London's Burning
Encyclopedia
London's Burning was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

 drama programme produced by London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television
London Weekend Television was the name of the ITV network franchise holder for Greater London and the Home Counties including south Suffolk, middle and east Hampshire, Oxfordshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, parts of Herefordshire & Worcestershire, Warwickshire, east Dorset and...

 for the ITV network
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

 that focused on the lives of members of the London Fire Brigade
London Fire Brigade
The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for London.Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighters based in 112 fire...

, principally those of the Blue Watch at a fictional fire station
Fire station
A fire station is a structure or other area set aside for storage of firefighting apparatus , personal protective equipment, fire hose, fire extinguishers, and other fire extinguishing equipment...

 called Blackwall.

It was broadcast between 1986 and 2002 in the United Kingdom and was shown in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 on digital television station CBC Country Canada
CBC Country Canada
bold is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that airs a mix of drama, comedy, arts and culture and sports programming.-History:...

. In the UK, Discovery
Discovery Communications
Discovery Communications, Inc. is an American global media and entertainment company. The company started as a single channel in 1985, The Discovery Channel. Today, DCI has global operations offering 28 network entertainment brands on more than 100 channels in more than 180 countries in 39...

's entertainment channel, DMAX
DMAX (UK & Ireland)
DMAX is a TV channel in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. Discovery announced on 22 November 2007, that they would launch a version of DMAX in the UK and Ireland market on 8 January 2008 after its initial success in Germany....

 have also shown repeats of the later series, mainly 11 through 14.

Movie

Jack Rosenthal
Jack Rosenthal
Jack Morris Rosenthal CBE was an English playwright, who wrote 129 early episodes of the ITV soap opera Coronation Street and over 150 screenplays, including original TV plays, feature films, and adaptations.-Biography:...

's original two-hour TV movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...

, directed by Les Blair
Les Blair
Leslie "Les" Blair is an English television, film and theatre director.Gaining notoriety for his controversial mini-series Law And Order , Blair has gone on to direct films characterised by their political and social awareness.Blair currently teaches at the London Film...

, was broadcast on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

 on 7 December 1986. The Bradford City stadium fire was one inspiration for the screenplay. Unlike the final years of the London's Burning TV series, the movie (along with the following early TV series) was a black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...

 that also examined serious issues.

Series 1–3 (1988–1990)

The TV show was a weekly episodic drama that began on 20 February 1988. Paul Knight was the show's producer. Knight appointed writers such as Anita Bronson, David Humphries, Simon Sharkey, and Tony Hoare. Directors included Gerry Poulson, Gerry Mill, John Reardon, Keith Washington, and Alan Wareing. The camera crews had to be committed and cautious when working with fire. Emergencies—or 'shouts'—would not only be fires, but included a range of incidents from cats up trees to major road accidents. Each episode ran for 50 minutes (one hour with advertisement breaks). In the first series (1988), the second series (1989), and the third series (1990), eight episodes were commissioned. These series episodes were mostly filmed at Dockhead fire station, and used actual firefighters working shifts as extras for the programme. A studio near the station was used for crowded mess scenes, but they also used the fire station's actual mess, bay, and watchroom throughout the series.

'Ding Dong Merrily' Christmas special

A Christmas special was transmitted between series 1 and 2 on 25 December 1988, on ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...

. The special followed Blue Watch on duty on Christmas Day.

'Stunts and Stars' documentary

A special 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary, which originally aired on 8 September 1991, marked the launch of the fourth series.

Series 4 (1991)

In 1991, LWT commissioned 10 episodes for Series 4, which became the most popular series of the drama. Paul Knight had appointed Brian Clark as the Fire Brigade Advisor and, along with the writers and directors, he decided on a climax to the fourth series. The psychological state of one of the main characters deteriorates after being buried alive under a collapsed wall whilst at a spectacular 20-pump warehouse fire. Series 4's climax won the programme its record rating of 18.86 million viewers.

Series 5 (1992)

Each series now included a major disaster or 'shout'. In Series 5 (1992), a spinning wheel ride at a fairground is jammed by a troublesome youth (played by Liam McGuire) armed with a pole. The ride collapses, and there is a huge fire with people trapped in the crushed metal. The series attracted 17 million viewers.

Series 6–9 (1993–1996)

In the early 1990s, the ratings averaged 17–18 million viewers. In 1995 (Series 8), ratings fell to 16 million viewers.

Paul Knight decided it was time for a real shock—a tragic exit for one of the main characters, who had starred in the show for nearly ten years. The man who was to be killed was Sub Officer John Hallam—a dedicated and loyal member of the watch and the London Fire Brigade. Hallam was killed off in 1996 (Series 9) during a huge warehouse fire, where he and his colleague Leading Firefighter Geoff Pearce, were attempting to rescue four teenage girls on an unstable gantry 80 feet (24.4 m) above a blaze in the basement. Hallam held the gantry steady for Pearce as he walked across with one of the girls. As Hallam attempted to cross, the gantry cracked and Hallam fell to his death. The writers developed a storyline about Pearce feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt after the accident, which would lead to him considering a transfer. Series 9 attracted 16.8 million viewers and is regarded by most as the best series of London's Burning.

Series 10 (1997)

Series 10 was the last series produced by Paul Knight, who went on to produce episodes of The Knock
The Knock
The Knock was a primetime UK drama series, created by Anita Bronson and broadcast on ITV from 1994 to 2000, which portrayed the activities of customs officers from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise....

. Although it had the most episodes—eighteen—the series focused on more of the crew's domestic lives than firefighting work. Budget cuts led to scenes being done with computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...

. Notable 'shouts' included ones at a paint factory and a bus depot.

