"Holding On" (1997) TV mini-series

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

8 September 1997 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A complex, moving story of life in the big bad city, in this case London. The tragic, senseless, futile murder of a beautiful young woman...

Plot Keywords:

London | Despair | Hope | Murder | TV Mini-Series

Awards:

3 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

David Morrissey	...	Shaun (8 episodes, 1997)
Saira Todd	...	Claire (8 episodes, 1997)
Phil Daniels	...	Gary Rickey (8 episodes, 1997)
Ace Bhatti	...	Zahid (8 episodes, 1997)
Ellen Thomas	...	Florrie (8 episodes, 1997)
Freddie Annobil-Dodoo	...	Marcus (8 episodes, 1997)
Caroline Harker	...	Vicky (8 episodes, 1997)
Diane Parish	...	Janet (7 episodes, 1997)
Lesley Manville	...	Hilary (7 episodes, 1997)
Sandra Voe	...	Annie (7 episodes, 1997)
Rachel Power	...	Helen (7 episodes, 1997)
Frances Shergold	...	Frances (7 episodes, 1997)
Sam Kelly	...	Bernard (6 episodes, 1997)
Tim Woodward	...	Ken (6 episodes, 1997)
Treva Etienne	...	Lloyd (6 episodes, 1997)
Tilly Vosburgh	...	Gabby (6 episodes, 1997)
Ruth Sheen	...	Alice (5 episodes, 1997)
Jeillo Edwards	...	Aunt Gaynor (5 episodes, 1997)
Gabriel Woodward	...	Sam (5 episodes, 1997)
Sean Gallagher	...	Alan (4 episodes, 1997)
Annette Badland	...	Brenda (4 episodes, 1997)
Razaaq Adoti	...	Chris (4 episodes, 1997)
Badi Uzzaman	...	Shahid (4 episodes, 1997)
Paul Jesson	...	Lake (4 episodes, 1997)
Gabrielle Jourdan	...	Jemma (4 episodes, 1997)
Andrew Rajan	...	Hafiz (4 episodes, 1997)
Robert Morgan	...	Shaw (4 episodes, 1997)
Jack Beazley	...	Darren (4 episodes, 1997)
May Woodward	...	Chelsea (4 episodes, 1997)
Ellie Shergold	...	Page (4 episodes, 1997)
David Calder	...	Werner (3 episodes, 1997)
Joe Dixon	...	Eylot (3 episodes, 1997)
John Light	...	Kurt (3 episodes, 1997)
David Allister	...	Psychiatric Consultant (3 episodes, 1997)
Emily Hamilton	...	Tina (2 episodes, 1997)
Jan Harvey	...	Julie (2 episodes, 1997)
Peter Gunn	...	Len (2 episodes, 1997)
Fleur Mould	...	Sally (2 episodes, 1997)
Kate Lock	...	WPC (2 episodes, 1997)
Leslie Schofield	...	Claire's Father (2 episodes, 1997)
Philip Bretherton	...	Straun (2 episodes, 1997)
David Dixon	...	Nelson (2 episodes, 1997)
Kevin Squelch	...	Carp (2 episodes, 1997)
Ian Good	...	Chef de Cuisine (2 episodes, 1997)
Peter Halliday	...	Solicitor (2 episodes, 1997)

(more)

Series Directed by
Adrian Shergold		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Writing credits
Tony Marchant		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Produced by
Gordon Ronald	....	associate producer (8 episodes, 1997)
David Snodin	....	producer (8 episodes, 1997)
Michael Wearing	....	executive producer (8 episodes, 1997)
Kevin Loader	....	executive producer (4 episodes, 1997)

Series Original Music by
Nick Bicât		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Cinematography by
Peter Middleton		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Film Editing by
John Stothart		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Casting by
Marilyn Johnson		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Buffy Kimm		(8 episodes, 1997)
Candida Otton		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Art Direction by
Stevie Herbert		(8 episodes, 1997)
Norah Marshall		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Costume Design by
Aideen Morgan		(8 episodes, 1997)

Series Makeup Department
Karen Hartley	....	hair designer / makeup designer (8 episodes, 1997)
Debbi Salmon	....	makeup assistant (8 episodes, 1997)
Rachel Stevenson	....	assistant makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Jacmel Dent	....	production manager (8 episodes, 1997)
Hans Van Der Werf	....	unit manager (6 episodes, 1997)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mary Barltrop	....	third assistant director (8 episodes, 1997)
Jamie Hall	....	first assistant director / second assistant director (8 episodes, 1997)
Graeme Hattrick	....	first assistant director (4 episodes, 1997)
Charlie Leech	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1997)

