Heartbeat | |
---|---|
Heartbeat opening title
|
|
Genre | Period crime drama |
Created by |
Keith Richardson Gerry Mill |
Starring |
|
Opening theme | "Heartbeat" performed by Nick Berry |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language(s) | English |
No. of series | 18 |
No. of episodes | 372 (list of episodes) |
Production | |
Executive producer(s) | Keith Richardson (369 episodes, 1992–2009) Kathleen Beedles (12 episodes, 2008) |
Producer(s) |
|
Running time | 60 Mins (including ads) |
Production company(s) |
Yorkshire Television (now branded ITV Studios) |
Release | |
Original network | ITV, STV, UTV |
Picture format | |
Original release | 10 April 1992 | – 12 September 2010
Chronology | |
Related shows |
Heartbeat is a British police drama series set in 1960s North Riding of 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 2001, Heartbeat came sixth in the UK TV ratings list with a peak audience of 13.82 million, and it 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, on whom early series 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 main-cast actors who remained with the show over its entire 18-series run.
Heartbeat is set in the 1960s. Although the specific timeframe is vague, various episodes appear to correspond to events between 1964 and 1969. The series initially revolves around the work of a group of police officers in the fictional town of Ashfordly and the village of Aidensfield in the North Riding of Yorkshire.