Storyline

Instead of spending her golden years lying down, the indomitable Hetty Wainthropp found her calling late in life. Combining common sense, her husband, and her pocketbook, this senior sleuth takes on all the cases the police deem too minor.

First Aired

1996-01-03
Last Aired

1998-09-04
Creator

David Cook
Genre

Drama, Crime
Seasons

4
Episodes

27
Status

Ended
Language

English
Network

BBC One

Keywords:

amateur detective retirement northern england

Stream and watch Hetty Wainthropp Investigates

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Season 4

1. The Bearded Lady

Hetty Waintthropp is annoyed at the cards celebrating her sixtieth birthday--they all offer her well w...More

Hetty Waintthropp is annoyed at the cards celebrating her sixtieth birthday--they all offer her well wishes for ""joining the club"" of senior citizens and old-age pensioners, even though she's not entitled to a pension. Determined to make something of herself, Hetty gets a job at the local post office, where she proves her mettle quite quickly by throwing out a troublemaking biker and chasing down a shoplifter.Less

75mins 1996-01-03

2. Eye Witness

Hetty is called on by a pair of worried parents whose deaf-mute son, Malcolm, has disappeared while ou...More

Hetty is called on by a pair of worried parents whose deaf-mute son, Malcolm, has disappeared while out bird-watching on the day he was to meet his mail-order bride from Thailand.Less

50mins 1996-01-10

3. Fingers

A restaurant owner in Italy is sent a package apparently containing his son's index finger plus a phot...More

A restaurant owner in Italy is sent a package apparently containing his son's index finger plus a photo of him in front of graffiti art in Manchester and a warning: Silence and await instruction. The distraught family finds solace when who should be taking a holiday in Italy than Hetty Wainthropp? After snooping at her passport and learning she's a detective, they come to her and she accepts their case. As Hetty investigates, she discovers that Gianni may be involved in a bad loan connected to the mafia.Less

50mins 1996-01-17

4. Widdershins

Hetty and Robert travel to the small village of Readsby, where his revered elderly uncle, a former pro...More

Hetty and Robert travel to the small village of Readsby, where his revered elderly uncle, a former professional soccer player, has apparently committed suicide. But Hetty doesn't believe it -- for one thing, where's the suicide note? And when she begins to suspect that the villagers of Readsby, once a notorious haven for witches, are engaged in satanic practices, she's determined to prove that they were somehow involved -- with surprising results!Less

50mins 1996-01-24

5. A High Profile

A desperate Hetty takes Geoffrey up and down the streets and sidewalks of town advertising the detecti...More

A desperate Hetty takes Geoffrey up and down the streets and sidewalks of town advertising the detective agency. This proves to be a wise method of business, as they pick up a client: a woman whose estranged son, who has been diagnosed with schizophrenia, has disappeared from his sheltered housing unit. As Hetty investigates, she discovers that the woman's son, Reg, has had a hard time being accepted by society, as well as his stepfather, who turns out to have been the person who threw Reg into the streets in the first place. As it becomes clear that Reg has gone off his medicine, Hetty finds herself in a race against the clock to try and find the man before he hurts himself or others in his delusional state.Less

50mins 1996-01-31

6. Safe as Houses

An old friend of Hetty's - her partner in a music-hall routine years ago -- seeks her help in locating...More

An old friend of Hetty's - her partner in a music-hall routine years ago -- seeks her help in locating her troubled foster daughter, Chrissie. A teenage mother, Chrissie has disappeared just as a series of arson attacks on local homes have occurred --and Chrissie has a history of setting fires! As Hetty and Geoffrey look for Chrissie, a local newspaper photo competition reveals more than the photographer intended, prompting Geoff to dress in drag -- blonde wig, high heels and all -- to confront the arsonist. Hetty picks up a much-needed reward for her work in this case, and at the presentation of the check, proves that the new gumshoe hasn't lost her knack for the ol' soft-shoe!Less