Heartbeat (UK TV Series)

Heartbeat (UK TV series)

Heartbeat is a British police drama series set in 1960s Yorkshire and broadcast on ITV in 18 series between 1992 and 2010. It was made by ITV Studios (formerly Yorkshire Television) at the Leeds Studios and on location. Heartbeat first aired on Friday 10 April 1992 (it was later moved to Sunday evenings). The 372nd and final episode aired on Sunday 12 September 2010.

Heartbeat proved popular from the beginning, when early series consistently drew over 10 million viewers. In its first year Heartbeat averaged 14.5 million viewers and was regularly in the top five TV programmes across all British channels. It even scored higher figures than the highly popular soap opera Coronation Street. In 2001 Heartbeat came sixth in the UK TV ratings list with a peak audience of 13.82 million and was sixth again in 2003 with 12.8 million viewers. In autumn 2008 typical viewing figures were around 6 million per episode.

Originally conceived as a vehicle for Nick Berry, around whom early series were centred, the show has seen many characters come and go over the years. The final series starred Derek Fowlds, William Simons, Tricia Penrose, David Lonsdale, Peter Benson, Steven Blakeley, John Duttine, Gwen Taylor, Lisa Kay, Clare Wille, Joe McFadden, Rupert Ward-Lewis and Nikki Sanderson. Derek Fowlds and William Simons were the only actors who remained with the show from the premiere episode in 1992 to the end.