A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In Shepherd’s Bush

Episode Overview

On a special mission for Billy from Bradford, Ray travels to Bradford to bring a pigeon back to London, as part of a race between Billy and Billy’s pigeon racing rival Stan Sorrell. The race is to take place between London and Bradford. While in Bradford, Ray falls for Sorrell’s daughter Donna, who just happens to be accompanying Sorrell’s pigeon back to London. After arriving in London, Ray and Donna disappear and Arthur is left answering to Billy and Stan in Bradford. 

After Ray tells Arthur it’s the real thing between him and Donna, Arthur does whatever he can to ensure that Ray and Donna don’t have a future. Determined to split them up, Arthur asks memorabilia dealer ‘Nostalgic’ to look after Donna while Ray is away.

Cast

Glynn Edwards as Dave, George Costigan as Billy, Nick Reding as Nostalgic, Gabrielle Cowburn as Donna, Stephen Churchett as Hotel Waiter, Lill Roughley as Doreen Daley, Sydney Livingstone as Bert Daley, Willie Ross as Stan Sorrell, Johnny Allan as Club Secretary, Duggie Brown and Gordon Wharmby as Club Members, Joe Belcher as Operator, Bev Willis as Night Club Manager, Frank Rozelaar-Green as Italian Waiter

Facts

The great character of ‘Nostalgic’ played by Nick Reding in this episode is remembered by many from the Minder generation for his role as PC Pete Ramsay in the early series of ‘The Bill’. Duggie Brown who appears in this episode is probably best known for his appearances on ‘The Comedians’ in the early 1970s and was also an original co-host of ‘3-2-1’ with Ted Rogers.

In this episode we see that Arthur hasn’t changed much from his previous self in earlier series where he does everything he can to ensure his minder stays loyal and most importantly working for him – his actions with Ray, Donna and Nostalgic reminiscent perhaps of Terry & Sarah in #6.2 Life In The Fast Food Lane. In Arthur’s lockup we see Arthur has a system of delegating work on a whiteboard, with Arthur’s column of course being empty. On this whiteboard we see ‘Dresses to Morry’ which is a reference to Morry, a character seen in both #8.1 The Loneliness Of The Long Distance Entrepreneur and #8.4 Three Cons Make A Mountain – Arthur referring to this at the end of the episode. The whiteboard also tells us that Nostalgic’s real name is ‘Norman’.

Double Take

A second appearance of Billy from Bradford in this series, who previously appeared in episode #8.3 Whatever Happened To Her Indoors.

Bloopers: None found.

Title: A reference to the proverb ‘A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush’.