Series 11–14 (1998–2002)

London's Burning continued on into 1998 with a new producer: David Newcombe. Series 11, 12, and 13 saw the return to firefighting scenes as the primary focus. Series 14 was almost completely based on soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...

-style story lines, with the number of fire 'shouts' severely reduced. Viewing figures drastically slumped. In 2002 London's Burning was cut from the schedule; the final episode was broadcast on 25 August 2002. The replacement show, Steel River Blues
Steel River Blues
Steel River Blues is a British television drama serial first broadcast in September 2004 on ITV. Produced by Ken Horn, it was based on the working and private lives of a group of firefighters in Middlesbrough...

, did not return to make a second series.

'Duty Log' video special

In 2000 a 90-minute behind-the-scenes special was released on VHS
VHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....

 video.

Theme music

The London's Burning theme used between Series 1–10 was composed by Simon Brint and Roddy Matthews. Series 11–13 used a theme composed by Warren Bennett; revamped opening titles created by Capital FX were introduced. The theme tune and opening titles were updated again for Series 14.

Characters

Characters present in each season
Series 1 Series 2 Series 3 Series 4 Series 5 Series 6 Series 7 Series 8 Series 9 Series 10
Sidney Tate Sidney Tate Sidney Tate Nick Georgiadis Nick Georgiadis Nick Georgiadis Nick Georgiadis Nick Georgiadis Nick Georgiadis Nick Georgiadis
John Hallam John Hallam John Hallam John Hallam John Hallam John Hallam John Hallam John Hallam John Hallam Carole Webb
Malcolm Cross Malcolm Cross Malcolm Cross Malcolm Cross Malcolm Cross Geoff Pearce Geoff Pearce Geoff Pearce Carole Webb Geoff Pearce
Mike Wilson Mike Wilson Mike Wilson Mike Wilson Mike Wilson Mike Wilson Mike Wilson Mike Wilson Geoff Pearce Bert Quigley
Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Bert Quigley Stuart McKenzie
Josie Ingham Josie Ingham Josie Ingham Stuart McKenzie Stuart McKenzie Stuart McKenzie Stuart McKenzie Stuart McKenzie Stuart McKenzie George Green
Tony Sanderson Tony Sanderson Tony Sanderson George Green George Green George Green George Green George Green George Green Billy Rae
Leslie Appleby Leslie Appleby George Green Kevin Medhurst Kevin Medhurst Kevin Medhurst Kevin Medhurst Kevin Medhurst Billy Ray Jack Morgan
Roland Cartwright Roland Cartwright Kevin Medhurst Colin Parrish Colin Parrish Colin Parrish Billy Ray Billy Ray Jack Morgan Gregg Blake
George Green George Green Colin Parrish Kate Stevens Kate Stevens Billy Ray Sally Reid Chris Newman
Kevin Medhurst Kevin Medhurst Kate Stevens Sally Reid Leslie Appleby

Series 11 Series 12 Series 13 Series 14
Nick Georgiadis Chris Hammond John Coleman Mick Callaghan
Chris Hammond John Coleman Geoff Pearce Geoff Pearce
Geoff Pearce Geoff Pearce Rob Sharpe Stuart McKenzie
Dan Barrett Dan Barrett Stuart McKenzie George Green
Bert Quigley Bert Quigley George Green Adam Benjamin
Stuart McKenzie Stuart McKenzie Adam Benjamin Sally Fields
George Green George Green Ronnie Silva Charlie Mead
Jack Morgan Rob Sharpe Sally Fields Craig Ross
Joe Walker Joe Walker Frank Mooney
Sally Fields Sally Fields

Station officers

  • Sidney Tate (James Marcus
    James Marcus
    James Marcus is an English actor.He is best known for his performance as Georgie, one of the droogs in Stanley Kubrick's controversial film A Clockwork Orange . Before becoming an apprentice printer, he spent the majority of his teenage life performing gigs...

    ; movie, series 1–3) (also Temporary Assistant Divisional Officer
    Assistant Divisional Officer
    Assistant Divisional Officer was formerly a rank used by fire brigades in the United Kingdom....

     (ADO) – Tate was a fatherly figure for the watch. He was married to Nancy and their only child had died years earlier. Having been in the service for many years, he saw himself as old-fashioned and was sometimes at odds with modern regulations. The new ADO, Scase, did not approve of Tate's more pragmatic methods, especially when Tate defied his orders at a 'shout'. Tate was forced to retire from the service at the end of series 3 after failing a routine medical.
  • Nick 'Zorba' Georgiadis (Andrew Kazamia
    Andrew Kazamia
    Andrew Kazamia is an actor, writer and director.He has written and directed Trust Me, the 2007 film starring Cory Prendergast, Enn Reitel, Tony Curran and Shelly Long. It won three awards at its first festival screening at the Breckenridge Festival of Film, June 2007: Best Supporting Actor for Enn...

    ; series 4–11) (later ADO) – Nick took over from Tate as Station Officer in Series 4. He got his nickname due to his Greek origins
    Zorba the Greek
    Zorba the Greek is a 1964 film based on the novel Zorba the Greek by Nikos Kazantzakis. The film was directed by Cypriot Michael Cacoyannis and the title character was played by Anthony Quinn...

