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Series · 2004–2004Ended

Steel River Blues

7.0·1 season·7 episodes·60 min avg.

Steel River Blues is a British television drama serial first broadcast in September 2004 on ITV. based on the working and private lives of a group of firefighters in Middlesbrough. Critics were quick to dub the new drama "Middlesbrough's Burning" or "Teesside's Burning", after the popular fire-fighting drama that preceded it, London's Burning, yet there were very few similarities between the two, apart from them being about the business of firefighting. Like its predecessor, Steel River Blues was an ensemble drama without any single starring part, though perhaps the best-known actor was Daniel Casey, who was previously a co-star in ITV's ratings banker, Midsomer Murders. The show's title song was performed by Middlesbrough-born Chris Rea. It was announced in January 2005 that the series would not be recommissioned.

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01
Episode One: Steel River
Episode One: Steel RiverUp next
Sep 1, 2004

New station officer Bill McGlinchy arrives in Teesside and starts to make his mark on Middlesbrough Fire Station's Blue Watch. Control room operator Julie Priestley passes her firefighter training in the hope she can follow in her father's footsteps, but someone is standing in the way of her fulfilling her dream job.

02
Episode Two: Bloody Fridays
Episode Two: Bloody Fridays
Sep 8, 2004

It's Friday night and it's a busy one for Blue Watch. Their first call is to some nuns trapped in a lift, but all is not as it seems. Julie gets more than she bargained for when she goes on the search for a stripper's missing python.

03
Episode Three: Family Fortunes
Episode Three: Family Fortunes
Sep 15, 2004

Jeremy brings his troubles to work after finding out his girlfriend has been having an affair. Blue Watch attend an industrial accident and have to think quickly in order to rescue a trapped worker. Unsettling discoveries cause personal and professional problems on the moors.

04
Episode Four: What Goes Around
Episode Four: What Goes Around
Sep 22, 2004

The crew are targeted by an act of vandalism, and tragedy strikes when George Barnes has a dramatic experience on his way to an emergency scene. Bill receives visitors from his past.

05
Episode Five: Blind Man's Bluff
Episode Five: Blind Man's Bluff
Sep 29, 2004

New firefighter Nicky Higgins arrives to replace injured George, and makes quite an impression on her new colleagues. Tony tries to find out who is responsible for his brother's injury. Andy and Dave have personal crises that they must each deal with in their own unique ways.

06
Episode Six: Flashpoint
Episode Six: Flashpoint
Oct 6, 2004

As George struggles to come to terms with his injury, Blue Watch are called to a fire on a packed boat. Joanne faces hostility from Tony and decides to confront him. A harrowing experience at a steel works forces Sunill to face personal demons. But will it cost him his life?

07
Episode Seven: The Long Drop
Episode Seven: The Long Drop
Oct 13, 2004

Bill & Tony call an uneasy truce. George receives bad news and takes drastic action. Will Tony and the rest of Blue Watch save the depressed George? Or will they be too late?

Cast

15 credited
VH
Victoria Hawkins
CRO Sandra Harris
John Bowler
Divisional Commander Mick Hammond
Steven Hillman
Sub Officer Alan Priestley
Daniel Ryan
Firefighter Andy Coulson
Daniel Ainsleigh
Firefighter Jeremy Lloyd
Kelly Wenham
Probationary Firefighter Julie Priestley
JF
Joanne Farrell
Firefighter Nicky Higgins
SB
Satnam Bhogal
Firefighter Sunil Gupta
Sarah Preston
Belinda Moss
Stuart Graham
Station Officer Bill McGlinchy

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