was a Bentley.

S3 continental, fantastic machines...

Guys, I don't think the dac had quite finished.

Sorry.

The fire was originally thought to have been an insurance job ordered by Wyatt.

The murder squad were involved, because there was a death in the fire, but they drew a blank.

It seems the fire cannot be linked to either the pension fund or any other of Wyatt's dealings,

so it's a fresh case.

Lots of challenges.

What do you think?

Yeah, it sounds interesting.

As I said, the fire did result in a death, that of Johnny Deacon.

He was the dj on air at the time.

Johnny "decks" Deacon. I remember him from radio 1.

He was a cheeky chappie type, had quite a following at the time, didn't he?

Apparently, he still does.

Mr kirkham, would you like to come in?

This is Jeremy kirkham, the president of the Johnny Deacon fan club.

Life president, actually.

One of the club's recent activities was to launch a fairly intensive

campaign demanding mr Deacon's killer be brought to justice.

I'm not quite sure how mr kirkham managed

to get hold of the home telephone number of the commissioner...

But now that he's brought this to our attention, we'd like to clear things up, quickly.

In the meantime, mr kirkham would like to take this opportunity

to tell you quite what Johnny Deacon meant to him.

And the nation.

Yes, yes, quite.

Anyway, off you go.

Oh, I need to set up first. Set what up?

My speaker system, my projector...

Johnny was a consummate broadcaster, he deserves to be heard in digital quality stereo.

- Is over here all right? - No, that's Jack's desk.

Come with me.

- Just get this... - Turn right.

Could you and I have a word?

Yes, certainly.

Personnel files? They're potential replacements for Jack.

Ucos has budget for three positions besides your own. Yeah, and they're all filled.

Sandra... Jack's on leave of absence.

We all know that's a lie, and the longer you perpetuate it, the worse team morale will be.

Giving away Jack's job is hardly going to help, is it? I disagree.

I think it'll signify that you've moved on.

Take a few days to look through the candidates.

Maybe by then Jack will have got in contact.

But if we haven't heard anything within a week, I expect to be sitting in on some interviews.

Sir.

The geek squad is ready for us.

Come in and shut the door.

Strickland wants me to find a replacement for Jack.

Oh.

Still, if he's not coming back... We don't know that!

He just needs time.

He's going to need more than time to get over seeing hanson walk. Yeah, I know.

You've got to see this.

Jeremy kirkham: Johnny Deacon was a born broadcaster.

A lonely child, his only joy was found in the sounds of the world service.

When his parents died in a car crash, Johnny took a slot on hospital radio. It was the birth of a legend.

In his future would be a golden era at radio 1, where he'd stand with the greats.

Poor old John peel, look. Is that Noel edmonds?

Look at that, Dave Lee Travis!

His extensive charity work, and in his final days as the UK's hardest hitting

talk radio star at roxy radio, where he'd court controversy and rattle the cages of the powers that be.

Of course, it was here that he met his untimely end.

That's the bit that we're interested in, really.

Yes, and I actually have a recording of Johnny's final moments.

You've got a tape of him dying?

Yes, Johnny was a consummate professional.

He carried on recording right until the end. That was sort of my finale.

Can we wind to that, please? Yep.

'Now, it's a year this week since Diana, Princess of wales, died.

'What are your thoughts 12 months on from those extraordinary scenes of mourning? Did we all overreact?

'Did the death of a divorced, adulteress warrant the outpouring of grief?'

that was Johnny, uncompromising.

'I want to know what do you think. Graham is waiting for your calls.'

Graham madeley, his producer. They'd been together for years.

'First on the line is Helen.

Alarm sounds on tape this is it.

'That's the fire alarm, sorry about that. It does indeed...

'I think we've, um... have we?

'No, no, the studio is on fire.

'I'm not sure what the...

'Oh, wow, it really is on fire. Graham?

'Mate, what's going on?

'Graham? Shit!'

Johnny coughs

'Graham! Graham, I can't get out! Graham! Anyone?!

'For god's sake, help me!'

and that's where the emergency broadcasting system cuts in, it plays

random music if ever there's a sudden break in transmission.

Unfortunately, that evening the record queued up was smoke gets in your eyes by the platters.

Strangled laugh

have you got a copy of the recording?

Yes, I maintain the full Johnny Deacon library, recordings dating back to his hospital radio days.

I can offer you full access to them...

Thank you very much, I don't think that will be necessary.

Brian, could you help him pack up, please?

The original murder squad looked into forensics and motive and took statements from the two survivors.

Graham madeley, the producer and Sharon revie, the cleaner.

She was quite badly burned. How badly?

She was blinded.

I thought Jeremy might've mentioned that.

There we go. Thank you.

There was no cctv, but they had key codes

on the front door and the studio door. They think that's what killed Johnny.

How? The fire damaged the entire system, he couldn't unlock the door.

The fire investigation concluded that an incendiary device

had been placed in a storage cupboard near the studio.

