The Guardian from London, Greater London, England • 51

TheGuardian Thursday September 24 1998 19 Last night's TV Nancy Banks-Smith Hart attack rian Park, the co-producer killed off poor Derek 'Wilton in Coronation Street, rehearsal. Flowing marmalade hair, soft collar, loose tie. Insubordinate, naturally. Sometimes your heart goes out to superintendents, who are incessantly sauced by their charismatic subordinates. Pitt, in turn, is comprehensively snubbed by the bon ton is a tradesman's including Charlotte, who slays him with her noble birth.

At first. To cut short your suspense, the hellfire preacher's wife did it. I cannot positively tell you why, as her explanation was overlaid with background music that was in the foreground. No doubt she was upset about something. Pitt shot her as she was trying to garotte Charlotte with a cheese wire, though the intelligent girl had wisely worn a dog collar.

Though Anne Perry is British, her Inspector Pitt stories are far more popular in the States than here. Like Prince Edward, whose company made the film, they have tourist appeal. Somehow you felt the film was talking to you, but looking over your shoulder at someone else. ordinary, faithful, hard-working, good-hearted famity. Though this, in fact, was what attracted me to Family Affairs in the first place.

If you enjoy The Inspector Pitt Mysteries (ITV), they will give you a second helping, so be careful what you say. This is late-Victorian London. Fog, top hats, moustaches, bustler, hansom cabs, street cries and servant girls. You get the general idea. The men lead seething, subterranean lives.

The doctor was drummed out of India. The paterfamilias has a secret mistress. The butler has smuggled his illegitimate daughter into the house as a maid. The son-in-law of the house is sleeping with her. The hellfire preacher flagellates himself nightly with a cat o' nine tails.

The women occupy themselves by taking Brown Windsor to the poor and are being strangled. Not necessarily by the poor. Inspector Pitt is played by the rather delicious Eoin McCarthy, who is 30 years before his time and could go on as Rupert Brooke without hair has remained defiantly black despite a life blighted with sorrow. Melanie Hart, who's in the police, Holly Hart, who's a lawyer, and Jamie Hart, the involuntary midwife. Not to mention the new baby, whose life should set a Guinness record for brevity.

Annie's parents, who thought they could escape by having a different surname, will be the first to go. I am forcibly reminded of The Bowmans, based none too lightly on The Archers, which Galton and Simpson wrote for Hancock. "Ok, look, coming across the field! There be Dan Bowman, Mrs Bowman, their daughter, Dianne, and George and Fred his farmhands. The squire and his wife. Old Jim, who owns the tobacconists, the vicar and the manager of the Turk's Head.

Dang me, but they shouldn't be walking across that field! Oh dear, what a is the new executive producer of Family Affairs (Channel 5). I am rather fond of Family Affairs, a small-time, small-town daily soap. It has 1.22 million viewers, which is creditable, considering. Unlike all other soaps, it is based on one family, the Harts. Now every single Hart is to be killed off.

It will be (as Channel 5 put it with a commendably straight face) a tragic twist of fate. The police are looking for the man shown on the right. And so we will say, farewell Annie Hart, who last night gave birth to Sam, the child of her middle age, helped by her young son, Jamie. Chris Hart, her chunky husband. Angus Hart, the Geordie grandad, whose shame! They've fallen down that disused mine shaft!" The only survivors of Family Affairs, left clinging to the winter wreckage, will be Pete, drug dealer and wife-beater, Susie, lesbian barmaid, Roy, former drug addict, Claire, single mother, and Maria, who has just kidnapped one of Claire's children and decamped with their father.

It is easy to see that there is no room in a competitive soap for a fairly Radio Radio 3 Listening Brief 90.2-92.4 MHz 10.0 Nia Roberts 11.0 Hywel Gwynfryn 12.30 Stondin Sulwyn 1.20 Croesffordd 1.50 Rala Rwdins 2.0 Kevin A Nia 3.0 Daffyd Du 5.0 Post Prynhawn 6.0 Yr Ochr Arall 6.30 Diwrnod I'w Goto 7.0 Geraint Lloyd 8.0 Chris Needs 9.0 Bit 10.0 Parchedig Pop 12.0 Gweler Radio 5 Live 1.30 Snapdragon 2.0 Gweler Radio 5 Live World Service 648 kHz 9.0 News; Weather Wise. See Listening Brief. (16) 9.30 Between Ourselves. (R) 10.0 The World Tonight 10.45 Book At Bedtime: Enduring Love. 11.0 Only Connect.