    . He had moved rapidly up the promotion ladder since joining the brigade, with three years at Paddington Fire Station as Fireman, two at Manchester Square as Leading Fireman, three at Tottenham as Sub Officer, and two at the Training Centre as Temporary Station Officer. Nick was a disciplinarian, and was not impressed by some of the watch's lax ways upon his arrival. However, he proved to be very caring and compassionate as he settled into the station, and, like Tate, became something of a father figure to the members of the Watch. Nick's traditionalist family tried to arrange a marriage for him, but he resisted. He had an incestuous affair with his married cousin Ariadne, but she died from injuries she incurred falling down some stairs. He met a Dutch firefighter, Marianne, on an exchange trip and after a stop-start romance they eventually moved in together, living with Nick and Ariadne's son, Costas. Nick was promoted to ADO in Series 11, but had some trouble adjusting to the role. He was killed at a cinema fire soon afterwards, when a ceiling collapsed on him.
  • Chris Hammond (Jonathan Guy Lewis
    Jonathan Guy Lewis
    Jonathan Guy Lewis is an English actor who has played Sgt. Chris McCleod in Soldier Soldier, Chris Hammond in London's Burning, Ian Bentley in Coronation Street, and Anthony Woods in Holby City...

    ; series 11–13)
  • John Coleman (Edward Peel
    Edward Peel
    Edward Peel is a British actor.He has mostly appeared on television, his roles include Shogun , Juliet Bravo , Cracker , Emmerdale Farm and London's Burning...

     (Later ADO Coleman); series 12–13)
  • Mick Callaghan (Anthony Green
    Anthony Green (actor)
    -Early life:Green was born in Blackburn, Lancashire, England. He began acting at the age of 6, playing The Wizard in The Wizard of Oz at Daisyfield Primary School. At St Mary's College in Blackburn he played Oscar Lindquist in Sweet Charity...

    ; series 14) –

Sub officers

  • John Hallam (Sean Blowers
    Sean Blowers
    Sean Blowers is a British actor. He is well known for playing John Hallam in London's Burning from 1988 to 1996 and he has also been in The Bill, A Touch of Frost, Dalziel and Pascoe, Heartbeat, New Tricks, Staying Alive, Crossroads, Doctor Who and has appeared in The Krays, The Living Daylights...

    ; movie, series 1–9) (also Temporary Station Officer Hallam) – John was the uptight and hen-pecked husband of Sandra. His catchphrase, whether spoken genuinely or ironically, was "I'm impressed!" He tried for promotion several times, but was never successful. He drew laughs from the other officers when he accidentally singed his eyebrows after his elderly father-in-law poured too much brandy over the Christmas pudding, and when his friend Duffy rubbed lipstick over his underwear for Sandra to find. He testified against a group of officers at another station for their racial harassment of a black officer, whom they nearly drowned. Hallam was traumatized after being buried alive when a wall collapsed at a 'shout' in series 4, taking many months to recover. Hallam was killed on a 'shout' in series 9 when a gantry collapsed and he fell 80 feet (24.4 m).
  • Carol Webb (Zoe Heyes; series 9–10) – Liverpudlian Carol became the Watch's new Sub Officer in Series 9, having previously worked as a Health and Safety official. She was married to Martin, another firefighter, who had had to retire from the brigade after being run over by a car whilst drunk. She was attracted to both Firefighter Jack Morgan and ADO Patrick Davis, and had a brief relationship with the latter, but she left him when she found out he was already married. In the final episode of Series 10, she was told she could remain in Blackwall as Sub Officer. However, the character did not appear again from Series 11 onwards, and no explanation was provided.

Leading firefighters

  • Malcolm Cross (Rupert Baker; movie, series 1–5) – Public school-educated and articulate, Malcolm was often the instigator of pranks at the station. In the movie, he was married to Betty, who attended gatherings of the Watch's wives and husbands, but this marriage was never referred to when the series began. He struck up a relationship with Samina during an inspection of a clothing factory, impressing her by speaking Punjabi
    Punjabi language
    Punjabi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by inhabitants of the historical Punjab region . For Sikhs, the Punjabi language stands as the official language in which all ceremonies take place. In Pakistan, Punjabi is the most widely spoken language...

    , and was devastated when she was killed in a fire. Malcolm blamed himself for Roland Cartwright's death, since he had ordered him to use his breathing apparatus in an underwater rescue, even though it was unsuitable for such use. Malcolm received a commendation for bravery in series 3 after rescuing a man who had been buried alive at a building site. He took on Helen as a flatmate in series 4, and they eventually began a relationship. He left during series 5 to go to Brussels
    Brussels
    Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...

     with her.
  • Geoff 'Poison' Pearce (Michael Garner
    Michael Garner
    Michael Garner is an English theatre and television actor.-Education:Galliard Road Primary School, Edmonton. The Kings School, Grantham...

    ; series 6–14) – Pearce joined Blue Watch as Leading Firefighter in series 6 following Malcolm's departure. He had previously been a Sub Officer in Bristol, but took a temporary demotion to join the London Fire Brigade. He was nicknamed Poison, for his habit of spreading malicious gossip and rumours around the station. He was noted for his incessant grovelling towards senior officers by offering them cups of tea, and for his irritating catchphrase "Chop-chop!" when giving orders to the other watch members. He was married to Patti, but they divorced when she had an affair. He later met Fiona, eventually marrying her and having a daughter. Pearce was wracked with guilt after Hallam's death and considered requesting a transfer, but he stayed and was promoted back to Sub Officer by the start of Series 11. His behaviour drastically changed from Series 12 onwards, where he was a lot friendlier to the watch and earned a lot more respect.
  • Dan Barratt (Brad Gorton; series 11–12) (Also Temporary Sub Officer Barratt)
  • Rob 'Hyper' Sharpe (Connor Byrne; series 12–13)

Firefighters

  • Leslie 'Charisma' Appleby (Gerard Horan
    Gerard Horan
    Gerard Horan is an English actor. Born in Stockport, Cheshire, Horan has appeared in many of Kenneth Branagh's Shakespeare films, most recently as Denis in the 2006 As You Like It. He has worked extensively in theatre, film and television....