It was a simple device, easy to build if you had a bit of know-how.

The only specialist bit of kit was the slow fuse.

So what was the motive? Insurance job?

Arson's usually a crime of impotent rage.

So the arsonist was really angry cos he couldn't get it up?

Question is, who was the target of that rage?

Johnny Deacon or roxy radio?

Or the Wyatt corporation?

When it turned out that the pension fund had gone, they made 5,000 redundant to try and cut costs.

After Max Wyatt pissed away their pensions, maybe they were entitled to a bit of impotent rage?

And we've got 5,000 suspects?

Yeah, I bet the wyatts did have some specific threats, though.

They just weren't exactly on speaking terms with us at the time.

I don't know about this, Gerry.

All I want to know is if he's made any phone calls in the last two weeks, and who to.

Thanks, mate, I owe you one.

I just need any credit or debit card transactions from the last few days.

What? Yes, of course.

I have full authorisation.

Who?

Dac strickland, of course.

I've tried calling him, I've tried.

But all I get is the answering machine. Me too.

You don't think he wants to come back, do you?

Even if he does, strickland's not going to lay out the red carpet for him. He walked off the job.

He left us in the lurch, Gerry. Yeah, I know, but he's...

Yeah, it's Jack.

Nice. What?

Cameron Wyatt? Yes.

Detective superintendent Pullman, Gerry standing, ucos. We'd like a word, please.

You getting ready to move?

No, I'm getting ready to be evicted.

The house is the last thing to go next week.

So you're servicing your father's debts?

It's not as if the old bastard hung around long enough to do it himself.

So, how can I help?

The fire at roxy radio. You mean the one thing you can't pin on the old man?

To be honest, whatever money the fire insurance raised would have been a drop in the ocean.

When I was running the place, we barely broke even.

What, you ran the station? I was running it at the time of the fire.

Dad's idea of a training course, in amongst the grass roots before I graduated to the board.

By the time they'd rebuilt the place, dad was dead and...

I was in the hot seat. Before the fire, did the company receive any threats?

Perhaps related to your father's business troubles?

Look, what dad did,

it's not just me left like this.

People who worked for us for years trusted us to put money into the company pension.

First we took that away, then we sacked them.

Of course there were threats. But were there any specifically against roxy radio? No.

And they were usually pretty specific.

What they'd like to do to dad, what they'd like to do to me,

and my daughters. Sorry.

That's why Gemma, my wife, left.

She took Sophie and Ella away to the states so they'd be safe.

And... to get away from this mess.

Were any of these redundancies at roxy radio?

No. That place virtually ran on a skeleton staff as it was, there was no fat to trim.

Although there was a sacking. When?

About three weeks before the fire.

Georgina, I think. She was a broadcast assistant.

And why did you give her the push?

She'd had a formal warning about stealing office supplies and was caught again. Office supplies?

I know.

What's a few paperclips compared to a £20 million pension fund?

♪ They're walking like an Egyptian all the kids in the marketplace

♪ say whey oh whey oh

♪ whey oh whey oh

♪ walk like an Egyptian... ♪

Welcome to roxy radio, where the '80s never ended. I beg your pardon?

All '80s, all day.

We're here to see Graham madeley.

I'm afraid that's not possible. Why not?

Because he's on the air till one. 'That's right, folks.

'It's Graham here, with another of those great '80s sounds from Kylie, who's feeling lucky, lucky, lucky."

We'll wait.

Gerry.

♪ In my imagination there is no complication

♪ I dream about you all the time... ♪

music: Karma chameleon by culture club

♪ desert loving in your eyes all the way

♪ if I listened to your lies would you say

♪ I'm a man without conviction

♪ I'm a man who doesn't know

♪ Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma chameleon... ♪

you can go through now.

Thank you.

♪ Loving would be easy if your colours were like my dreams... ♪

down there, apparently.

And, that's all from me, Graham madeley,

but we'll be back tomorrow,

so until then, keep it real, keep it retro, keep it roxy radio.

Hi, guys. I heard you want a little powwow.

Music: In the air tonight by Phil Collins

when I hear this I always think of Johnny. Cos he's in the air.

When I play this, I can feel him looking over my shoulder.

You were close, then?

Like brothers. Went back to the hospital radio days.

25 years. I mean, some marriages don't last that long.

But then, Johnny was always married to the job.

Yeah, I remember him doing the breakfast slot on radio 1.

How he kept so bleedin' cheerful at that time of the morning, I'll never know. Class a drugs.

Joking! Easy to be cheerful when you love what you're doing.

He must have had some kind of personality change when he came here.

We heard a recording.

That was just a performance. Johnny wasn't like that.

Still, he expressed some pretty extreme views.

Did he upset anyone? That was the point of the show.

To get the listeners calling in.

But Johnny would have preferred playing music, believe me.

Are you nearly finished, chicken?

Why? Does Sarah miss her monkey man? Always.

