Holding Back the Tide

Ronald Pickup, Paul Ritter and Kate Duchene star in Nick Warburton's comedy about one community's attempts to resist changeWhen Richard and Clare Wells inherit a clifftop house in Yorkshire, they also inherit a sitting tenant, John Hector, who treats their home as his own and the local town as his own personal fiefdom. But the sea is eroding the land, and John is intent on stopping them all from being evicted, so the Wells' reluctantly embrace him as an ally. As he entangles them in his conservation battles, Clare and Richard find themselves drawn into the Breck Howe Preservation Society, an unlikely group attempting to defend their town against the worst ills of modernity. Their lives will never be the same again... North meets South in this comedic clash of cultures, written by award-winning dramatist Nick Warburton. Ronald Pickup stars as John Hector, with Paul Ritter as Richard and Kate Duchene as Clare. Written by Nick WarburtonDirected by Sally AvensFirst broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 January 2016 (The Vauxgarth Pig), 11-25 August 2017 (Series 1), 16 November-14 December 2018 (Series 2)CastRichard Wells - Paul RitterClare Wells - Kate DucheneJohn Hector - Ronald PickupLux - Michelle AsantePenrith - Chris PavloTrafford/Hugh - Gerard McDermottMrs Cardabbon - Susan JamesEstate Agent - Caolan McCarthyTicket Lady - Kerry GoodersonGuard - Bob BlytheTiffany - Louise BrealeyLibrarian - Chetna Pandya/Liam Lau FernandezMrs Briggs of Events - Sanchia McCormack/Elizabeth CounsellHeadley - Philip FoxNorwegian Herring Enthusiast - Simon LuddersRalph Bell - Sean MurrayMC/Trevor Butt - Tony TurnerRobust Betty - Emma HandyRude Girl/Brandi - Saffron CoomberBarb/WPC - Jeannette PercivalMikey/Surly Reader/Tourist - Cameron PercivalChucker/A Heavy - Don GiletAnthony/Wayne/Seasider - Lewis BrayHimself - Jonathan Agnew