With Arabella Weir. 11.30 A Retiring Fellow. (R) 12.0 News 12.30 The Late Book: The Tesseract. By Alex Garland. (910) 12.48 Shipping 1.0 World Service Radio 5 Live 693,909 kHz 6.0 Breakfast 9.0 Nicky Campbell 12.0 The Midday News 1.0 Ruscoe And Co 4.0 Drive 7.0 News Extra 7.30 On The Line 7.55 The Thursday Match 10.0 Late Night Live 1.0 Up All Night 5.0 Morning Reports Classic FM Since it came into office the government has been muttering about reforming the House of Lords but it's remarkably coy about the details.

Various peers join Dennis Sewell to study the entrails in Matrix Of Power (Radio 4, 8.30pm). Did you know there are more thunderstorms in Norwich than in any other area of the United Kingdom? Or that part of the Lake District averages 173 inches of rain a year, half the amount falling on the whole of England and Wales? Of course you didn't, but you will if listen to Paul Simons's new six-part series Weather Wise (Radio 4, 9.0pm). It speculates that the uncertain weather makes the British so pragmatic and adaptable. Harold Jackson 100-102 MHz 11.0 News; From Our Own Correspondent 11.30 Spangles 'N' Tights. New comedy series by Christopher Fitz-Simon set in a run-down Dublin theatrical costumiers.

With David Kelly. 12.0 (FM) News 12.0 (LW) News Headlines; Shipping 12.04 You And Yours 1.0 The World At One 1.30 Brain Of Bntain 1998 2.0 News; The Archers. (R) 2.15 Afternoon Play: The Charm Factory. By Sue Teddem. Irene plans a change of image, but love and Hollywood may intervene.

With Dinah Sheridan. (44) 3.0 News; Call You And Yours: 0171-580 4444 3.30 Faith On The Front Line. Edward Stourton meets Father Tony Terry, who was branded a Marxist for living among the poor. (45) 3.45 Tales We Tell. When Should We Live, If Not by Rachel Bentham.

4.0 News; Word Of Mouth 4.30 The Material World. Trevor Phillips examines the patient under anaesthetic. 5.0 PM 5.54 (LW) Shipping 6.0 Six O'Clock News 6.25 Party Political Broadcast By The Labour Party 6.30 Life, Death And Sex With Mike And Sue. Sketch show starring Robert Duncan and Jan Ravens. 7.0 News; The Archers 7.15 Front Row.

Francine Stock presents news of this year's Booker Prize short list. 7.45 The Jury. By Matthew Solon. (Ft) 8.0 News; The Only Woman Left Behind. Dr Eleanor Ardel Vietti is the only American woman still officially listed as missing in action.

She went to Vietnam to treat leprosy victims and was kidnapped by the Viet Cong in 1962. The Guardian's war correspondent, Maggie O'Kane, looks Into what happened to Vietti and the other American women who served in Vietnam. 8.30 Matrix Of Power. See Listening Brief. (44) Songes).

(8.05-6.25 Sakari Oramo. Chris de Souza talks to Oramo about his appointment as the City of Birmingham SO's principal conductor and artistic adviser.) Mahler Symphony No 1. 9.40 Postscnpt. Tibor Fischer profiles Saudi dissident Abdelrahman Munif, one of the luminaries of the Arab novel. 10.0 Music Restored.

Convivlum: Elizabeth Wallfisch (violin), Richard Tunniclilfe (cello), Paul Nicholson (harpsichord). Marco Uccellini: Sonata (La Luciminia Contante); Sonata Quinta (La Laura Rilucente). Leclair: Sonata in Op 9 No 7. Attrib Bach: Sonata in minor, BMV 1024. (0.45 Night Waves.

Paul Allen and guests debate the value of university education. 11.30 Jazz Notes. Alyn Shlpton and Campbell Bumap review new CO releases. 12.0 Composer Of The Week: Mendelssohn. Prelude arid Fugue In minor Cappriccio in minor; Elijah (excerpts); Prelude and Fugue In minor; Variations Serieuses.

(R) 1.0 Through The Night. Strauss: Suite: Die Frau ohne Schatten. Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in minor. Brahms: Symphony No 4. 2.40 Telemann: Deus Judicium Tuum.

3.0 Schools 5.0 Works by Groneman, Brahms, Daniel-Lesur and Weber. Radio 4 92.4-94.6 MHz; 198 kHz 5.30 News 5.35 Shipping 5.40 Inshore Forecast 5.45 Prayer For The Day 5.47 Farming Today 6.0 Today 9.0 Between Ourselves. Olivia O'Leary meets Valerie Nettles and Jane Druburgh, who have both experienced the unexplained disappearance of a family member. 0.30 Coffee A Hellish Brew. Mike Gonzalez charts how the taste for coffee has changed the face of Latin America.