    ; movie, series 1–2 and 7) – Nicknamed "Charisma" because he had none, he was a bore who lived in an imaginary world, claiming to be an accomplished sportsman with lots of friends. Charisma never knew his father, and had grown up believing his real mother was actually his sister. He had a romance with Donna, but couldn't force her to leave his house when they split, due to her technically being his common law wife. When his mother visited from Australia, she forcibly evicted Donna. Charisma left Blackwall in series 2 and briefly returned in series 7.
  • Kenny 'Rambo' Bains (Jerome Flynn
    Jerome Flynn
    Jerome Flynn is an English actor best known for his role as Corporal Paddy Garvey of the King's Fusiliers in the ITV series Soldier Soldier....

    ; movie) – Musclebound and often seen working out in the gym, Baines was among those who did not take kindly to Josie joining the watch. He was married to Carol, who attended gatherings of the Watch's wives. He had left Blackwall for unknown reasons by the time of the first series.
  • Roland 'Vaseline' Cartwright (Mark Arden
    Mark Arden
    Mark Arden is an English comedian and actor, best known for being one half of comic double act "The Oblivion Boys" with Stephen Frost....

    ; movie, series 1–2) – A brash male chauvinist
    Sexism
    Sexism, also known as gender discrimination or sex discrimination, is the application of the belief or attitude that there are characteristics implicit to one's gender that indirectly affect one's abilities in unrelated areas...

     with three wives (each named Marion) and a string of mistresses, none of whom could ever find him, as he was often moonlighting. He was portrayed as a racist in the movie, but this trait was written out of his character when the series began. He had a son with the third Marion, and found a softer side when he was forced to babysit him. Vaseline drowned when his breathing apparatus malfunctioned underwater whilst rescuing the occupants of a van which had fallen into a river.
  • Josie Ingham (Katharine Rogers
    Katharine Rogers
    Katharine Rogers is a British television actress.Rogers was born in London. Her first major television role was that of firefighter Josie Ingham in two series of London's Burning. She has since appeared in numerous well-known British television shows, including EastEnders, Doctors, Casualty,...

    ; movie, series 1–4) – Josie was the first woman to join Blue Watch, and was initially shunned by the male members. She eventually won their respect and became particularly close to Bayleaf. They slept together, and though she regretted having done so, she was envious when Bayleaf began dating Clare. Josie was nearly raped by a man she met at an evening class, but managed to fight him off. When she later spotted him in a shop, she caused a scene until he was arrested. Josie was promoted to Leading Firefighter in series 3 and transferred to Charlton. She made a final appearance in the series when she met up with Blue Watch again at the twenty-pump fire which closed series 4.
  • Andreas 'Ethnic' Lewis (Gary McDonald
    Gary McDonald (actor)
    Gary McDonald is an English actor of Jamaican descent. A student at Elliott school in Putney, McDonald played football for Wimbledon FC under Dario Gradi....

    ; movie) – Known as "Ethnic" due to being black
    Black people
    The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...

    , he lived on a rough council estate and as such had to keep his job secret. He was promoted to Leading Fireman at Archway station, but was killed before he could take the post when rioters on his estate threw a paving slab at him after he intervened to help Charisma.
  • Bert 'Sicknote' Quigley (Richard Walsh
    Richard Walsh (actor)
    Richard Walsh is an English actor, best known for playing fireman Bert "Sicknote" Quigley in the long-running ITV drama series London's Burning from 1986 to 2000. He has also appeared in other well-known British television shows, including Doctors and Heartbeat. He is married to fellow actress...

    ; movie, series 1–12) – A chronic hypochondriac, Sicknote was often complaining about his health, from ulcers to headaches. With ambitions to be a professional actor or singer, he was often in stage productions with his wife Jean, which the other members of the watch grudgingly attended. He was a social activist, attempting to introduce a smoking ban and healthier food to Blackwall. He was elected as a local councillor. He received his twenty-year service medal in Series 9, although he pessimistically regarded this as a confirmation of old age. Sicknote was killed in an explosion at a Chinese fireworks factory in Series 12. He was the last remaining character in the series from the pilot movie.
  • Mike 'Bayleaf' Wilson (James Hazeldine
    James Hazeldine
    James Hazeldine was a British film, stage and television actor. He was born in Salford, Lancashire.James started his career in repertory theatre, firstly in weekly rep, then at the Manchester Library theatre and on to the Royal Court Theatre in London's Sloane Square, where he appeared in the...

    ; movie, series 1–9) – Bayleaf was mess manager and a popular long-term member of Blue Watch, receiving his twenty year service medal in series 3. Separated from his wife, with whom he had a daughter, Melanie, he had a brief romance with Josie in series 1 and later met Clare, who he eventually married. He was knocked unconscious when a wall collapsed and left him buried at the twenty-pump 'shout' in series 4. In series 6, Bayleaf crashed the appliance into a car, leaving a passenger badly injured. He subsequently suffered nightmares and received death threats, but was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing. Bayleaf left the brigade in series 8 to open a restaurant with Clare. He returned in series 9 for Hallam's funeral.
  • George Green (Glen Murphy
    Glen Murphy
    Glen Murphy MBE is an English actor.He is perhaps best known as George Green between 1988 and 2002 on the television drama London's Burning....

