Band of Gold (TV series)

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Band of Gold was a television series shown on ITV1 between 1995 and 1997, written by Kay Mellor.

The series was based in Bradford and revolved around the lives of a group of women who lived and worked in the red light district (Samantha Morton, Geraldine James, Cathy Tyson, Ruth Gemmel, Barbara Dickson and Rachel Davies).

[edit] Series One

Gina (Ruth Gemmel) is being harassed by an aggressive loan shark and as a consequence turns to prostitution. Gina, along with fellow prostitute Carol (Cathy Tyson) steals money off a client and as a result the client kills Gina and in the final episode Carol comes face to face with the killer. Fortunately Tracy(Samantha Morton)who is a child prostitute raises the alarm and the killer is stopped before he can kill Carol. Also in this series Carol and Rose (Geraldine James) decide to quit prostitution and set up a cleaning company to rival that of a business man who was responsible for Gina's harassment that would ultimately lead to her demise.

[edit] Series Two

Samantha Morton shines in this shocking sequel. The sequel is based around the self destruction of Tracy as her world becomes more and more centred around both a crack-cocaine habit and a sexual affair with the local crime lord who supplies her the drugs. Rose and Carol see their dreams collapse when the cleaning contract is taken from them and then they are suspected of two murders that have occurred on the "lane". Rose sets out on a quest to find her lost daughter who is later revealed to be Tracy's lesbian lover Colette Levison (Lena Headey). As the series comes to a close it is revealed that the murders were committed by an insane Tracy and as the women race to stop her from claiming her final victim, Carol learns that she has inherited a large amount of money. The climax sees Tracy sparing her fathers life and instead ending her own.

[edit] Series Three

The final series (which was re-titled to just "Gold") saw Rose take on a cause celibre when a beautiful escort named Paula is implicated in two murders. Also a young transsexual is raped and Rose and Carol must ensure the victim gets justice. In the final arc of the series Rose takes on dangerous gangsters from Leeds and a confused but dangerous young prostitute (Alicya Eyo, Bad Girls)