(44) 9.45 (FM) A Kind Of Fallen Angel. By Humphrey Carpenter. (45) 9.45 (LW) Daily Service 10.0 News; Woman's Hour 6.0 On Air 9.0 Masterworks. Works by Mozart, Liszt, Bach and Haydn. 10.30 Artist Of The Week: Brigitfe Fassbaender.

The German mezzo discusses the problems of singing Schoenberg. 11.0 Sound Stories. Peggy Reynolds reveals how Alexander Scriabin's efforts to write an epic were thwarted by a carbuncle. Scriabin: Vers la Flamme. Arensky: Piano Trio No 1 in minor.

Scriabin: Poem of Ecstasy: Piano Sonata No 9 (Black Mass). 12.0 Composer Of The Week: Lambert. Elegiac Blues; Adieu! Farewell Earth's Bliss (Summer's Last Will and Testament); Suite: Horoscope; Elegy. 1.0 The Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert. Howells: My Deir Hert; Full Moon; King David.

Stanford: Le Belle Dame sans Merci; The Rain It Raineth Every Day. Warlock: My Own Country; The Night (Belloc Songs); Love for Love. Vaughan Williams: Ten Blake Songs; The Sky Above the Roof; How Can the Treebut Wither? Blackmore by the Stour. (R) 2.0 The BBC Orchestras. BBC POVassily Sinaisky and Charles Mackerras, Christian Blackshaw (piano).

Mozart: Piano Concerto No 22 in flat. Mahler: Symphony No 7. 4.0 Ensemble. (R) 4.48 Music Machine. Tommy Pearson meets this year's bluse star of the Montreaux Jazz Festival, John Mayall.

5.0 In Tune. Sean Rafferty celebrates London Fashion Week as top designer Jasper Conran adds a touch of glamour to ENO's new production of Donizetti's Maria Stuarda. Music includes works by Brahms and Prokofiev. 7.30 Performance On 3. Live from Symphony Hall, Birmingham.

Olivier Chartier (violin), City of Birmingham SOSakari Oramo. Sibelius: The Bard. Dutilleux: violin Concerto (L'Arbre des Radiol 6.0 Nick Bailey 8.0 Henry Kelly 12.0 Requests 2.0 Concerto. Elgar Cello Concerto In minor. 3.0 Jamie Crick 6.30 Newsnight 7.0 Classics At Seven 0.0 Evening Concert.

