Class Act

EPISODE Class Act
Season 11, Episode 22
Air date	31st March 2002
Written by	Peter Gibbs
Directed by	Roger Bamford
Episode guide
Previous The Shoot	Next Caught in the Headlights

Synopsis

Len Peters is opposed to his daughter going to university and refuses to pay for an imminent field trip. Meanwhile, a butcher shop owner is attacked and robbed.

Full Summary

Josie Peters is number one in her class. The class is going on a field trip, but she thinks she cannot go because her family is too poor to pay for it. Her school has a fund for situations like that, but her father will not accept any charity and insists that he will get the money himself. The night before the field trip Ralph Peel, Len Peter's employer, is mugged and the proceeds of the day are stolen. Josie also has a crush on her teacher Roger Gifford, and when her father reads about it in her diary he believes that her fantasies about him are true. The ventriloquist Ernie Dobson has died and left his dummy Enoch to David, who treats the dummy like a real person and drives Vernon Scripps mad.

Cast

• Peter Wight as Len Peters
• Jenny Dent as Deputy Headmistress
• Mark Jordon as PC Phil Bellamy
• William Simons as PC Alf Ventress
• Tim Scott-Walker as Roger Gifford
• Geraldine Griffiths Doreen Peters
• Geoffrey Hughes as Vernon Scripps
• David Lonsdale as David Stockwell
• Derek Fowlds as Oscar Blaketon
• Tricia Penrose as Gina Ward
• John Sackville as Ian Sinclair
• Stacey Sampson as Josie Peters
• Adrian Hood as Ralph Peel
• Jason Durr as PC Mike Bradley
• Sean Chapman as Alex Robinson
• Emma Gill as Lyn
• Clare Calbraith as Dr Tricia Summerbee
• Duncan Bell as Sgt Dennis Merton
• Rupert Vansittart as Lord Ashfordly
• Roger Davidson as Ferdie Fairborn
• Peter Diamond as Stunt Co-ordinator

Gallery

Josie's girls school host a parent night

Josie's drunk father comes by to discuss his daughter's education

The headmistress calls the station to throw Josie's father out

Phil and Alf argue who should go to the school

Doreen discusses Josie's chances of getting into Oxford University

Doreen thanks Josie's teacher, Roger, for his help to Josie

Oscar gives a final toast to the deceased entertainer, Ernie Dobson

Vernon tries to cheer David up, who was affected by Ernie's death

Ian Sinclair purchases his lunch in the Aidensfield Arms

Oscar tells David that Ernie has left David a heirloom

Ernie's final wish was for David to keep his partner, Enoch

Len argues that he won't pay for Josie's imminent field trip

Len is dead set on his refusal for Josie to attend university

Josie's mom leaves for her work as she scribbles in her diary

Vernon gets disturbed by Enoch's presence as he eats his food

David whispers to Enoch and reckons Vernon is jealous

That morning, Josie's teacher, Roger comes by looking for Len

Ralph tells Roger that Len is in the Kings Head pub

Roger offers Len assistance fund by the school

Len took offense of Roger's offer

David drags Enoch as he does the taxi business

Ralph's meat store soon closes for the day

As Ralph approaches his car, he was attacked from behind

Josie packs up for the field trip

As Josie leaves, Mike comes by to question Len

Ian Sinclair surveys the lands of Aidensfield

A blue 1963 Jaguar MK.II passes by which Ian observes

Mike breaks the news of Ralph Peel's attack last night

The driver of the blue Jaguar settles in the Aidensfield Arms

Gina shows Alex Robinson's room

Alex tells Gina his job as a land buyer for a trust fund

Doreen gets suspicious where Len got the money for Josie's field trip

Len kept his mouth shut towards his wife

Vernon gets a complaint of David and Enoch

Vernon orders David to leave Enoch out of the taxi

Josie's field trip soon arrives in Whitby

Josie thanks Roger for helping her with her bag

Lyn teases Josie's affection for Roger of which they laugh

Mike questions Ralph if Len Peters could have robbed him

Ralph tells Mike that Len is not the sort of man stealing money

Vernon tells Gina about David and Enoch

Mike questions Oscar about Len Peters

Oscar gives Len as a heavy drinker and heavy use on money for booze

Gina tells Alex about Ian, another land surveyor

Alex tells Gina to keep his identity down towards Ian

The girls and Roger soon study the coast of Whitby

Lyn and Josie have a laugh on Josie's feelings for Roger

Vernon watches a terrible act of David and Enoch

Mike questions Roger of the money for Josie's trip

Roger tries to send Mike off but Mike was persuasive

Roger explains that Len was offended by his fund offer

Len explains he got the money when he won on a horse race

With not much evidence, Merton decides to release Len

Roger and his class are soon done with the field trip

Roger offers Josie a ride home after Lyn left

Josie thanks Roger for the ride home

Alex sells himself to Lord Ashfordly for land purchase

Lord Ashfordly was impressed of Alex's explanation

Josie's puppy love grew stronger as she puts Roger in a locket

Lord Ashfordly rings Ferdie to help his financial embarrassment

Josie comes by Tricia's clinic asking to be on the pill

The police soon tells Ralph that the man who hit him has been arrested

Roger wishes Josie and Lyn good luck for their entrance exam

Josie and Lyn notices a woman with Roger has he left

David finds a box of Ernie's props hidden in Greengrass's barn

Charlie rings Alex to talk about the buying of land

Charlie has invited Alex for a party to talk to Ferdie and the land

David tells Vernon he found the list of Ernie's bookings

Vernon assures David that Ernie's wife has canceled the bookings

Alex ask Gina to go with him to Charlie's party

Gina keeps no promises but will think it over

Doreen wishes luck for Josie's entrance exam

Josie notices on the paper that Roger is getting married

Len was confused after Josie starts coughing

David calls one of the groups booked for Ernie's appearance

David soon comes up with an idea to fulfill Ernie's promise

The Oxford Entrance exam soon begins without Josie

Gina ask Oscar's advice whether to go or not

Doreen gets a call that Josie didn't turn up for the exam

Doreen alerts her husband but thinks Len offended Josie's luck

Merton allows Mike to look for Josie after she disappeared

David stands in for Ernie Dobson's canceled act

Minutes later, David puts his audience to snooze

Len looks for Josie and stumbles across her diary

Gina models her fancy dress for the party to Tricia

Mike ask Lyn to where she thinks Josie is

Lyn doesn't know where Josie is either

Len thinks that Roger has taken advantage of Josie much to Doreen's confusion

Lyn's love for Roger is shattered

Josie calls Roger

Josie tells Roger she's in Whitby

As Roger leaves to rescue Josie, Len comes by and punches Roger

Doreen soon understands Josie's love after piecing the papers

Doreen tells Len that he was killing to get back at Roger

Len drags the unconscious Roger to Ralph's meat store fridge

Mike radios station for back up after Len's comment of killing Roger

Vernon tells David that his audience fell asleep

David soon gets fed up of Vernon's negativity

David refuses to do the taxi service and continue Ernie's act

Mike soon arrives in Whitby

Josie runs to the end of the pier after seeing her father

Mike soon spots Len chasing Josie

Len tries to reason with Josie

Josie goes to the other side of the fence

Len tries his best to calm his daughter

Josie slips off and falls into the raging waves

Phil soon arrives and throws a float

Josie is soon saved

Vernon tries to stop David but David remains hesitant to give up

David carelessly leaves Enoch behind the lorry to grab the keys

David watches in horrors as Vernon crushes the suitcase

Enoch was soon in pieces