Cold Turkey

EPISODE Cold Turkey
Season 10, Episode 10
Air date	24th December 2000
Written by	Peter Gibbs
Directed by	Noreen Kershaw
Episode guide
Previous Fallen Heroes	Next Sylvia's Mother

Cold Turkey is the 10th episode of season 10 of the ITV's British period drama series Heartbeat and the show's 160th episode overall. It first aired on December 24, 2000.

Synopsis

Local bank manager Gordon Stringer is Aidensfield's own Scrooge and soon Stringer's son Noel finds himself a target for Jack Dugdale's rage. Greengrass faces a miserable Christmas Eve and PC Bellamy prepares for the Christmas raffle at the Aidensfield Arms.

Full Summary

Gordon Stringer is the new manager of the District Bank in Ashfordly and as a regular Uncle Scrooge he has tightened the reins on both the bank's customers and its employees. Even Greengrass has trouble getting paid for some gardening work he has been doing for Stringer. But he himself gets in need of a lot of money when his son Noel is kidnapped a few days before Christmas. It actually started as a prank of Noel's hiding in the caravan of Jack Dugdale, whose son Paul has provided him with the key. But then it gets serious when Noel disappears from the caravan too, and Jack Dugdale gets under suspicion because Stringer has refused to give him a postponement of his payments.

Cast

• David Beckett as Jack Dugdale
• Richard Walsh as Gordon Stringer
• Jason Durr as PC Mike Bradley
• Fiona Dolman as Jackie Bradley
• William Simons as PC Alf Ventress
• Bill Maynard as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass
• Lorraine Sass as Brenda Dugdale
• Jody Latham as Paul Dugdale
• David Lonsdale as David Stockwell
• Alwyne Taylor as Molly Stringer
• Emma Cleasby as Linda
• Michael Begley as Chris Draycott
• Scott Taylor as Noel Stringer
• Julie Corrigan as Wendy
• Tricia Penrose as Gina Ward
• Derek Fowlds as Oscar Blaketon
• Fiona Dolman as Jackie Bradley
• Philip Franks as Sgt Raymond Craddock
• Peter Benson as Bernie Scripps
• Johnny Caesar as Drunk in Cell
• Crackerjack as Singing Quartet

Trivia

• This episode marks the final appearance of Claude Jeremiah Greengrass; Bill Maynard was forced to leave the show because of ill health. Although he did return in the Heartbeat spin off series 'The Royal.

Gallery

Gordon watches down on Jack Dugdale

Mike notices that Alf signs up on all the holiday shifts

Gordon tells Jack his payments are due

Jack and Brenda argue over the bank debts

Alf tries to settle his debts with Gordon

Noel shows the result of his father's way of ruining everyone's lives

Greengrass bothered with his back and the overdue money

Linda promises he didn't see Noel

Noel, staying at the Dugdale's caravan

The Dugdale's receives a call from the Stringers

Brenda notices the caravan keys are missing

The bank receives a threat letter

Noel's mom informs the Bradley's

Gordon disregards of the threat

The kidnapper awaits his chance

Molly receives the first call from the kidnapper

Oscar gives David advices about a deck collector

The police inquires Paul

Paul notifies Craddock that he lost Dugdale

David impersonates Roy Orbison

David's attempt to be tough fails

Molly receives more instructions

Mike catches up with David

Gordon leaves the money in the factory

The police rescues Noel

Mike finds the bag empty

Greengrass tells Bellamy that he's innocent

The police questions Noel what he remembers

Linda was shocked to see the ransom money in Chris's hands

Greengrass complains about the new company they acquire

The police becomes suspicious about the bank workers

Gordon allows Alf to have an extension

Bellamy talks about the adventure they had

Craddock and Mike concludes their search, or so they thought

Mike finds the ransom money in the bank

Gordon makes amends to Greengrass

The police concludes Chris did the whole fiasco but decides to let it go

Gina dresses Phil as Father Christmas

The Aidensfield Arms holds a Christmas party and raffle draw

Gordon allows Jack to have an extension aswell

Greengrass sleeps on as the quartet sings

The episode ends with Phil giving Gina her Christmas present

Trivia

• Final appearance of Bill Maynard as Claude Jeremiah Greengrass.
• Bill Maynard's wife Muriel Linnett died in June 1983 and Maynard himself died on March 30, 2018.