Mozart: Overture: The Marriage of Figaro. Paganini: Violin Concerto No 1 in D. Beethoven: Piano Concerto No 4 in Symphony NolinC.II.OMannAt Night 2.0 Concerto 3.0 Mark Griffiths 97.6-99.8 MHz 6.0 World Today 7.0 News 7.15 Insight 7.30 Meridian 8.0 News 8.15 Off The Shelf 8.30 Composer Of The Month 9.0 News 9.15 Performance 9.30 Joe Strummer's London Calling 10.0 News; Business 10.15 The Passage Of Time 10.30 English Teaching 10.48 Sport 11.0 Newsdesk 11.30 Discovery 12.0 Newsdesk 12.30 Waveguide 1Z4S From Our Own Correspondent 1.0 New3; Business 1.15 Britain Today 1.30 Record News 1.45 Sport 2.0 Newshour 3.0 News; Outlook 3.30 MultitrackX-Press 4.0 News; Sport 4.15 Westway 4.30 News In German 5.0 Europe Today 5.30 Business .5.45 Britain Today 6.0 News 6.15 Insight 6.30 News In German 6.45 Sport 7.0 Newsdesk 7.30 Assignment 8.0 Outlook 8.30 John Peel 9.0 Newshour 10.0 News; Business 10.15 Britain Today 10.30 Meridian 11.0 Newsdesk 11.30 Insight 11.45 Sport 12.0 News; Outlook 12.30 John Peel 1.0 Newsdesk 1.30 Westway 1.45 Britain Today 2.0 Newsdesk 2.30 Composer Of The Month 3.0 Newsday 3.30 Focus On Faith 4.0 News; Business 4.15 Sport 4.30 World Today Variations (SW 6.195, 9.410): 8.30am The Passage Of Time 6.45-7.0 The Waveguide 9.0-0.15 News 1.0pm-1.15 News; Business 4.30-5.0 Vintage Chart Show 6.30-6.45 Record News 4.30am Insight 4.45-5.0 Off The Shelf 5.30 Outlook 6.55-6.0 Science View 8.30 Chris Movies S.O Simon Mayo 12.0 Jo Whiley 2.0 Mark Radcliffe 4.0 Dave Pearce 6.30 Steve Lamacq: The Evening Session 8.30 Global Update 8.40 John Peel 10.30 Mary Anna Hobbs 12.0 Gilles Peterson 2.0 Emma 4.0 Clive Warren Radio Wales 882 kHz Radio 2 88-91 MHz 6.30 Good Morning Wales 8.30 Roy Noble 10.38 Elimination 11.0 Livetime 1.0 News; Meet For Lunch 2.0 Owen Money 4.0 Four Star 6.0 Good Evening Wales 6.30 All Things Considered 7.0 Adam Walton 8.0 Kevin Hughes 10.0 News; Steve Dewirt's Late Show 12.0 World Service 6.0 Sarah Kennedy 7.30 Wake Up To Wogan 9.30 Ken Bruce 12.0 Jimmy Young 2.0 Ed Stewart 6.05 John Ounn 7.0 David Allan 8.30 Paul Jones 9.30 The News Huddlines 10.0 Denlece Williams 10.30 Richard Allinson 12.05 Steve Madden 3.0 Alex Lester Radio Cymru 92.6-96.8, 103.5.105 MHz 6.0 Post Cyntaf BJ20 Jonsi 0.20 Jonsl A Nia TV regional variations HTVWest Central BBC1 2.45 The Jerry Springer Show IS) 3867434 6.0 Mendlan Tonight ID 279 8.30-7.0 Southern Steam 23) 10.48 RUM: The Natural (Barry Levinson, 1984) (S) 26603521 1.15am Highlander 8688336 2.05 Baywatch Nights (S) 6949212 2.58 Cyber Cafe (R) 938965) 3.25 CO UK (S) (R) 1334903 4.16 Trisha (D (R) 420)800 8.08-8.30 Freescreen (D 6624458 Scotland: 11.Wam-11.35 See You, See Me (S) 7588057 10pm Little Polar Bear (R) 80234144 108 Breakers 6769(328 Countryside Hour (S) 14347 SjO De-A-No? (S) 861095 Botanron Amid Ullean 875927 7.30-00 Ebrpa (S) 989 10.30-103S Party Political Broadcast By The Scottish Labour Party 274958 1120 Conference '98 10152 lUJO-liOmldnlfltit Black Firsts (TVS) 3I2960 Wales: 7.30pm The Air Show 01 (S) 989 Sing For Your Supper 8705 N. Inland: 12.08am Hearts And Minds ID (R) 86)3835 12.35 RUN: The Internecine Projact (Ken Hughes, 1974) (T) 9842729 2.04.0 BBC News 24 4993090 Scotland: 2.O6pm-3.20 Conference '98 2025144 8.30 The Boechgrove Garden (T) (S) 929S 9.0-0.06 Porty Political Broadcast By The Scottish Labour Party 950291 Ml French And Saunders Go To The Movies (T) (S) (R) 164647 10.15 McColst And MacAulay (S) 906724 10.45-11.0 On The Bru (R) 733)44 Westcountry As London except lOpm-130 Emmerdaie Anglla As London except 10pm Shortland Street (S) 82434 130 Home And Away (T) (S) 91231 2.0-2.45 The Jerry Springer Show (S) 3867434 5.10-8.40 A Country Practice (S) 9117057 8.0 Home And Away (I) (S) (R) 8(452; 8.30-7.0 The West Tonight ft) 23) 10.48 Some Good Days (S) (R) 990)63 11.18 The West This Week (S) 997076 1148 Limited Edition (D (S) 996347 12.18am Jenny (S) 49361 1Z48 Short Story Cinema 48S32 1.18 Highlander (R) 8688336 206 Baywatch Nights (S) 6949212 2M Cyber Cafe (R) 938965) 3J CD UK (S) (R) 1334903 4.15 Trisha (D (R) 4201800 8.05-8.30 Nightscreen 6624458 MTV train: As West except 6.26pm-7.0 Wales Tonight (T) 258665 7.30-8.0 Up The Creek (D (S) 4)5 10.48 The Ferret (S) 990163 H.1B Artylax (D (SI 997076 11.48 What Will They Think Of Next? ID (S) 996347 12.16am-12M Public Morals (S) 49361 6898231 5.55 Calendar fT) 49)250 6.30-7.0 Tonight fT) 231 10.45 The Question Is 990)63 1118 And A 997076 11.40-1230 am Over My Dead Body 607095 4.20-6.30 Jobflnder (S) 8428699 S4C T.Oam The Big Breakfast 87989 0.0 Ysgolion: As Channel 4 6896)8 H30 The Leader's Speech 12827 12.30pm Caroline In The City (T) 90502 1.0 Slot Meithrin 5758852) 1.18 Plngu (R) 57583076 130 The Electric House 97791366 185 FILM: The Dark Avenger (Henry Levin, 1955) ID 51638724 3 JO Wings 637 4.0 Filteen-To-One ID 144 4.30 RickJ Lake fT) 328 6.0 5 Pump 4989 8.30 Countdown TJ 908 8.0 Newyddion 6 ID 269057 8.10 Heno (T) 876927 7.0 Pobol Cwm 75881) 7.28 Sgrin Ti Synlad7 ID 937057 8.0 0 Flaen Dy Well (D 3873 8.30 Newyddion ID 2908 0.0 She's Got To Have It (D 2502 8.30 Looking Like Diana (D (R) 10366 10.0 Ultraviolet (D 2648569 H.OS-I.Oam FILM: A Shot Tha Dark (Blake Edwards, 1964) ID 844706 6.66-7.0 Sesame Street (R) 7795521 As London except 1.0pm-1.30 Echo Point (S) 82434 5.10-5.40 Shortland Street (S) 907057 8.0 Home And Away (T) (S) (R) 814521 8.28.7.0 Central News (T) 822540 10.48 The Incredible Journey 1010279 H80-12J50am Renegade 839279 4 .20 Central Jobfinder '98 (T) 7431632 8,204 .30 Asian Eye 9859BO0 Channel As Meridian except 3Jt0pni-3Jt8 Puffin's 5232724 8.0 Channel Report (T) 814521 6.25-8.30 Channel Islands Surf Report (T) 439989 10.0-10.08 In Focus 758160 Granada As London except Home And Away 01 (S) 61612811 1.25 The Jerry Springer Show T) (S) 3200279 2.10 Emmerdale (T) (S) (R) 28868347 Dale's Supermarket Sweep T) (S) 689823 8.55-7.0 Granada Tonight ID 4470908 10.48 The line -Party Time 990163 1118 The Barmy Amy Game Show 997076 H4S Hitting Home (D '2)647 12.10am-12. 50 Coach 1357748 BBC2 (D (S) (R) 82434 8.0-7.0 Westcountry Live (D (S) 17279 10.48 Bendotl And Parry Unleashed 990)63 H.16 Power Game 997076 1148 Street Legal 265255 liSBam Soundtrax 4374)06 115 Highlander (R) 8688336 2.08 Baywatch Nights (S) 6949212 2JJ8 Cyber Cafe (R) 9389651 3.25 CD UK (S) (R) )334903 4.18 Trisha ID (R) 4201800 5.05-5.30 Nightscreen 6624458 As London except 10pm Split Second (S) 82434 130 Home And Away (1) (S) 91231 2.0-2.45 The Jerry Springer Show (S) 3867434 5.10-5.40 Shorlland Street (S) 9111057 0.0 Home And Away (1) (S) (R) 8M521 8.25-7.0 Anglla News (T) 822540 10-S0 Roy And HG's Planet Norwich (S) 873328 HBO V-9B (S) 709347 1220am Jenny (S) 5135816 12.45 Tales From The Darkslde 48632 1.1S Highlander (R) 8688336 2.05 Baywatch Nights (S) 6949212 2.55 Cyber Cafe (R) 9389651 3.25 CD UK (S) (R) 1334903 4.15 Trlsha (T) (R) 4201800 8.05-5.30 Nightscreen 6624458 Yorkshire England: 7.30pm-8.0 East: Matter Of raet Remembering the tragedy of HMS Invincible; Midland! Midlands Report An investigation into how the region is pioneering a radical new approach to child prostitution; South West Close Up South West Examining the reasons why communities in the area are missing out on the resources that they badly need.

989 H. Inland: 7.30pm-S.O Hearts And Minds (1)989 Meridian As London except 10pm Home And Away ID (S) 6)6)26)) 126 The Jerry Springer Show (T) (S) 3200279 2.10 Emmerdale ID (S) (R) 2S868347 2.40-3.18 Dale's Supermarket Sweep (D (S) As London except 1.0pm Shortland Street (S) 82434 130 Home And Away (T) (S) 9123) 2.0-.