    ; series 1–14) – George joined Blue Watch at the start of series 1. He was the longest-serving character on the show, appearing in every episode besides the pilot movie. George was an unsubtle former boxer, sometimes with a short temper, and had old-fashioned views of women's roles in life. He dated Julia after convincing her that he was a talented poet and singer, with help from Malcolm and Sicknote, but she dumped him because he never trusted her. In series 3 he met Kelly at a ballroom dancing class. They married and had two children, although he frequently bickered with her mother and brothers. George received his twenty-year service medal in Series 12. He and Kelly divorced when she had an affair, and he married Andie in series 14.
  • Kevin Medhurst (Ross Boatman
    Ross Boatman
    Ross Boatman is an English RADA-trained actor, professional poker player and a member of the poker-playing foursome known as The Hendon Mob.-Acting:...

    ; series 1–8) – Kevin joined in series 1 and became a close friend of George. Kevin occasionally had problems with authority – his propensity to answer back or question orders led to him falling afoul of his superiors. He clashed with Nick Georgiadis several times; when Kevin drunkenly insulted Nick at his birthday party, Nick punched him. Kevin was from a troubled family – his father was in prison (once turning up at Blackwall after escaping). Kevin's younger brother Micky caused him problems by making hoax calls to the station, and was later sent to prison. Micky returned in series 8, turning up at Kevin's houseboat and attacking Maggie at the station, after which Kevin disowned him for good. Kevin briefly dated Sally Reid, Vaseline's widow Marion, and Remy, who moved in to his marina with her houseboat. After Remy left him without warning, a heartbroken Kevin packed his bags and left Blackwall.
  • Tony Sanderson (Treva Etienne
    Treva Etienne
    Treva Etienne is an English actor. He played a Somali militiaman in the film Black Hawk Down and appeared in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl . He also appeared in three series of London's Burning as fireman Tony Sanderson.- External links :...

    ; series 1–3) – Tony was married to Dorothy, but the marriage had numerous problems, many caused by her being a shopaholic
    Oniomania
    Oniomania is the technical term for the compulsive desire to shop, more commonly referred to as compulsive shopping, shopping addiction, shopaholism, compulsive buying or CB...

     and the fact that it was an interracial marriage
    Interracial marriage
    Interracial marriage occurs when two people of differing racial groups marry. This is a form of exogamy and can be seen in the broader context of miscegenation .-Legality of interracial marriage:In the Western world certain jurisdictions have had regulations...

    . Dorothy left him during series 3. Tony subsequently met Jenny and left Blackwall after series 3 to run a boutique with her.
  • Colin Parrish (Stephen North
    Stephen North
    Stephen North , sometimes credited as Steve North, is an English actor. He had his first major role playing fireman Colin Parrish in four series of the ITV drama London's Burning...

    ; series 3–6) – Colin was the nephew of Fireman Jaffa Parrish and joined the watch as a probationary officer. His naivete and inexperience often made him the butt of pranks and jokes by other members of the watch. He took a liking to Firewoman Kate Stevens and visited her at her house, but was warned by Hallam to stop bothering her. After Colin sent the pump to the wrong address on a 'shout' (which was fortunately a hoax), Hallam extended Colin's probationary period, much to the ire of Colin's mum. Colin became a hero for the first time soon after this, when he saved another firefighter from falling down a lift shaft at a hotel fire. He graduated to full status early in Series 5. He married Zoe, whom he met during a 'shout', despite her walking out on him after he took her to a football match on their first date. Colin was forced to leave the watch after his legs were crushed in Series 6.
  • Kate Stevens (Samantha Beckinsale
    Samantha Beckinsale
    Samantha Jane Beckinsale is an English actress best known for her role as firefighter, Kate Stevens, in London's Burning and her role as Lesley in the sitcom Shelley from 1989–1992...

    ; series 3–5) – Bright and bubbly, Kate joined the watch as a probationary firefighter and she soon fitted in after rescuing a baby from a burning car. She met a volunteer fireman while the watch were on standby in Kent
    Kent
    Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...

    , but soon ditched him when it emerged his favourite pastime was rock climbing
    Rock climbing
    Rock climbing also lightly called 'The Gravity Game', is a sport in which participants climb up, down or across natural rock formations or artificial rock walls. The goal is to reach the summit of a formation or the endpoint of a pre-defined route without falling...

    . Kate became a full-status firefighter in Series 4, which left Colin Parrish feeling bitter, since Hallam had extended his probationary period. During series 5 Kate met police officer John, and got pregnant after a one night stand. She miscarried and transferred to Wimbledon so she could be closer to John.
  • Stuart 'Recall' MacKenzie (Ben Onwukwe
    Ben Onwukwe
    Ben Onwukwe is a British film, radio, television, theatre and voice actor.He is perhaps best known for appearing as Stuart 'Recall' MacKenzie in thirty-nine episodes of London's Burning, a dramatic television series first aired on the British television network ITV.-Career:In addition to his...

    ; series 4–14) – Known as "Recall" due to having a photographic memory, he joined Blue Watch midway through series 4. He was married to Laura and had two sons, one of whom suffered from cystic fibrosis
    Cystic fibrosis
    Cystic fibrosis is a recessive genetic disease affecting most critically the lungs, and also the pancreas, liver, and intestine...

    . Blue Watch held a fundraiser so he could take his family to Disney World, Florida
    Florida
    Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

    . He was injured in the climax 'shout' of Series 4, and also in the Series 9 warehouse blaze where John Hallam was killed, but had lucky escapes on both occasions. Recall almost faced dismissal when he refused to shave off his beard, but the watch tied him up and shaved it off for him. Recall was dismissed in series 12 after allegedly assaulting a hotel manager, but he was later cleared and reinstated. After he and Laura separated, he met Elaine. They were due to marry, but Recall died of a heart attack the day before the wedding.
  • Billy Ray (John Alford
    John Alford (actor)
    John Alford is a Scottish-born English actor.-Career:Alford attend Anna Scher's stage school from age 11 in London, alongside future EastEnders stars Sid Owen and Patsy Palmer....

