Nick Maloney
The turbulent personal and professional life of actor Peter Sellers (1925-1980), from his beginnings as a comic performer on BBC Radio to his huge success as one of the greatest film comedians of all time; an obsessive artist so dedicated to his work that neglected his loved ones and sacrificed part of his own personality to convincingly create that of his many memorable characters.
A young teacher begins work at a tough Liverpool comprehensive, where he has to deal with racism, homophobia and his students' poor backgrounds.
After a visit to the dentist Del unwisely makes a date with the comely receptionist Beverley, but, on Rodney's advice, cancels it. After Del has got drunk and been responsible for causing a riot, he finds Beverley at his flat and fears that she has come for revenge, though she has only come to buy Damien's old high chair. In exchange she gives Del an answer-phone,and, come Christmas Day, he will live to regret this.
Alan Bleasdale's five-part series relates the further experiences of unemployed Liverpudlian tarmac layers Dixie, Chrissie, Loggo and Yosser, and their revered older friend, retired longshoreman and union leader, George Malone. As they struggle to make ends meet in a depressed economy, and to hold together their financially battered families, they are harrassed by the petty bureaucrats of the DHSS. But the lumbering investigational juggernaut is, both comically and tragically, guided by drivers with only a provisional license.
