A Brief History Of Pet
6th February
1951 - Kevin Whately is born.
16th March 1954
- Jimmy Nail is born.
1956 - Gary
Holton is born.
27th February
1957 - Timothy Spall is born.
1980 - Franc
Roddam returns to his native Newcastle, to find employment
in such a lull that most of his friends were, in
desperation, working in Germany on Building sites. Roddam
developes an idea for a new TV series.
1980 - Franc
Roddam approaches friends Dick Clement and Ian LaFrenais,
who fall in love with the idea.
1981 - Auditions
are held for the main characters.
1982 - Filming
begins at Elstree studios in Hertfordshire.
11th November
1983 - Series 1 begins it's 13 week broadcast with viewing
figures of 6 million.
December 1983 -
Series one broadcast missed one week over the Christmas
season.
January 1984 -
Series 1 resumes with viewing figures of over 13 million.
15th July 1984 -
Sunday Times reports that Jimmy Nail has quit the
series.
February 1985 -
The differences with Jimmy are sorted out, filming begins in
Nottingham for Series Two.
20th October
1985 - Filming stops for a weeks break.
25th October
1985 - Gary Holton dies at 01.30am at his friends flat in
Wembley, London.
January 1986 -
Jimmy Nail walks off set on final day of filming. The
production team and cast finish without him. He returns to
the set, but they refuse to re-shoot.
January 1986 -
Inquest in London hears how Gary Holton died of a lethal
combination of heroin and alcohol.
21st February
1986 - Series Two begins its thirteen week run.
16th May 1986 -
Series Two concludes, with a tribute to Gary Holton.
Summer 2000 - A
third series is announced
Autmn 2001 -
Filming takes place in Middlesbrough and Page, Arizona on
Series 3
Spring 2002 -
Series 3 is broadcast to great acclaim
Summer 2003 -
Filming commences in England and Dominican Republic for
Series 3
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