Rob Pursey

The Vice is an ITV police drama about the Metropolitan Police Vice Unit. Spanning five short series from 1999 and 2003, it follows the London Metropolitan police force's vice squad, where prostitution, underage sex, and such organised crime are regular occurrences. Most episodes end where the main villain is caught but often not in a 'naturally' concluded way expected from other TV dramas, and often ending with more unanswered questions than answered. Leader DI Pat Chappel struggles to manage the balance between his private and professional lives — as do the rest of the team. Working in the seedy underworld leads to a continual dilemma — the tension between the Vice Squad and vice-related crimes runs throughout the series and gives the show a rich viewing experience. The line of the team staying on the right side of the law is often blurred, as almost every member at different points submits briefly or permanently to the dubious temptations, sometimes with drastic consequences.

A group of young men and women in Dublin in 1916 are embroiled in a fight for independence during the Easter Rising. The story begins with the outbreak of World War I. As expectations of a short and glorious campaign are dashed, social stability is eroded and Irish nationalism comes to the fore. The tumultuous events that follow are seen through the eyes of a group of friends from Dublin, Belfast and London as they play vital and conflicting roles in the narrative of Ireland's independence.

Coming Up is a British Channel 4 television series of films made for television by new directors and writers. The first series was in 2006, and each year's series comprises seven or eight films. Series 6 was shown from July to September 2011. A reviewer in The Independent wrote: "Thank goodness for Coming Up ... it's a genuinely interesting display of possibilities".

This follow up to the Rebellion miniseries unfolds at the height of what became known as Ireland's War of Independence, and follows the lives of those caught up in the vicissitudes of history.

Michael and Edie are worlds apart. He's a Londoner, a city high flyer; she's a New Yorker, immersed in the indie music scene. One chance look, one coincidence in a million, and both their worlds are changed forever. Can you have a relationship when you are 3000 miles apart, from completely different backgrounds, and separated by a common language? A transatlantic cast comes together to tell this story of long distance love, the story of Edie, Michael, their friends, their worlds.

In the 1750s London’s perilous streets were run by armed gangs, corrupt night watchmen and thief takers. Then two Westminster magistrates, novelist Henry Fielding and his brother, John, obtained a grant from Parliament allowing them to bring some law and order to the crime-ridden boroughs of Central London.

Murderland is a 2009 British television drama miniseries created by David Pirie and directed by Catherine Morshead. The three-part serial concerns the points of view of a mystery surrounding a traumatic murder, as seen from the perspective of the three primary characters: Carrie, the daughter of the murdered woman; Douglas Hain, the detective in charge of the investigation; and Sally, the murder victim, all have their story to tell. Haunted by her mother's murder when she was a child, Carrie seeks to uncover the truth so that she can move on with her life. As the investigation unfolds, Carrie's yearning to discover who murdered her mother grows more intense, bringing her closer to the detective working the case.

Toulouse, April 1814. The Peninsula war is finally over for Britain and its allies, but the action does not end here for Sharpe. He is set up once again by his long-time enemy, the French spy Ducos, and finds himself accused of stealing Napoleon’s priceless treasures. Having been abandoned by his beautiful wife Jane, who returns to England, and persecuted by both the British and French, Sharpe boldly goes in search of both truth and revenge, embarking on a perilous journey across post-war France with the help of his loyal friends Frederickson and Harper.

Winter, 1813. Sharpe marries his sweetheart, Jane Gibbons, but has to leave her immediately to go on a dangerous mission in the Pyrenees, to capture a French fort. While Sharpe is battling with the French, his wife contracts a deadly fever which has swept through the British camp and endangers her life. Sharpe encounters his old enemy, Ducos and is compelled to stay at the fort and fight for his country, knowing that even if he survives he may never see his beloved bride again.

England, Summer 1814. Sharpe returns to England, with his reputation fully restored. He is soon ordered to the North of England to take command of a local militia force in his home town as it is troubled with unrest and machine-breakers. Sharpe finds that he is torn between two sides - that of the corrupt gentry and that of his own people, the rough, tough and spirited masses who are kept down by their superiors. He finds himself faced with one of the hardest decisions of his life.

