Spender

Spender
Intertitle
Genre	Drama Police
Created by	Jimmy Nail Ian La Frenais
Written by	Jimmy Nail Ian La Frenais Kenneth Ladd Val McLane
Directed by	Mary McMurray Roger Bamford
Starring	Jimmy Nail
Theme music composer	Tony McAnaney
Original language(s)	English
No. of series	3
No. of episodes	20
Production
Producer(s)	Martin McKeand
Running time	50 mins
Production company(s)	BBC Television/Big Boy Productions
Broadcast
Original channel	BBC One
Picture format	16:9
First shown in	1991
Original run	1991 – 1993

Spender is a BBC television drama set in Newcastle upon Tyne, written by Ian La Frenais and Jimmy Nail, who also starred. The series was produced by Martin McKeand (1-14). The series was broadcast on BBC between 1991 and 1993. In all, 20 episodes were produced across three series, and one feature length special, set in and filmed in France.

It focused on the life and exploits of Detective Sergeant Freddie Spender (Nail) who was often chosen to carry out more daring police cases. With his criminal sidekick Stick (Sammy Johnson), Spender was one of the more remarkable TV detectives of the 1990s. The series featured a large amount of back story for the main characters with many episodes dealing with Spender's domestic life, his family and circumstances. Some of the storylines were surprisingly dark; one episode featured the death of Spender's wife at the hands of a ruthless gangster, another on the kidnap of one of his daughters. No further series were produced after the special, despite the popularity of the show, and it being a smash hit for the BBC in terms of ratings.

Ford provided a Ford Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth for each series.

Cast and characters

External links

• Spender at the Internet Movie Database
• Spender episode guide