Were you friends with Johnny, too?

We wouldn't have got together if it hadn't been for him.

Sarah was in the audience of one of Johnny's nightclub pas in ilford.

Has he sold you a funday ticket yet?

Well, it's for a good cause.

We're trying to save the station by getting the community behind us.

We'll let the asset strippers know how much the listeners want

to keep us on the air. I mean, who doesn't like '80s music?

Oh, please come! Yeah. We'll bear it in mind, yeah.

One more thing. Georgina?

Who?

The girl who was sacked just before the fire. Do you know why?

Oh, her. Yeah, I had nothing to do with her.

I just heard that she was given the push.

Well, maybe your employee records will shed some light. I doubt it.

They got destroyed in the fire.

Call the tax office. I'm sure their records are flame-retardant..

♪ Karma Karma Karma Karma Karma chameleon... ♪

Sharon revie? Brian Lane. I called you this morning.

Of course, I recognise the voice.

Come in.

What's his name? Ben.

You can stroke him if you like.

He's not working now. Hello, Ben.

Sharon, I need to talk to you about the fire.

I don't remember much.

Just tell me what you can.

I was cleaning the offices as usual,

when I heard the fire alarm go off.

I assumed it was just drill.

Well, you do, don't you?

I'd left my handbag in my locker, so I went back for it. Why?

Cos it had my fags in.

I thought if I was going to be hanging about outside...

Can you believe that?

I've got a colleague who's a nicotine addict.

Turns out it really is bad for your health.

By the time I was making my way out,

the place was full of smoke, and I lost my bearings.

I don't remember any more.

Did you notice anybody hanging about that night?

No. It was just Johnny and Graham in the studio as usual.

That's why I cleaned in the evening, so I didn't get in anyone's way.

Ohh! Come on.

It's not often I wish I wasn't a bloke.

I'm sorry, but you're going to have to leave.

This is a women-only space.

I wish I could. Police. We need to talk to Georgina achebe.

How can I help?

I wasn't sacked because I took a few pens.

I was sacked because I turned down Johnny Deacon. What for?

What do you think? It'd been going for weeks,

but it was my first job and I thought it came with the territory.

I was the only woman working there apart from the cleaner.

For god's sake, it took a month for me to get a lock put on the ladies' toilet door.

I just took it all in my stride.

Go on.

It was late. Graham was dealing with his silly little wife.

Sarah used to bring his dinner into the studio every night,

just let herself in.

Quite the little woman.

Except dinner always ended up in the bin, so Johnny and Graham could send me out for kebabs.

So what happened with Johnny? He started telling his usual jokes.

Told me he was curious, that he'd never slept with a black girl before.

The usual creepy stuff.

And then I realised he had me cornered.

And that's when he started groping me.

What did you do?

I slapped him round the face and went straight to Graham.

He was still with Sarah, so he acted all sympathetic.

Sent me home, promised me he'd speak to Wyatt on my behalf.

But the next morning I was told to clear my desk.

Didn't you try to put your side of the story?

Wyatt refused to see me.

I was left with no job, without a reference.

I was 18 years old

and my radio career was over before it had even started.

That's why I came to work here.

Very admirable, but it wasn't the first thing you did, was it?

What? You'd been unfairly dismissed, sexually assaulted and your career had been killed.

I don't understand. Do you have an alibi for the night of the fire?

It was ten years ago.

Do I need one?

'I'd have felt like getting my own back.'

yeah, but how far would you go?

I don't know. How about keying his car?

Yes, I'd get a certain sense of satisfaction from that.

Slashing his tyres? Maybe.

What about smashing both windscreens and all four windows?

I'm pissed off, not psychotic. Then we're looking for a psychopath.

That's what happened to Johnny's car a week before the fire.

Why wasn't this in the original file?

Because the barnet plods dealt with it as a vandalism case.

It never crossed with the original investigation.

I wonder if Georgina has trouble finding an alibi for that as well?

She was questioned but cleared.

But it wasn't the first time Johnny had incited violence.

In 1987, he was doing a gig when some bloke smacked him one for copping off with his daughter.

Frank Bryant was charged with assault,

but Johnny dropped the charges. Why? Doesn't say.

You don't honestly think that this Bryant bloke turned up ten years later and set him on fire?

I doubt it, but we need to build a better picture of the victim.

The original investigation was too distracted by the wyatts.

What we do need is to find out whoever else he crossed.

Well, luckily for us, Johnny always broadcast his arguments.

I think Johnny's one-man fan club might be of use after all.

Oh, look.

Me mum and dad used to have one of these.

Oh, the hours I've spent in front of it listening to round the horne,

the clitheroe kid, the goons. Mind, that were later on.

"You rotten swine. You've deaded me!"

"Ying tong iddle eye po?"

I've got everything ready for you in the back. Ah, great.

Where did you get all these?

I started recording them from the radio in 1986.