June, 1813. Major Richard Sharpe's men are in mortal danger - not from the French, but from the bureaucrats of Whitehall. Unless reinforcements can be brought from England, the depleted South Essex will be disbanded, their troops scattered throughout the army. Determined not to see his regiment die, Sharpe returns to England and uncovers a nest of well-bred, high-ranking traitors, any one of whom could utterly destroy his career with a word, or a stroke of the pen. Sharpe is forced into the most desperate gamble of his life - and not even the influence of the Price Regent may be enough to save him.

London, 2009: Voter apathy is at an all-time high, and a new right-wing political party, The Democratic Consensus Party, led by Richard Wheeler, have just been voted into office. Unbeknownst to the public, the DCP have a sinister hidden agenda to do away with democracy and turn the country into a police state.

France, 1815. Sharpe seems to have settled down for life on a tranquil French farm with his new partner Lucille when the sudden news of Napoleon's return from exile compels him to go back to the army to fight in the great Battle of Waterloo. He joins the staff of Wellington's ally, the Prince of Orange. Once again reunited with the Chosen Men, Sharpe abandons his inept commander to organise the defence of the British key positions on the farm of La Haie Sainte and plays a courageous and important role in securing one of Britain's most famous victories.

Ian Bonar is Stevie, a wannabe musician whose look is a hybrid of Jarvis Cocker and early Elvis Costello. Working with his drummer pal Neil (Matthew Baynton) in a call centre, they dream of breaking into the indie music scene. To do this they require additional band members. Step forward the driven (and drinking) guitarist Billy (Kieran Bew) and slightly scatty bassist Emily (Lyndsey Marshal), who has a sideline in making sculpture from hair.

Based in the 1970s Britain, "Octavia" charts the schemes of the title character to steal her friend's man.

France, 1813. Wellington orders Sharpe to join the dashing colonel Brand on a hazardous journey behind French enemy lines with the aim of blowing up an ammunition store. Sharpe's wife Jane becomes disillusioned with Sharpe's frequent absences. Left behind in the camp, she warms to the attentions of another admirer. Meanwhile, Sharpe is out in the mountains and is dangerously outnumbered, with with the French ranks closing in. He must risk his own life, however, to confront a far deadlier enemy on his own side.

After painter Michael 'Mike' Sheldrake's failed suicide attempt, house-mate and life-long best friend Peter Tremaine, an antiques shop owner, reminisces their common past, like Mike does in therapy. It started at the beach, when scrubby, scared Mikey became the dependent protégé of forceful Pete, both doted by Pete's dad, a wealthy lawyer. Afterwards Mike moves out to marry Kate. Pete accepts to be best man, but overdoes that, 'arranging' to get stuck in the honeymoon hotel he paid for. Drama from their boarding school childhood intertwines with tragedy for the mates, Kate and vindictive former police detective Miller.

An in-depth biopic of Princess Margaret from the days following her father's death in 1952 until the 1970s. She was known to be a flamboyant royal but she remained a stickler for protocol. She had many controversial romances and also infamously kissed the daughter of the US ambassador. Also the film gives some focus on what others thought of Margaret, from normal people of the era to a backbench MP opposed to her 1961 wedding. Written by Reece Lloyd

Luka Bartholomew cares for his bed-ridden mother in the run-down resort town of Porthpunnet. On his thirtieth birthday his mother hires a carer to give him a day off. On a wintry beach he meets Dan,another young man who lives in a camper van and shares his interest in art. Initially he sees Dan as a kindred spirit until Dan proves to be gay and makes a violent pass at him. Disillusioned and drunk,Luka meets middle-aged biker Phil,who gives him a pillion ride and offers to help him leave town. But by now Luka knows where his priorities lie.

On the evening of February 12th, 2025, in a tiny venue deep in the heart of London’s West End, a very special group of people met to celebrate the launch of the album, Sensitive – An Indie Pop Anthology. This was a group of legendary, underground musicians who had helped define a movement characterised by an independent spirit, a desire to remain outside of the mainstream and to create romantic yet authentic music which spoke to everyday people about their everyday lives. The indie pop scene of the 1980’s was pivotal in shaping an attitude and aesthetic of do-it-yourself, the ripples of which are still felt today, over 40 years later, amongst young artists self-releasing music via digital platforms. Sensitive Live brought together the founding fathers of the indie pop movement for an exclusive, unforgettable, one-off show featuring performances of classic songs from the era, all of which can be heard in their original form on the Sensitive album.