- Damon and Debbie
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Damon and Debbie 
Damon presents Debbie with some rosesFormat Drama/Soap opera Created by Phil Redmond Written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce Directed by Bob Carlton Starring Simon O'Brien
Gillian KearneyCountry of origin UK No. of episodes 3 Production Producer(s) Colin McKeown Running time 60mins Broadcast Original channel Channel 4 Original run 4 November 1987 – 18 November 1987 Damon and Debbie was a three-part 'soap bubble' from Brookside, broadcast late on Wednesday evenings on Channel 4 in November 1987, with an omnibus edition over the Christmas period of that year. A Mersey Television production, it was written by Frank Cottrell-Boyce, directed by Bob Carlton, and produced by Colin McKeown. The series is credited as the first 'soap bubble'.[1][2]
The series followed teen sweethearts Damon Grant (O'Brien) and Debbie McGrath (Kearney) absconding to York from their disapproving parents in Liverpool because of the class-divide. It ended with the death of Damon, who had been a regular character in Brookside since its launch in 1982.
Contents
Inception
The character of Debbie McGrath was introduced into the soap as Damon Grant's girlfriend. She was both younger than Damon Grant and also under the age of consent, two facts which caused friction between the parents of both characters, a plot-line which saw one critic refer to it as like "Romeo and Juliet in trackies".[3] When their parents objected to them dating, the couple decided to elope from Liverpool to York. Their time away from home is depicted in Damon and Debbie, the UK's first 'soap bubble'.[4] According to Annie Leask of The Sunday Mirror, the spin-off was a result of the characters' popularity with the viewing public.[5]
Production
The scenes in which Debbie attends an open day were filmed on 19 September 1987 at York University. The same corridor was used several times for the scenes in which Damon tries to find her, with the furniture rearranged to make it appear different each time. The computer graphic ("Damon loves Debbie") that Debbie programs within a few minutes was programmed by Charles Forsyth.[6]
Plot
Episode one
Short of money, the couple squatted on a boat named "True Romance" moored on the River Ouse in York. They had chosen York because it was one of the universities Debbie wished to attend. Their aims were for Debbie to go to university whilst Damon began a painter/decorator business. In the meantime, Damon worked in the Dick Turpin Burger Bar in Coney Street,[7] managed by Lettuce (Siobhan Maher). One day, while Debbie attended an open day the university, the boat's owner returned and sailed away with all of their belongings. Debbie became very anxious at this news. Debbie's family, hostile towards Damon, began the hunt for them after discovering a York University prospectus in her bedroom.
Episode two
The couple visit Morecambe, with Goth Papadum-packer Jenny (Michelle Holmes), who Debbie had met at the open day, and her husband, computer programmer Kirk (Ian Ormsby-Knox). They then moved to Bradford, where Damon worked as a groundsman at Valley Parade (reflecting, in an interior monologue, upon the fire there a year earlier). Here, they stayed with friends Patrick (Lyndam Gregory) and Apala (Seeta Indrani). In a montage they were seen visiting what was then the National Museum of Photography, Film and Television.
Having kept her diabetes secret from him, Damon assumed that Debbie was a drug addict when he unexpectedly discovered her injecting herself with insulin.
Episode three
Debbie's uncles continued their search for the couple, finally tracking them down back in York. The series concluded when, after a mock marriage in a hotel room, Damon was stabbed by Crosby extra Jonathan Comer and died in Debbie's arms. She, and the storyline then returned to Brookside when police arrived to break the news about Damon's death.[8] Damon's funeral was featured on the episode broadcast on 1 December. Jonathan Comer, the extra who killed him on that dark riverbank on that fateful night in York began to receive threatening phone calls and hate mail shortly after the episode was broadcast.[9]
Music
The music played over the opening and closing credits was written by Steve Wright, who had also written the Brookside theme. The theme song, played over the closing credits, "Talk to Me", was performed by Dani Ali and was released as a single on the Ariola label through BMG. The A-side of the single was listed as "His song"; which was Ali's version, and the B-side was "Her song", which was the same song (and backing tracks) sung by Annabel Lamb.[10] There is no record of the single gaining a chart position. The title was also the closing spoken line of all three episodes. The song was used in an August 2004 episode of Hollyoaks.[11]
Main cast
- Damon Grant - Simon O'Brien
- Debbie McGrath - Gillian Kearney
- Lettuce - Siobhan Maher
- Mr McGrath - Nick Maloney
- Nick - John Basham
- Barbara/Bridget McGrath - Annie Tyson
- Lonnie - Neil Caple
- Tone - Geof Atwell
- Zoe - Jaye Griffiths
- Jenny - Michelle Holmes
- Kirk - Ian Ormsby-Knox
- Patrick - Lyndam Gregory
- Apala - Seeta Indrani
- Sadhir - James Neale-Kennerley
References
- ^ Plunkett, Jon (2002-10-10). "Brookside: the highs and lows". Media Guardian. http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2002/oct/10/broadcasting.channel4. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ "CHANNEL 4 AT 25". Off the Telly. November 2002. Archived from the original on 2008-01-17. http://web.archive.org/web/20080117042846/http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/features/c4/1987.htm. Retrieved 2008-03-26.
- ^ "Tv's top five YOOFS". The Daily Telegraph (London); Jan 20, 2007; p. 013
- ^ "Soap teen to drama queen ; Gillian Kearney has never forgotten her Brookie roots, finds PAULENGLISH, and can't escape another murder". Daily Record (Glasgow); May 17, 2003; PAUL ENGLISH; p. 13
- ^ "Interview Gillian Kearney: Mum's desperate for me to find a good man; She was famous at 14 as Damon's Debbie in Brookside. She won critical acclaim in Sex Chips And Rock 'n' Roll. But when will Gillian Kearney play happy families?" The Sunday Mirror (London); Apr 22, 2001; Annie Leask; p. 10
- ^ Briggs, Jim (October 1987). "Brookside Lakeside" (Reprinted on James College's official website). York University News Sheet.
- ^ Williams, Ruth. "Brookside on Campus" (Reprinted on James College's official website). Nouse.
- ^ "Episode 529". Written by John Oakden. Brookside. Channel 4. 1987-11-23.
- ^ "Episode 532". Written by Barry Woodward. Brookside. Channel 4. 1987-12-01.
- ^ "SINGLES, REMIXES, COLLABORATIONS". Annabel Lamb. http://www.annabellamb.net/disco.html.
- ^ http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Film_and_TV/Question52580.html
External links
- "Gillian Kearney Interview". BBC Liverpool. 2006-04-05. http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/content/articles/2006/04/05/theatre_gilliankearney_interview_feature.shtml. Retrieved 2008-03-27.
Categories:- British television miniseries
- Television spin-offs
- Channel 4 television programmes
- Screenplays by Frank Cottrell Boyce
- 1987 in British television
- 1987 television series debuts
- 1987 television series endings
- 1980s British television series
- Brookside
- Television shows set in Yorkshire
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