I had some, um, health problems when I was a kid, never really at school.

My mum bought me a radio cassette as a bit of company.

I see. It's a commitment, maintaining an archive like this.

Of course, I started on the big project, three years ago.

A full format transfer from cassette tape to cd.

No point being analogue in a digital age.

How long did that take? I only just finished it last month.

Every show Johnny ever did.

Except for the hospital radio shows.

That's where I first heard him, when I was in for one of me operations.

Right, I'm going to send some lads down to box this lot up and take it to the station.

Box it up?

Have you any idea how much my collection is worth?

I don't know.

Well, it's priceless! I mean, absolutely priceless.

But I need to listen to them.

Well... can't you just listen to them here?

I could put the kettle on and make us both a cuppa.

He won't be long. He's just finished recording some jingles.

Thanks. Thank you.

Look at all this stuff.

The smash hits award for most popular dj.

Johnny won in '86.

Sarah says I'm Johnny's mad curator, keeping his memory alive.

Quite the ladies' man, wasn't he? The ladies were queuing up.

Not according to Georgina achebe.

She says that Johnny forced himself on her.

No, he didn't. How do you know that? Were you there? Were you?

Johnny wasn't like that.

She was a bitch! She'd only been in radio for five minutes

and she thought it was ok to risk the career of someone

with over 20 years broadcasting experience.

No, no, no, he risked that himself when he assaulted her. Assaulted?

No, bit of fun. So he did make a pass?

Yes, but she should have treated it as a compliment.

He found her attractive!

Cameron Wyatt agreed, so he sacked her. She was trying to damage Johnny's career.

I'd say it was Johnny's libido doing the damage.

And it wasn't the first time, was it?

I'm not sure what you're getting at.

Milton keynes? Frank Bryant and his daughter?

That was a misunderstanding.

Johnny dropped the charges.

Why?

Like I said,

it was a misunderstanding.

Johnny's voice: 'But we are going to have to accept that britain is full.

'Let's pull up the drawbridge, put up the sign, closed to immigrants.

'Except the Polish. My cleaning lady's a pole and she's a damn hard worker...'

'i haven't got a problem with gays, just keep it behind closed doors, away from children.

'Don't shove it in our faces and down our throats...'

'what is more British than a good old fox hunt?

'I mean, if we ban it, what are we going to put on our Christmas cards?

'Seriously?'

Yes, well, he was, er... Quite opinionated.

He told it like it was.

He knew how to get a debate going.

The lines would be jammed every night with calls.

People desperate to get on his show.

If only to call him a tosser and slam the phone down.

And who was this Tarzan girl who kept calling?

I don't... Tarzan girl?

'Hi, Johnny, Tarzan girl again. Just wanted to say I love you

'and the show and can you play Tarzan boy by...'

'no. Do you know why that is?

'Because this is a talk show.

'Stupid cow.'

now, I've only listened to a week's worth of shows

and she's already rung in three times.

Johnny got a lot of nutters.

I mean, it was all part of the fun.

So, did you ever actually meet him?

No, no, no. I went to, um, one of his radio 1 roadshows once.

So Jeremy, what else do you get up to?

Not much. I've got the shop, obviously.

That takes up most of my time.

Have you actually had a customer today?

Oh, well, it's always quiet on Tuesdays. It's Thursday.

You know, it's nice to have a hobby,

but it's nice to get out too.

Smell the roses, drink the wine.

Make some friends? Yeah, well, I've never been any good at that.

What with me missing school... I'm not confident and sorted like you.

I saw how you were with your mates at the station.

Oh, aye, we have a laugh.

Well, we do when everyone's there.

I just never worked out how you actually did it.

Made friends. Oh, it's easy.

In fact, it's so easy you've just done it without even realising.

What, really? Me and you?

Yeah, of course.

By the way.

This is not a complete collection.

What are you trying to say?

There's a tape missing.

23rd of August.

No, that's not missing. There wasn't a show that day because of the pensioners occupying the station.

A week before the fire, the station was invaded and occupied by

this militant gang of Wyatt corporation pensioners. Mm-hm?

When the police finally entered the building, they found the ringleaders had chained themselves to the desks.

Although, they did come quietly. Ok. Next question.

Are you absolutely sure this is where we'll find the ringleader?

Fair trade, not free trade. Thanks, which one is Harriet longthorn?

She's just around the corner.

Fair trade, not free trade. Fair trade, not free trade.

Here she is. Cheers. Harriet longthorn? Yes, dear?

Detective superintendent Pullman, Brian Lane, ucos.

We're re-investigating a fire at roxy radio studios

and was hoping you could help us with our enquiries. "Help with our enquiries?"

Yes, I'd just like to ask you a few questions.

Well, would that be under caution, dear?

I don't think there's any need for that just yet.

But you're anticipating there will be eventually?

No. What if I refuse?

Retain my right to silence?

I'd just like to ask you a few questions.