    ; series 6–10) – Billy joined London's Burning in Series 6, along with Geoff Pearce, who he was often at odds with. Billy was noted for his tendency to answer back to those higher rank than him, and was often teased about his short height. He persuaded George to take up boxing again, with him as his trainer. Billy took over from Bayleaf as mess manager. He had a girlfriend named Lauren who he met at a fire inspection in a strip club. Billy left in Series 10 after getting very angry when he found an abandoned baby in a toilet at a school (where a hoax call was initially made).
  • Sally Reid (Sara Powell
    Sara Powell
    Sara Powell is a mixed race British actress of a Jamaican father and English mother. She appeared in the BBC drama The Family Man. She has also appeared in Judge John Deed, London's Burning, Doctors, Desmond's, Silent Witness and the BBC's 1998 version of Vanity Fair. She is currently a regular in...

    ; series 6–7) – Sally was the watch's first female driver. She was very athletic and a strong swimmer. Her boyfriend, Eddie, was a drug dealer. She refused to continue their relationship, as her association with him led to her flat being raided by the police. She briefly got together with Kevin Medhurst, but they couldn't make it last. Sally left Blackwall to take care of her sick father.
  • Jack Morgan (Clive Wood
    Clive Wood
    -Film and television:Wood's first starring TV role was as Vic Brown, opposite Joanne Whalley and Susan Penhaligon, in the 1982 ITV drama series based on the novel A Kind of Loving. He has played Matt Kerr in Press Gang, DCI Gordon Wray in The Bill and Jack Morgan in London's Burning...

    ; series 9-11) – Jack joined the Watch to replace Bayleaf. The others found him very quiet and mysterious at first – a manner which hid a tragic experience Jack had had at a previous station, when his friend and colleague Phil had been trapped and died due to his breathing apparatus cylinder running out. This made Jack rather over-sensitive to dangers, and this often made him at odds with his superior officers – on several 'shouts', he abandoned his given duties to try and help fellow watch members in danger. He had been married to Linda, and had a son from that marriage called Stephen, but they had since divorced, and Linda married another man, Ian.
  • Chris 'Skippy' Newman (Brad Clayton; series 9) Skippy joined Blue Watch in Series 9 as Kevin's replacement. He was born in Perth, Australia and was given the nickname 'Skippy' after Blue Watch held a raffle to decide his nickname. He became friends with Billy Ray and shared some of his traits. Skippy left the brigade after the appliance crash in Series 9's final episode.
  • Gregg Blake (Steven Houghton
    Steven Houghton
    Steven Houghton is a British actor and singer.-Early life and career:Born in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, Houghton trained at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance in Leeds. His first West End production was Children of Eden...

    ; series 10) – Gregg hailed from Sheffield, and was a replacement for Skippy after the Watch's road accident in Series 9. He was an excellent singer and guitarist, and was very successful at a local talent night with his rendition of "Wind Beneath My Wings". He started going out with Tiggy, whom he met during a 'shout' at an art gallery, and who turned out to be the daughter of an MP. While on standby at Upham Fire Station, Gregg accidentally set fire to the station by unknowingly putting a faulty circuit breaker back in place. He eventually owned up when the watch were challenged about it, but before anything could happen to him, he decided to leave the brigade. This decision came after he was injured in an explosion at a bus depot fire. Tiggy sat at his bedside in hospital and told him she couldn't bear to be with a man who one day might not make it back from work. Gregg thought quickly, and chose his girl over his job.
  • Sally 'Gracie' Fields (Heather Peace
    Heather Peace
    Heather Peace is an English actress and musician.Her notable roles have included Anne Cullen in Emmerdale Farm, Josie Clarke in The Bill, Sally 'Gracie' Fields in London's Burning, DS Jo Cavanagh in Empathy and Fiona Jones in BBC Television's The Chase...

    ; series 11–14) – Sally joined Blue Watch in Series 11. She was late for work on her first day, which landed her a reprimand from Temporary Station Officer Pearce.
  • Joe Walker (Jim Alexander; series 11–12) – Joe joined Blue Watch at the beginning of series 11, along with Dan Barratt and Sally Fields. He was attracted to Sally, and was jealous when she started going out with Dan. However, Sally and Dan split up, and she began a rocky relationship with Joe. He proved to be something of a homophobe when Hyper revealed, in Series 12, that he was gay. He proposed to Sally near the end of Series 12, and she accepted his proposal on a 'shout', just as they were about to re-enter a blazing Chinese fireworks factory. Moments later, an explosion ripped through the building, killing Joe instantly.
  • Ronnie 'Hi-Ho' Silver (Fuman Dar; series 12–13) Hi-Ho was initially a firefighter at Shadbrook Fire Station, where he crewed their Turntable Ladder appliance. During Series 12, while this station received renovation work, he worked on standby at Blackwall along with Carman, the leading firefighter on his Watch. Hi-Ho joined Blue Watch permanently in Series 13, following the deaths of Joe Walker and Sicknote. He was frequently noted for his cheeky, mischievous humour. Hi-Ho was left devastated in Series 13, when he tried to rescue a girl from a flat fire and she died from her injuries. He considered resigning from the Brigade, but Geoff Pearce found a way to change his mind. Pearce took Hi-Ho to a cemetery, where a huge plaque, dedicated to the London Fire Brigade, listed the names of many firefighters who had given their lives for their jobs. They also examined newer graves, which provided close-to-home examples of such bravery – the graves of Joe, Sicknote, and the never-forgotten Sub Officer John Hallam. Hi-Ho realised how many firefighters in the Brigade would rather die than run away from pressure and tragedy, and he quickly withdrew his decision to resign. However, he had left Blackwall for unexplained reasons by the beginning of Series 14.
  • Adam Benjamin (Sam Callis
    Sam Callis
    Samuel 'Sam' Callis is an English actor and film director, best known for his role as Sergeant Callum Stone in The Bill.-Biography:...

