Backup (TV series)

Backup is a British television police procedural crime drama series, devised by Nigel McCrery and Roy Mitchell, that ran for a total of fourteen episodes across two series on BBC One between September 7, 1995, and July 2, 1997. Focusing on the work of a police Operational Support Unit, similar to the Territorial Support Group, the series follows the operations of the nine officers of Charlie Van, an OSU of the West Midlands Police.

Both series were filmed at Pebble Mill Studios, and saw the likes of Martin Troakes, Christopher John Hall and Nick Miles among the main cast. A then-unknown Matthew Rhys starred in the second series as PC Steve 'Hiccup' Higson, his first televisual role. Initial press releases for the series stated, "When things get too much for the officers on the front line, they call for Backup, the Operational Support Unit (OSU)."

Notably, the series has never been released on DVD, and aside from a single repeat run on UK Gold in the late 1990s, has yet to be further repeated on British television.

Cast

 * Martin Troakes as Sgt. Bill 'Sarge' Parkin
 * Christopher John Hall as PC Eric 'Token' Warren
 * Nick Miles as PC John 'Thug' Barrett
 * Katrina Levon as PC Gill 'Dippy' Copson
 * Calum MacPherson as PC Roger 'Flub' Tennant
 * William Tapley as PC Lionel 'Oz' Adams
 * Christopher Quinn as PC Richard Goole
 * Adam Morris as Inspector 'Jean' Harlow
 * Peter Sullivan as DI Ken Overton

Series 1 (1995)

 * Alex Norton as PC Iain 'Jock' MacRae
 * Colette Koo as PC Susan 'Bruce' Li
 * Oliver Milburn as PC Wayne 'Bog' Cheetham
 * Suzan Crowley as DCI Helen Chivers
 * Sam Cox as Superintendent Alec Hallsworth

Series 2 (1997)

 * James Gaddas as PC Jim 'Grim' Reaper
 * Matthew Rhys as PC Steve 'Hiccup' Higson
 * Kate Gartside as DS Kath Reaper