That's how it usually starts. A few questions.

What about if I promise to abide by the Geneva convention?

Now, it's up to you, you can talk to us here or down at the station.

I don't suppose any of you remember who has the keys? No.

They cheer

Loud bang

Cameron?!

Oh! Just a little something the bailiff missed.

Huh! I thought you'd, er... I mean, from upstairs it sounded like...

You thought I'd killed myself?

Well, your family does have a history of it.

I can't afford a Bentley. Or a gun.

I'd have stuck my head in the oven, but they've turned off the gas.

No, I'm sorry, it's not funny, is it? Oh, yes, it is.

In fact, I've done a lot more laughing since this whole thing kicked off. Really?

There's never any time before. I was on the corporate treadmill from 16.

I'd still be on it, if it wasn't for dad.

You sound like you're glad that he got caught out. I am.

Oh, I'd been at it for years.

Living to work.

Ignoring Gemma and the kids.

Doing things I could never be proud of.

Like ignoring Georgina achebe's sexual harassment case?

I didn't know anything about that.

You refused to take her calls.

I didn't want to bother with the problems of some tiny part of the business.

Actually, the less time I spent in a room with Graham and Johnny, the better.

Really? Johnny was a straightforward arsehole

which was why he was so good on the radio.

Graham gave me the creeps. He was always sucking up to Johnny.

Always agreeing with him, telling him how great he was.

Yeah, but that's show biz, ain't it?

They hated each other, just couldn't function apart.

In fact, that's what Graham seemed scared of, being without Johnny. Huh?

Cheers.

Here, take this.

Oh, thanks, '85! Whoa! I'll save that for a special occasion.

Well, then I'll it back.

Don't put off the good stuff.

I worked since the minute I left school

and what have I got to show for it? A nice house? No.

A wife to come home to?

No.

It's not the most original thought, but life's too short.

Yeah, maybe you're right.

I'll open it tonight.

So what's next for you then?

I used my last working credit card to book

a one-way flight to Seattle, where Gemma and the kids are.

I may be too late, but it's worth a try.

Yeah, well go for it.

Good luck and thanks.

Your arrest record.

Impressive. Thank you very much.

Menwith hill, sellafield, London fashion week?

Campaign against the fur trade.

So, if I were to ask you what you were rebelling against?

I'd say, "what have you got?"

There's a difference between rebelling and...

Trespass, criminal damage, threatening behaviour...

No-one ever gets hurt.

At roxy radio, someone died.

That was nothing to do with the campaign.

Your gang occupied the building the week before.

You walked in, chained yourself to the desks during a broadcast.

What was to stop you walking in a week later to plant an incendiary device?

That's not what we're about.

We inconvenience and disrupt, that's all.

We'd already made our point at roxy radio.

We'd have moved on to the next target.

So how did you just walk in?

I'm sorry? To roxy radio? How did you get past the key code doors?

Oh, I can't remember, dear.

I've slept since then.

Who gave you the codes?

Somebody with a grudge?

Well, there had been massive redundancies.

Not at roxy radio. That was one of the few places where people hadn't lost their jobs.

Except for one person.

I'm going to see Georgina achebe.

See how she feels about direct action.

Hold on, listen to this.

"He's not right, I could tell by the look in his eyes.

"He didn't give a damn. He's a dirty pervert.

"Look, I admit I hit him.

"But you can't tell me he didn't deserve it. Not after...

"She's only 15, for god's sake." Are you auditioning for something?

This is the transcript of the statement frank Bryant gave the boys at Milton keynes.

No wonder he dropped the charges.

Johnny got smacked because he spent the night with Bryant's daughter.

The 15-year-old? Exactly.

Graham madeley's statement said Johnny never touched the girl and the assault was unprovoked.

The girl wouldn't make a statement, which left the Milton keynes boys on a sticky wicket.

No complaint from the victim, no charges.

I'm beginning to see why Johnny wanted madeley around all the time.

He knew too much about him to let him go.

Before I was sacked, there was a memo sent round telling everyone

to be vigilant about security because of the protests.

It seemed like a good way to get back at everyone.

And I bet that felt good too. Yeah.

It did. So good that you thought you'd take it further? No...

You vandalised Johnny's car... That wasn't me!

..But it wasn't enough, so you burnt the place down?

No, no, I promise. Once I'd given Harriet the code, that was me out.

I never wanted to set foot in that studio again.

I didn't realise until I'd left, but that place was poisonous. What do you mean?

The atmosphere between Johnny and Graham, everyone commented on it.

I thought they were friends. Not from what I could see.

I don't even think they liked each other.

There was no back and forth between them.

When you're close to someone, you take the piss.

The better you like them, the more you do it.

You mean they didn't banter? Well, Johnny did.

But it wasn't humorous, it was cruel.

I mean, I only ever heard Graham come back at him once.

When Johnny took the piss out of him for Sarah leaving him.

That's not funny.

No, not funny,

but it was true.