    ; series 13–14) Adam joined Blue Watch in Series 13 as Sicknote's replacement. Already a veteran firefighter, he started out as Temporary Crew Commander, although this position was later handed to Sally Fields. Adam was very much a ladies' man – a trait which backfired on him in Series 14 after a girl he met in the pub drugged his drink and stole his wallet. He worked with Elaine Reeve in the Oliver Twist pub, later becoming a joint landlord with her. Elaine confessed that she was actually Adam's mother, and this led to complications in Adam's relationship with Recall, who had begun dating Elaine.
  • Charlie Mead (Terry Alderton
    Terry Alderton
    Terry Alderton is an English comedian who had some high profile acting and presenting roles in the early 2000's before returning to stand-up comedy a decade later....

    ; series 14)
  • Frank Mooney (Tristan Gemmill
    Tristan Gemmill
    Tristan Gemmill is an English actor, most notable for his role as Dr Adam Trueman on Casualty. He was educated at Holmewood House School, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, up to the age of 13. He then won an Academic Scholarship to Tonbridge School.- Biography :Gemmill is married to actress Emily Hamilton;...

    ; series 14)
  • Craig Ross (Leon Black; series 14) Craig arrived as Recall's replacement in Series 14, and immediately was subjected to pranks from the rest of the Watch. The reality of the job hit him hard when he discovered his first dead body during a flat fire. He continued to have visions of the victim after the 'shout', which led to him crashing his car and ending up in hospital.
  • Vernon 'Clingfilm' Chivers (Chris Larner; series 8-11) Clingfilm worked at Borough Street Fire Station, first appearing in Series 8. He was never a permanent member of Blue Watch, but frequently stood in for absent Watch members. He was something of a loner who lived in his camper van on his driveway. His whiny voice and nerdish demeanour made him a considerable irritant to those around him. Geoff Pearce struck up an unlikely friendship with him, since he shared Clingfilm's inability to fit in comfortably with those around him.

Other guest senior officers

  • Assistant Chief Officer William Bulstrode (1989–1994) – Bulstrode was an archetypal Fire Officer who, like Station Officer Tate, saw himself as a "dinosaur" of the London Fire Brigade.
  • Assistant Chief Officer Baxter (1995–1998)
  • Divisional Officer Eddie Quinn
    Mark Moraghan
    Mark Moraghan is a British actor and singer. He has appeared in many British drama series including Peak Practice and Heartbeat...

     (1995–1996)
  • Divisional Officer Tom Chapman (1996–2001) (Later Senior Divisional Officer Chapman and also Temporary ACO Chapman)
  • Divisional Officer Griggs (2000–2001)
  • Assistant Divisional Officer Scase (1989, 1994–1995) (Later Divisional Officer Scase) – Scase became Station Commander at Blackwall in series 2, having transferred from the North of England. He was highly unpleasant and abrasive, and his efforts to stamp discipline into the Watch made him unpopular. On a 'shout' at the Thames, Scase insisted on first making the area safe by having some loose scaffolding lashed, disregarding the fact that several trapped men would soon be drowned by the incoming tide. Tate finally lost his temper with the obnoxious Station Commander and took charge of the rescue himself, but not before angrily accusing Scase of being "inept" and "high and mighty". Scase reported Tate to HQ for insubordination. Tate received a harsh reprimand for his actions from ACO Bulstrode, but Bulstrode secretly agreed with Tate's perspective, and eventually had Scase transferred away from Blackwall. Scase returned in Series 7 as a Divisional Officer, using every excuse to make trouble for Blue Watch. His attitude only earned him a telling-off from new ACO Baxter, who believed Scase's methods were as out-of-date as Scase had believed Tate and Bulstrode to be. The character did not appear again after this episode.
  • Assistant Divisional Officer Patrick Davies (1997–1998)

Other recurring characters

  • Marion Cartwright (Helen Blizzard, 1986–1992) – Marion was Vaseline's third wife (and also the third named Marion), who married him in the movie. She frequently fought with Vaseline over his moonlighting and womanizing, and was left to raise their son on her own after he was killed on a 'shout'. She later had relationships with Kevin Medhurst and Technique, but eventually decided she wanted to be get away from the brigade completely.
  • Raymond 'Pitbull' Derby – (Al Ashton, 1995–2001) – Pitbull was transferred to Red Watch, Blackwall, from Borough Street in Series 8 as Jaffa's replacement after he failed his medical. He was a loud-mouthed serial bully, always making fun of other people's bad luck. He sometimes referred to Blue Watch as 'girls' or 'sisters'. He wanted to be Union Rep in Series 9, but lost out to Recall by one vote. He showed a rare streak of compassion for Sally Fields in Series 13 after the Red Watch Sub Officer, Sean Bateman, raped her at her flat.
  • Donna (Paddy Navin, 1988–1989)
  • Kelly Green (Vanessa Pett, 1990–2001)
  • Sandra Hallam (Kim Clifford
    Kim Clifford
    Kim Clifford is a British actress.She starred in the BAFTA TV Award winning television play Bar Mitzvah Boy.She also made appearances in other television dramas, including London's Burning Juliet Bravo and the sitcom Goodnight Sweetheart.She is currently married to the artist Lee Galpin and has a...

