British Comedy Guide

The Sharp End

  • TV comedy drama
  • BBC One
  • 1991
  • 8 episodes (1 series)

Upon the death of her father, Celia Forrest is horrified to learn she has inherited his debt collection business, but is determined to rise to the challenge. Stars Gwen Taylor, James Cosmo, Philip Martin Brown, Clare Kelly, Rachel Egan and more.

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Key details

Genre
Comedy Drama
Broadcast
1991
Channel
BBC 1
Episodes
8 (1 series)
Stars
Gwen Taylor, James Cosmo, Philip Martin Brown, Clare Kelly, Rachel Egan, Gaynor Faye, Steve Money and Tom McGill
Writer
Roy Clarke
Directors
Brian Parker and David Penn
Producers
Fiona Finlay and Ian R. Wallace
Company

When her father dies, Celia Forrest inherits more than she expects. Among the items handed down is a crummy debt collection agency, which is on its last legs. Faced with a choice of letting it close or running it herself, Celia opts for the latter, a woman bravely entering a man's world, as rival tallyman Andy Barras happily informs her.

He's not the only one who thinks Celia may be biting off more than she can chew: her teenage daughter, Wendy, and her mum both frown upon the move. Still, Celia has plenty of spirit. With young Crystal as her secretary and a dyslexic former debtor named Carmichael - with whom she fails to see eye to eye - as her leg man, she intends to succeed.

Additional details

Production
Studio
Picture
Colour

Website links

Broadcast details

First broadcast
Friday 12th April 1991 at 9:30pm on BBC One

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