Sarah and Graham had had this huge row at the roxy radio summer party.

When was this?

About three weeks before the fire, just before I was sacked.

It happened during the firework display.

Everyone was outside, and when the noise died down we all heard

Sarah shouting that Graham could come home when he wanted cos she wouldn't be there when he got back.

Look, I didn't burn that place down.

You have to believe that.

I think we can rule out the grey panthers, but Georgina is still in the frame for me.

She's still not copping for the car vandalism either?

No, insisting it wasn't her.

Popular guy, wasn't he?

Johnny?

I only listened to a few of his shows, I wanted to set fire to him myself.

I was the same after hearing what frank Bryant had to say.

The only person with a good word for him so far is Graham.

Yet everyone reckons Johnny treated him like muck.

Yet he won't hear a bad word about him.

His office is like a shrine to Johnny.

He's a Deacon disciple.

True, but the more we question him, the less comfortable he is.

Whoa, hold on, wait!

Enjoy it.

That's what I was trying to do.

No, no, no, look, look, look...

Well? Gorgeous.

That's what I mean,

you've gotta give yourself time to enjoy life's little pleasures.

Oh, here we go. Ever since you had that bonding session with Cameron,

it's been all, "smell the flowers, feel the wind."

Well, I think he's right.

I mean, we're all on a hamster wheel, aren't we?

Well, maybe I'm thinking of opting out of the rat race.

Are we rats or are we hamsters?

Maybe I don't want to be any kind of rodent.

Maybe I don't want to work until they find me cold and stiff in the corner of the cage.

Listen, it's the roxy radio funday tomorrow.

I think we should go along there and rattle a few cages.

Especially Graham's.

How we gonna do that?

He'd be on his guard as soon as he saw us.

Only you and me. He doesn't know Brian, does he?

He could just be a fan going along to ask some pertinent questions.

Yeah, well, the only problem is, he doesn't really look like a roxy radio fan, does he? Hmm.

Well, I could do, though.

What's a roxy radio fan look like?

Music: EastEnders theme tune

Esther? It's me.

Have I got any clothes in pastel shades?

Jeremy just popped round.

I said you wouldn't be long, so he might as well stay and have a cuppa.

And watch EastEnders. Right.

We've had a lovely chat.

You don't mind, do you?

You did say we were friends now.

No, it's fine.

Another biscuit?

Oh, yes, please.

I'll see you then. Bye! Bye. (Go on... Go on...)

Shush...

Well, I think it's nice that you've got a new friend.

I was just being polite.

I was just trying to boost his confidence

so he might go out and find some friends his own age.

You know, maybe go to a disco or something.

Talk about the blind leading the socially inept.

What's that supposed to mean?

You haven't got any friends either, have you? Of course I have!

What do you call Sandra and Gerry and Jack?

Your colleagues.

He's come as what?

Oh, that is brilliant...

Yeah, I'm on my way out now...

I'll see you later. Ok, bye.

Phone rings

Pullman.

Oh, hello, sir. Could I call you back cos...

No, I haven't really had the time.

This case has been...

No, sir.

Yes, right away, sir.

Come on, then.

I feel like a right berk.

I look like a right berk.

No, it's terrific. You'll blend in.

What has Esther done to me?

Are you sure you've never seen Miami vice? No! I told you.

I don't watch police shows.

They're a load of rubbish.

I think you're supposed to be Crockett.

No, Esther said something about how she'd like to come home to Don Johnson.

I take it he doesn't wear socks.

Music: I think we're alone now by Tiffany

and we all love that one. Are you having a good time?

Yes!

Well, that's good cos a little bird tells me it can only get better.

Hiya. Hi.

Day two of campaign get a life. You were talking about this funday thing

and, er, I thought it sounded like, well, fun.

So I thought, wouldn't it be cool if you were Crockett and I was tubbs?

Or is it the other way round?

Look, Jeremy, I'm working.

Oh, oh, sorry... Um, I didn't mean to get in the way.

I'm rubbish at this. I'll go. No, no... I'm getting on your nerves.

I do it with everyone eventually... No, you're fine.

Look, there's someone you ought to meet.

And it's all killer, no filler today.

And remember, at roxy we're never gonna give you up.

Music: Never gonna give you up by Rick astley

it must be really nice for you.

What? Working with your wife. Yeah, it suits us.

I could never have worked with any of mine.

Not without it ending up coming to blows.

We've had our moments.

Yeah, that's right, you split up for a while, didn't you?

Yeah, it was a bit of a rough patch. I was working too hard.

Weren't seeing enough of each other. Is that all? Well, isn't it enough?

And here she is. And what can I do for you, my little chickadee?

Barry wants to know what time you're starting the display.

When it gets dark, dizzy daydream.

What display? Fireworks - to music. It's brilliant.

I've gone a bit edgy this year.

Two tribes by Frankie. You know, a little bit of politics.

