London Bridge – Nostalgia Central

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1 9 9 6 – 1 9 9 9 (UK)
237 x 25 minute episodes

This British soap opera from ITV revolved around a restaurant called SE1 and the neighbouring block of flats, called The Millhouse, so named because the building was a converted mill.

Starting as a late-night drama which ran for 26 episodes in 1996, the show returned as a twice-weekly soap opera later that year.

The series was only aired in London and certain other ITV regions and did not gain national popularity. The show was axed at the end of March 1999.

Nick Kemp (Oliver Haden) was the head chef and part-owner of SE1. A Cockney with a violent temper and criminal connections, he was married to middle-class accountant Isobel, known as ‘Bel’ – played by Nicola King in the first series and Sally Edwards thereafter.

Nick’s sister Liz Kemp (Rosalind March) was the manager at SE1. Liz was a sarcastic woman who didn’t suffer fools gladly.

Her son, Jed (Sean Francis), worked behind the bar at SE1 and drove a minicab.

Residents of the flats included Mary O’Connor (Simone Lahbib), who was raped by a stalker and later had an affair with Nick; Ravi Shah (Ayub Khan-Din), a lawyer; Sam Haynes (Mandana Jones), Ravi’s doctor girlfriend (and later wife); Anthony ‘Ant’ Webster (Charles Simpson), Ravi’s landlord and best friend who developed romantic feelings for Sam; Claire Turner (Jo-Anne Stockham), the mother of Ant’s daughter Elizabeth; Cliff Lewis (Billy Geraghty), Nick’s childhood friend and a chef at SE1; Sid Kemp (Desmond Jordan), the uncle of Nick and Liz; and Nancy Parker (Annabel Leventon), Sid’s ex-wife and Cliff’s mother.

Nick was eventually murdered (by being locked in the fridge at SE1) and his old pal Cliff was the prime suspect.

Cliff eventually revealed to Bel (Nick’s wife) that he had seen her kill Nick and they embarked on a relationship. She was ultimately tried for Nick’s murder, but was acquitted when the jury heard about the violence Nick had inflicted on her.

Nick Kemp
Oliver Haden
Isobel ‘Bel’ Kemp
Nicola King (1)
Sally Edwards (2)
Liz Kemp
Rosalind March
Jed Kemp
Sean Francis
Cliff Lewis
Billy Geraghty
Mary O’Connor
Simone Lahbib
Ravi Shah
Ayub Khan-Din
Sam Haynes
Mandana Jones
Anthony ‘Ant’ Webster
Charles Simpson
Claire Turner
Jo-Anne Stockham
Sid Kemp
Desmond Jordan
Nancy Parker
Annabel Leventon
Allie Walker
Dawn McDaniel
Stella Jordan
Seretta Wilson
Tim Morris
John Michie
Kate
Angela Belton
Jarvis Jones
Glen Berry
Kim Symmons
Kemi Baruwa
Thomas
Nick Reed
Janice
Nicola Meering
Pippa Lawton
Sophie Linfield
Shaila
Nisha Nayar
Grandpa Kemp
Peter Stockbridge
Vivien Haynes
Angela Rooks
Lynne Radshaw/Sonia
Louise Blake
Diane Symmons
Ellen Thomas
Sonya
Frances Atkinson