Maggie's Law

Star witnesses take Oliver Crocker behind the scenes of detective series The Gentle Touch

- Oliver Crocker

Like many television enthusiasts, I was saddened to see the famous London Studios along the Thames demolished earlier this year. Having worked there myself as a researcher on ITV's This Morning, I always referred to the iconic building as the “LWT Tower”, associating the 24-storey Southbank landmark with the striking ident and triumphant jingle that accompanied so many classic programmes.

“London Weekend Television was the place to be,” recalls director Nic Phillips. “The first three floors were made up of studios, then every floor above contained different departments, including arts, comedy, drama, entertainment; each one filled with all these incredibly creative people. It was a very rich experience in many people's lives and we're all grateful for it. While it was very sad to see the studios get knocked down, you can't stop the march of time.”

One of the jewels in LWT's drama crown was The Gentle Touch, the game-changing police procedural starring Jill Gascoine as Detective Inspector Maggie Forbes, British television's first leading female detective.

Interviewed in 1989, Gascoine commented: “I liked how assertive Maggie was and that the programme depicted her professional life as well as her private life.” The acclaimed actress also explained that Forbes was based on a real detective who “was even more glamorous than I was. It was truthful, but the critics had a damned cheek to assume that policewomen can't be glamorous!”

Producer/director Peter Cregeen first worked with Gascoine on The Onedin Line. “I suspect that the executives at London Weekend were very keen on Jill being the star of The Gentle Touch. Commercial television is all about selling advertising and the series was promoted as not only their latest successful drama, but one with a glamorous edge to it. It was very different to its BBC competitor, Juliet Bravo, which followed later in 1980.”