D'you mean you actually put together the firework display?

Yeah. I took my firer's exams when I was doing the radio 1 road shows.

Johnny liked a bit of an entrance. Last year he did bohemian rhapsody.

It was amazing! Just how everything went off in time with the music.

I'll never be able to do that.

Maybe one day. Sarah came on a refresher course with me one year.

She wasn't a natural, were you?

I don't like the ones that bang.

So how do you actually get 'em all to go off to the music?

Just use the right fuses.

Fuses? Yeah. Excuse me.

And we have another request from our funday funsters.

It's Tarzan boy by baltimora.

Tarzan girl?

I think I'll follow this up with high fidelity.

Can't beat the kids from fame.

Actually, I think that's gonna have to be your last track. What?

You've gotta come down the station.

My boss wants to talk to you urgently.

Why? He hasn't done anything.

What's going on?

It's all right, love. Look, I'm not leaving now. I'm on for another hour.

Graham, mate, you don't want to make a scene in front of all these nice people, do ya? Brian!

And I'll be signing off now but I'll be leaving you in the capable hands of Barry "the kid" Johnson.

See you on the flipside. Good boy.

Graham, it's going to be ok. I'm coming, too.

You've been a certified pyrotechnist since 1985. I told you that.

You had easy access to the kind of specialist fuse that was used to burn down roxy radio.

Why would I burn down the place where I work?

The place that I'm fighting to keep open now?

That's a good question.

Tell us about yours and Sarah's separation. There's nothing to tell.

It was a blip. She came back.

When was that? I don't know.

After the fire. Why then?

So she could stand by me through the most difficult time of my life. That's what wives do.

Then why weren't you living together at the time? It was nothing.

Cameron Wyatt offered me my own show. The afternoon slot. I didn't want it.

Why not? I told you.

Johnny and I, we're a team.

So Johnny objected to you having your own show.

Especially in a less anti-social time slot.

I mean, you were a married man, after all.

Or was that something else he objected to as well?

He made you choose, didn't he? Between Sarah and him.

She must have been very hurt when you made your decision.

I'd known him such a long time. I couldn't just leave him.

But if you didn't, you'd lose your wife.

She didn't understand. Johnny and I had been through a lot together.

Or was it that he had put you through a lot?

I don't understand.

The attack on Georgina wasn't the first inappropriate act, was it?

Tell us about Milton keynes.

Well, you seem to know everything, you tell me.

Well, we do know everything, now.

We know that frank Bryant's daughter was only 15 years old.

Those were very different times.

Age wasn't such big a deal.

I think it was. Especially the age of consent.

We didn't know she was that young.

It didn't seem to bother her, she was just a groupie.

No, no, no, no, no, that came out wrong.

You see, the question I keep asking myself is, how many other groupies were they?

How many other angry fathers did you have to deal with?

You don't understand. Oh, no, I think we do.

I mean, you weren't just Johnny's friend and manager.

You were an accomplice to a sexual predator.

How does it go, eh? What happens on tour stays on tour?

But then Georgina came along. A bit close to home that.

You really had to pull all the stops to get her out of the picture.

You even had to involve Cameron Wyatt. Was that the last straw?

Was that when you finally decided Johnny had to go?

I think...

I need to speak to a solicitor now.

I really thought we were on for a full confession there.

He knows we haven't got anything concrete.

It's all theory and no evidence. Maybe because he didn't do it.

Tarzan girl.

Sorry?

I think Johnny was being stalked by one of his listeners.

When she didn't get the attention she wanted, she vandalised his car.

When that didn't work, she started playing with matches.

Don't tell me you want me to put out an apb for Tarzan girl, Brian?

No need.

Johnny's voice: 'You're on the air. What do you want to say?'

'hi, Johnny! Love the show.'

'the topic is whether teenagers should be given the morning after pill

'or made to face the consequences of their bad behaviour.'

'yeah, I was just wondering if you'd play a record for me? Tarzan boy?

'Do you remember it, Johnny?'

never did remember though, did he?

Now back in '85, when that song was in the charts, you'd be what, 15?

14. I was 14.

Was that how old you were when you met Johnny?

Yeah. 12th of August, the best day of my life.

That was the day I went see top of the pops live.

Sounds like fun. Yeah, it was.

We were only in the crowd and right at the back, that's when Graham came up and started chatting to me.

I had a Johnny Deacon badge on and he asked me if wanted to go backstage and meet him.

And did you? Yeah. And I met baltimora.

He was your favourite, wasn't he? Oh, yeah.

Sharon, did, um,

did something happen that night?

Something you weren't ready for?

He said he had some new records back at his flat that I might like.

He said it would be a nice thank you.

He said I should be grateful,

that he'd picked me out of all the other girls.

Afterwards, I was so bloody ashamed of myself.

I'd been so stupid.

It wasn't your fault. You were only 14.

So how did you end up at roxy radio?

I saw the ad in the paper and applied.