    , 1986–1997)
  • Gary 'Technique' Pagnall (Craig Fairbrass
    Craig Fairbrass
    Craig Fairbrass is an English actor. He is known for his distinctive Cockney accent.-Life and career:Fairbrass was born in Stepney, London. He made his acting debut in an episode of the television series Shelley in 1980. This was followed by appearances in series such as Emmerdale, Three Up Two...

    , 1991–1992)
  • Jaffa Parrish (Alan Talbot, 1989–2000) – Jaffa was a member of Red Watch at Blackwall, and the uncle of Colin Parrish. Jaffa had to leave the brigade in Series 7 after being injured on a 'shout' to a propane cylinder storage yard. He was with Blue Watch, standing in for George, and was in the pump when it was hit by a gas cylinder, badly burning him. Though he recovered, he was eventually taken off duty due to the trauma he had suffered. George felt guilty over the accident, but Jaffa dismissed his worries. He later took over as landlord of the Watch's favourite pub.
  • Fiona Pearce (Helen Anderson, 1998–2002) – Fiona made her first appearance in Series 10 to test a new siren on Blackwall's pump ladder. Geoff Pearce made friends with her and their relationship grew. They married in Series 12 and had a baby daughter named Eve in Series 13.
  • Jean Quigley (Amanda Dickinson, 1986–2000) – Jean was the long-suffering wife of pompous hypochondriac Bert "Sicknote" Quigley. Bert moved out of their house in Series 2, as he believed Jean was having an affair with Dominic, a member of their amateur dramatics group who outstripped Bert both in looks and talents. Bert was later in trouble with Jean for supposedly having an affair with another group member, Cynthia. On both occasions, they patched things up successfully. Jean became pregnant in Series 11, but had a miscarriage. To compensate for their grief, Bert suggested they should try fostering a child, which they did in Series 12.*
  • Dorothy Sanderson (Carol Harrison
    Carol Harrison
    Carol Harrison is a British actress and writer. She is known mostly for her work on British television, in particular her role as Louise Raymond in BBC's EastEnders.-Career:...

    , 1988–1989) – Dorothy was married to Tony Sanderson. She was a persistent shopaholic, and Tony was frequently horrified at the amounts of useless shopping she would bring home.
  • Nancy Tate (Yvonne Edgell, 1986–1990)
  • Maggie Warboice (Shirley Greenwood, 1986–2001)
  • Clare Wilson (Valerie Holliman, 1988–1996)
  • Marieanne Frankel (Minna Aaltonen
    Minna Aaltonen
    Minna Kaisa Aaltonen is a Finnish actress who has played Marianne in London's Burning, Ingrid Coates in Dream Team and she has appeared in Kotikatu, The Bill, Dalziel and Pascoe and Lexx and also features on beer ads in Ireland...

    , 1996-1998)
  • Linda (Sian Radinger, 1996-98)
  • Elaine Reeve (Sharon Duce
    Sharon Duce
    Sharon Duce is a British actress, .Her biggest role was alongside Ray Brooks in the BBC comedy drama Big Deal .She has also appeared in:*Wycliffe,*The Royle Family*London's Burning,...

    , 2001-02)
  • Nicky Parrish (Katy Stephens, 1997-98)
  • Jack Mansell (Jordan Green), 1998-2001)
  • Melissa Clark (Katy Odey, 2001)
  • Yvonne Bradley (Jane Hazlegrove
    Jane Hazlegrove
    Jane Hazlegrove is an English actress.Jane is well known for portraying Lisa Shepherd in Families, Yvonne Bradley in London's Burning, Sue Clayton in Coronation Street in 1985 and has appeared in Jonathan Creek, The Bill, Doctors and Holby City. She is currently playing Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon in...

    , 1998)
  • Martin Webb (Peter McNamara, 1997)
  • Patti Pearce (Yvonne O'Grady, 1993-1996)
  • Jacqui Parker (Sharon Gavin, 1998-2000)
  • Alex Lawley (The one ho nobody likes, cant remember his name..., 1991-Present)

Locations

The earlier series used Dockhead Fire Station at 8 Wolseley Street, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

 SE1, as the exterior for Blackwall. The Jacob Street studio is opposite, housing a full scale reproduction of the mess
Mess
A mess is the place where military personnel socialise, eat, and live. In some societies this military usage has extended to other disciplined services eateries such as civilian fire fighting and police forces. The root of mess is the Old French mes, "portion of food" A mess (also called a...

, built by Colin Monk. The actual station mess was also used in the series, as were many other parts of the station and its actual firefighters.

Dockhead is still an operational fire station, but is due to be demolished by the London Fire Brigade
London Fire Brigade
The London Fire Brigade is the statutory fire and rescue service for London.Founded in 1865, it is the largest of the fire services in the United Kingdom and the fourth-largest in the world with nearly 7,000 staff, including 5,800 operational firefighters based in 112 fire...

 to allow its redevelopment and modernisation; a planning application was due to be submitted during 2008. The exterior can be clearly seen and has changed little since filming. The Swan and Sugar Loaf pub, which featured as the firefighters' local, has since been converted to flats. The location is about 800 metres from Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge
Tower Bridge is a combined bascule and suspension bridge in London, England, over the River Thames. It is close to the Tower of London, from which it takes its name...

.

The Restaurant opened by Mike 'Bayleaf' Wilson in series 9 was filmed on location at The Chequers Inn, Deal, Kent.

Later series used the exterior of Leyton
Leyton
Leyton is an area of north-east London and part of the London Borough of Waltham Forest, located north east of Charing Cross. It borders Walthamstow and Leytonstone; Stratford in Newham; and Homerton and Lower Clapton in the London Borough of Hackney....

Fire Station and the Oliver Twist pub opposite.

DVD release

The series 1–7 DVD set was released in 2009, and the series 8–14 set was released in 2010.
Series 1

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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