Series Art Department
Gill Farr	....	production buyer (8 episodes, 1997)
Gary Watson	....	prop master (8 episodes, 1997)
Eddie Bishop	....	dressing props (6 episodes, 1997)
Mickey Cox	....	dressing props (6 episodes, 1997)
Chris Eytle	....	standby props (6 episodes, 1997)
Laurie Griffiths	....	stand-by carpenter (6 episodes, 1997)
Simon King	....	standby props (6 episodes, 1997)

Series Sound Department
Mick Beauchamp	....	boom operator (8 episodes, 1997)
Steve Hudson	....	dubbing mixer (8 episodes, 1997)
Reg Mills	....	sound recordist (8 episodes, 1997)
Lee Crichlow	....	dubbing editor (4 episodes, 1997)
Ben Norrington	....	dubbing editor (4 episodes, 1997)

Series Visual Effects by
Graham Brown	....	visual effects designer / visual effects (3 episodes, 1997)

Series Stunts
Nick Powell	....	stunts (5 episodes, 1997)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
Ian Maghie	....	grip (8 episodes, 1997)
Terry Moore	....	lighting gaffer (8 episodes, 1997)
Sam Renton	....	clapper/loader (8 episodes, 1997)
Chris Roach	....	focus puller (8 episodes, 1997)
Alan Stewart	....	camera operator / steadicam operator (8 episodes, 1997)
Dave Wymbush	....	best boy (8 episodes, 1997)
Matthew Dowler	....	electrician (6 episodes, 1997)
Stefan Lissner	....	electrician (6 episodes, 1997)
Tony Rea	....	electrician (6 episodes, 1997)

Series Casting Department
Marilyn Johnson	....	casting advisor (8 episodes, 1997)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Bruno de Santa	....	assistant costume designer (8 episodes, 1997)
Sam Mealing	....	costume assistant (8 episodes, 1997)
Steve Paciello	....	costume assistant (8 episodes, 1997)
Ruth Young	....	assistant costume designer (8 episodes, 1997)

Series Editorial Department
Alan Bishop	....	colorist (unknown episodes)

Series Music Department
Nick Bicât	....	music composer: "Black Boy White Wash" / music production (2 episodes, 1997)
DJ Rap	....	music composer: "Black Boy White Wash" (2 episodes, 1997)

Series Other crew
Elaine Gilks	....	production accountant (8 episodes, 1997)
Juley Harding	....	continuity (8 episodes, 1997)
Kate Harwood	....	script editor (8 episodes, 1997)
P.J. Simpson	....	location manager (8 episodes, 1997)
Emma Turner	....	location manager (8 episodes, 1997)
Caroline Watkin	....	production coordinator (8 episodes, 1997)
Anna Lewis	....	production secretary (5 episodes, 1997)
Lucy Drake	....	assistant production accountant (4 episodes, 1997)
David Newcombe	....	production executive (4 episodes, 1997)
Matthew Patnick	....	location manager (4 episodes, 1997)
Mark Galbraith	....	production executive (3 episodes, 1997)
Mzee Coffey	....	runner (2 episodes, 1997)
Derek Donohoe	....	assistant production accountant (2 episodes, 1997)
Matthew Gallagher	....	runner (2 episodes, 1997)
Jackie Wright	....	assistant production accountant (2 episodes, 1997)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Runtime:

55 min (8 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

London, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Quotes:

Gary Rickey: I like you, Bridget. I think we can do business. Do you do the business?

out on DVD!!!

As the producer of Holding On I can now confirm that the BBC are at last issuing the whole drama as a 3-disc DVD set in the UK summer 2005. Please tell your friends. Go out and buy! I don't know how heavily it will be publicised. Thanks to those who lobbied if that's what made it happen. They do listen eventually. Everyone who worked on it is very proud of it and now it can have a life beyond the one transmission it received in September 1997 (slightly overshadowed by the death of a certain princess I remember!) Will there ever be a drama of such ambition again on British TV? And who'd have guessed that David Morrissey would end up opposite Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct 2?