Series synopsis
Wycliffe is a British crime drama television series that premiered on ITV1 on July 24, 1994. It ended on July 6, 1998. It was created by W.J. Burley. It stars Jack Shepherd, Jimmy Yuill, Helen Masters and Aaron Harris.
Wycliffe is a British television series, based on W. J. Burley's novels about Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe. It was produced by HTV and broadcast on the ITV Network, following a pilot episode on 7 August 1993, between 24 July 1994 and 5 July 1998. The series was filmed in Cornwall, with a production office in Truro. Music for the series was composed by Nigel Hess and was awarded the Royal Television Society award for the best television theme. Wycliffe is played by Jack Shepherd, ass ...
Premise
Wycliffe is a British television series, based on W. J. Burley's novels about Detective Superintendent Charles Wycliffe. It was produced by HTV and broadcast on the ITV Network, following a pilot episode on 7 August 1993, between 24 July 1994 and 5 July 1998. The series was filmed in Cornwall, with a production office in Truro. Music for the series was composed by Nigel Hess and was awarded the Royal Television Society award for the best television theme. Wycliffe is played by Jack Shepherd, assisted by DI Doug Kersey and DI Lucy Lane.
Each episode deals with a murder investigation. In the early series, the stories are adapted from Burley's books and are in classic whodunit style, often with quirky characters and plot elements. In later seasons, the tone becomes more naturalistic and there is more emphasis on internal politics within the police.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Jack Shepherd as Detective Superintendent Wycliffe
- Jimmy Yuill as DI Doug Kersey
- Helen Masters as DI Lucy Lane
- Aaron Harris as DS Dixon
- Adam Barker as DC Potter
- Lynn Farleigh as Helen Wycliffe
- Mike Grady as Michael Morva
- Cathryn Harrison as Jane Hardy
Supporting cast
- Dominic Guard as Mick Brandon
- Rebecca Wheatley as Kelly Martino
- Zara Turner as Annabel Naylor
- Frances Cuka as Angie Kane
- Pam Ferris as Pat Trethowan
- Susan Fleetwood as Lady Cynthia Bottrell
- Susan Penhaligon as Mariah Penrose
- Tenniel Evans as Rev. Charles Stafford
- Jeff Rawle as Rev. Jordan
- Leslie Schofield as Anthony Treen
- Charlotte Coleman as Laura Kessell
- Eric Deacon as Neil Innes
Guest cast
- Mike Grady as Michael Morva
- Cathryn Harrison as Jane Hardy
- Dominic Guard as Mick Brandon
- Rebecca Wheatley as Kelly Martino
- Zara Turner as Annabel Naylor
- Frances Cuka as Angie Kane
- Pam Ferris as Pat Trethowan
- Susan Fleetwood as Lady Cynthia Bottrell
- Susan Penhaligon as Mariah Penrose
- Tenniel Evans as Rev. Charles Stafford
- Jeff Rawle as Rev. Jordan
- Leslie Schofield as Anthony Treen
Episodes
This series spans 6 seasons with 38 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 2 | August 7, 1993 | December 27, 1997 |
| Season 1 | 6 | July 24, 1994 | August 28, 1994 |
| Season 2 | 8 | June 18, 1995 | August 6, 1995 |
| Season 3 | 8 | June 9, 1996 | August 11, 1996 |
| Season 4 | 8 | June 29, 1997 | August 17, 1997 |
| Season 5 | 6 | May 16, 1998 | July 6, 1998 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Wycliffe and the Cycle of Death A bookshop owner in Penzance is brutally murdered, and Wycliffe discovers all is not well among the members of one of the area's most respected families. |
August 7, 1993 |
| 2 |
Dance of the Scorpions Wycliffe clashes with his superiors over the way he's handling a gruesome double murder case, after a building society manager and his wife are gunned down. |
December 27, 1997 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Four Jacks A young female archaeology student is found naked in bed with gunshot wounds, and lies in a critical condition in hospital. As surgeons try to save her life, Wycliffe digs into the life of a famous novelist, who claims his life is at risk. Then a man is shot dead while walking his dog on the beach, and Wycliffe is under pressure to act quickly if he is to prevent another murder. |
July 24, 1994 |
| 2 |
The Dead Flautist When the body of an amateur flautist, Tony Miller, shot by his own gun, is found on the secluded estate of Lord & Lady Bottrell, it is assumed that he killed himself. But Wycliffe senses there is more to the case than first meets the eye. As he unravels the dead man's last days, another mystery is revealed - the disappearance of a maid from the Bottrell household. Family feuds and illicit relationships are uncovered - and then another body is found. |
July 30, 1994 |
| 3 |
The Scapegoat A Cornish undertaker suddenly disappears. The missing man's body is found, washed up on the rocks, and a murder inquiry begins. A link is suspected between the undertaker's death and a strange local summer ritual, and the mystery ends with a figure strapped to a burning wheel plunging over the cliffs. |
August 7, 1994 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
All for Love A hunt for John Bonetti, an escaped prisoner from HMP Bodmin, takes a dramatic twist after the discovery of a body. Wycliffe and his team race against time to recapture him. |
June 18, 1995 |
| 2 |
The Trojan Horse Alex Keir is distraught when his wife Alison goes missing, but Wycliffe is sceptical of his grief, until a ransome note is found. The case of apparent kidnapping then takes a dramatic turn when Mrs Keir is found dead and smelling of alcohol at the wheel of a crashed car. |
June 25, 1995 |
| 3 |
Charades Wycliffe and his team investigate the death of a man found blasted by a shotgun at a Cornish holiday home. They discover evidence of ill-feeling between the dead man and his brother-in-law. |
July 2, 1995 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Dead on Arrival An abandoned lorry with five corpses at the ferry terminal and a man on the run bring Wycliffe's silver wedding anniversary celebration, which their children have laid on as a surprise, to an abrupt halt. |
June 9, 1996 |
| 2 |
Number of the Beast When unexplained killings rock the Bodmin community, locals become convinced that the "beast" is back. |
June 16, 1996 |
| 3 |
Slave of Duty A dead man found buried under a pile of 100-year old wood provides an intriguing case. |
July 7, 1996 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Strangers Tragic events unfold after a wedding with a bizarre guest list: the bride and groom, who have only known each other for three weeks, advertised for guests to attend the ceremony in Penzance. Next day, one of the couple is found stabbed to death in their luxurious honeymoon hotel. |
June 29, 1997 |
| 2 |
Close to Home A petty criminal turns into a killer. A man is stabbed to death in a pub car park by a stranger. As Wycliffe investigates, the victim turns out not to be the upstanding businessman he seemed to be. |
July 6, 1997 |
| 3 |
On Account Wycliffe and Kersey exchange strong words as they investigate a disturbing case involving the contamination of jars of baby food in a local supermarket by a blackmailer. Meanwhile, the disciplinary enquiry into Wycliffe's team continues to run its course. |
July 13, 1997 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
On Offer In a police nursing home, Wycliffe ponders the future after the attempt on his life. Meanwhile, Kersey investigates a salmon poacher's suspicious death. Acting DCI Lane is tempted to move on and up. |
May 17, 1998 |
| 2 |
Time Out A prostitute tells Kersey that a customer has killed one of her colleagues. |
May 24, 1998 |
| 3 |
Standing Stone The wife of one of Kersey's friend goes missing after an evening class and the tutor is found murdered. |
May 31, 1998 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | ITV1 |
|---|---|
| First aired | July 24, 1994 |
| Last aired | July 6, 1998 |
| Runtime | 50 minutes |
| Status | ended |
| Schedule | Sunday |