"One Summer" - Produced by Yorkshire Television for Ch.4 (1983) 5 x 50min
With David Morrissey as Billy, Spencer Leigh as Icky, James Hazeldine as Kidder.

Written by the award winning playwright Willy Russell, One Summer was about two tear-away Liverpool teenagers trying to find happiness in the Welsh countryside. The series was met with critical acclaim at the time of it's original broadcast for its emotional drama, gritty realism and wry humour.

The program has lived on vividly in many people's memories. This web site is an attempt to make some information available to those who still remember the program, including the controversy surrounding its original broadcast which has contributed to its relative obscurity.

Also worth a visit: 'One Summer' on Willy Russell's site

This website is dedicated to the memory of James Hazeldine, who died 17th Dec 2002 aged 55.

Highlights from the guestbook:

"Compelling, hilarious and at times harrowing viewing..."

"I have always maintained to anyone interested that this series is the best piece of television drama ever made...Great to see we weren't the only ones to be amazed at the brilliance of this show - the writing , the performances, the realism - it really was a lost masterpiece."

"Weird vivid memories of this drama...would love to see it again. Twenty years? shit!"

"Transfixed and drawn into the TV! Seeing the pics etc on this site has just brought back that feeling. Thanks. "

"a series of brilliance like this should not gather dust... "

"As an 18 year old gay lad growing up in a rural community... this whole series had a huge impact on my life."

"I was 13 years old and it was on about 10:00 oclock and i used to hide under the couch so I could watch it. I cried and cried when my mum wasnt going to let me watch the very last episode but to my relief she gave in. "

"The acting by all three leads was fantastic.The series had that whiff of brilliance about it, an earthy realism..."

"These 2 lads were the same age as me, painfully stupid dreaming teenagers - just like I was, though thankfully I was better behaved. It left a powerful memory of the time, I sulked for months when my parents recorded over it..."

"Tops anything that ever followed on TV afterwards and never left my memory.... It was so popular and talked about by so many at my school you'd swear there wasn't a soul that didn't watch it..."

"I would cry if I found this on dvd... it would be a piece of my life returned..."

"20 years later, I still remember the feelings 'One Summer' left me with. It was in my chest, very tight, it opened my eyes to the world I was about to be let loose in. I was excited and horrified, I also fell in love."

 

This is a fan site - and the views and opinions expressed here are purely my own.
No copyright infringement is intended. All images/audio on this site is used for review and criticism.
All One Summer images © Yorkshire Television / Granada Media
all other content copyright the site developer.

Nb. please do not reuse any images or text from this site without permission, unless strictly for personal use (sellers on ebay this means you!)

To play the theme music you require Real Player (or an mp3 version is located in the CREW section)
bbc channel 4 play 1984 1985 billy and icky ch4 c4 ch itv

you can email me at: admin@one-summer.tv83.net

First version 27 Nov 2002 - redesigned without frames 28 Dec 2002. Last updated