I thought if I was going to be a cleaner, I might as well be somewhere interesting.

I couldn't believe it when Johnny joined the station. How was that?

Seeing each other every day?

I saw him, but he didn't see me.

I was just the cleaner.

Is that why you started calling in to the show? Jog his memory?

It didn't work.

I needed to do something... Bigger.

Show him I wasn't just going to be ignored.

You smashed Johnny's car up?

I don't know what got in to me.

I mean, once I started, I couldn't stop.

What was wrong with me? What did I do something like that for?

Cos Johnny Deacon raped you. No, he didn't.

Look, I know you went back to the flat, but you were underage, you were vulnerable...

It wasn't Johnny.

It was Graham. Graham?

Graham madeley?

Yes.

Johnny would never do a thing like that.

But Graham,

I think he'd done it before.

Is that why you started the fire at night? To kill Graham?

I didn't start the fire! I'd never do anything to hurt Johnny.

I was trying to help him!

I knew he was trapped. I heard him screaming.

But then there was an explosion,

the fire brigade thinks it was something electrical.

And all I saw was a flash.

And it was the last thing I ever saw.

I'm sorry, Sharon.

And I should have been on my way home by then. Why weren't you?

I was running late all night.

I had to wait to get my cleaning stuff.

There was someone in the ladies' when I got there.

How d'you mean? Well, there was no broom cupboard.

I had to store all my cleaning stuff in the ladies' loo.

Who was in there?

I don't know. I knocked and there was no answer.

I just assumed it was that black girl.

Georgina? No, no, it couldn't have been.

At that time you were the only woman working there.

Could have been anyone in the toilet.

You're right. It could have been any woman who knew the security code

and had firework training. Anyone at all.

Now we can do this the hard way or the easy way.

The hard way involves me and my officers going through

every report, every statement until we prove that you were there.

That option also involves me telling the jury at your trial just how uncooperative you've been.

Or there's the easy way.

You tell me everything. And I do mean everything, Sarah.

I don't know what... We know about Graham and the girls.

The young girls. I don't know what you're getting at.

How old were you when Graham and you got together?

17, but I was very mature for my age.

Graham tell you that? Cos I bet that's what he told the other girls.

What other girls? There weren't any. Stop lying to me. Sarah... no, no!

I don't wanna listen to this.

I want Graham. I want to see him.

Sit down, Sarah. I want to see him now. Ok, ok.

You can see him.

But I want you to listen to something first.

'He said he had some new records back at his flat that I might like.

'He said it would be a nice thank you.

'He said I should be grateful,

'that he'd picked me out of all the other girls.

'Afterwards, I was so bloody ashamed of myself.

'I'd been so stupid.' 'It wasn't your f...'

still want to see Graham?

'..Johnny's car up?'

'i didn't know I had it in me.

'Once I started I just couldn't stop.

'I mean, what did I do that for, what was wrong with me?'

'because Johnny Deacon raped you.'

'no, he didn't.' 'Look, I know you went back to his flat,

'but you were underage, you were vulnerable...'

'it wasn't Johnny.

'It was Graham.'

she sobs

You did the right thing, Sarah.

A confession goes down better when it comes to sentencing.

So you said.

Sarah! Darling.

Sarah?

Not strictly procedure, but bloody effective...

I'm sorry, you were saying?

Nothing, sir.

No, go on. I'm interested in anything you have to say about procedure,

considering how it's been ignored around here.

I'm not sure I understand, sir.

An illegal mobile phone trace?

An even more illegal credit card search? Neither of them fruitful,

which suggests Jack halford doesn't want to be found.

Which is his prerogative, considering he's no longer

an employee of the metropolitan police. Since when?

Since he walked out of here without a backward glance!

Look, this is ridiculous. I will not have this department held to ransom.

It's time to move on. Quite right, sir.

You'll get my resignation in the morning. What? Fine.

We'll interview for yours and Jack's replacements.

Oh, I'm sorry, was this supposed to show me the error of my ways?

Prove how indispensable Jack is? Let me tell you this.

No-one is indispensable. Do I make myself clear?

Crystal, sir.

So, would you prefer my application for a transfer in writing,

or will an email do?

Don't be a bloody fool, Sandra. Well, don't expect a reference!

That could have gone better.

No, it was pretty impressive from where I stood.

Should buy Jack a bit more time, shouldn't it?

Hope so. Hope?

Of course he's coming back.

There was no need for you to fall on your swords!

Bloody stupid.

What if strickland meant it?

Well, what if he did? What are you saying?

Look, I'm only talking for myself, but if Jack doesn't come back...

Jack is coming back! How many times?

Brian, I don't think he is.

Look, we've had a good run.

We've solved a few cases. Maybe it is time to move on.

Yeah, well, that's all well and good.

At least it is if you've got somewhere to move on to.

Brian!

Jack?

Jack?

Oh, Mary, where is he?

No. No! I'm not having this.

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