- 6/16/2025
In a house full of carbon monoxide, firefighter Scott gets separated from his colleagues and begins to experience the last terrible moments of his friend Jacko's life, who had died in similar circumstances eight months earlier.
Scott ...... Adrian Bower
Alan ...... Struan Rodger
Philip ...... Jeff Rawle
Giggsy ...... Joe Absolom
Mike ...... Brendan Charleson
H/Jacko ...... Richard Nichols
Lucy ...... Sara McGaughey
Directed by Kate McAll.
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Scott ...... Adrian Bower
Alan ...... Struan Rodger
Philip ...... Jeff Rawle
Giggsy ...... Joe Absolom
Mike ...... Brendan Charleson
H/Jacko ...... Richard Nichols
Lucy ...... Sara McGaughey
Directed by Kate McAll.
Do you enjoy the variety on Oldtuberadio?
Like, Share and Subscribe to be notified of our new shows
#radio #crime #thriller #drama
To Support this channel please visit
https://www.buymeacoffee.com/oldtuberadio
https://ko-fi.com/oldtuberadio98
https://www.patreon.com/oldtuberadio
https://locals.com/Oldtuberadio
Category
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FunTranscript
00:00We don't seem to be getting anywhere at all today, Scott.
00:19This won't bring him back, will it?
00:21You know as well as I do that nothing will bring him back.
00:25I think if you stare any harder at that box of tissues, it'll actually burst into flames.
00:34Lucky you gave me this thoughtful glass of water then, so I can put it out.
00:42Gekko! Gekko! Gekko, where are you?
00:48It's coming down!
00:50Whoa! It's not enough!
00:53Gekko! Gekko's still in there!
00:56He's coming down, mate!
00:58He's coming down!
01:01Gekko!
01:03Gekko! Is that you?
01:06Oh, God!
01:08Gekko!
01:14Oh, God!
01:18Giving Up the Ghost
01:19By Lynn Truss
01:22So, before we roll it back up, we lay the hose out like this.
01:33Huh?
01:33Male coupling, female coupling.
01:36Lay the two ends together.
01:37Right.
01:37Female, male.
01:39Right.
01:41Oh, right.
01:42Oh, don't waste your time, mate.
01:44Sorry.
01:45Trust me, nothing you can say about these couplings can make me laugh.
01:48So, anyway, it's not exactly halved, you see.
01:52Uh-huh.
01:52We put the ends about a boot length apart, yeah?
01:55Yep.
01:56Because the rolling will make up the difference in the lengths.
01:58All clever stuff.
01:59Now, mind out, Philip.
02:00Yeah.
02:01It was, Philip.
02:02Yes, sir.
02:03Are you sure you're warm?
02:04Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes.
02:06I forgot it would get, sir, dark so early, that's all, but...
02:12Dark in the afternoon.
02:14I forgot.
02:16It's been very good of you to...
02:18Oh.
02:19It's been very good of you to have us, you know?
02:23There's nothing to do with me.
02:24I know, but it's great to get the kids out of the classroom, especially in December.
02:28Right, here we go.
02:30You took the first bit in quite firmly, and then, like that.
02:35Right.
02:37Now, which of these ugly mugs can say this in?
02:40Who needs the valuable operational experience?
02:43Giggsie!
02:44All right, Scotty?
02:45I'll take that, shall I?
02:46Good lad.
02:48Giggsie, Philip.
02:49Philip, Giggsie.
02:51Right, inside.
02:52Oh, good.
02:54You know, you can always ring me if you want to run through anything again before that lesson of yours, you know?
02:59I saw the notes you were making, and if you don't mind me saying so, they were rubbish.
03:05Something wrong, Giggsie?
03:06Old Scotty here looking after you, all right, then?
03:08Oh, well, uh...
03:09Yes, thanks.
03:11Uh, everyone has.
03:12Everyone on Blue Watch, anyway.
03:14Are you on Blue Watch, too?
03:16Duh.
03:17There's only one watch on duty at a time, mate.
03:19Oh, right.
03:20Here, Scotty.
03:21Not another one is one rung short of the full ladder, eh?
03:24And he's a teacher.
03:26He didn't even have the sense to put a coat on.
03:28Yeah.
03:29Do you know, one of your ankle bitters has just been sick in the governor's helmet.
03:32What?
03:33I'll take no notice of him.
03:35Giggsie suffers from a tragically uncurable condition, unfortunately.
03:39He's a git.
03:40Transferred to us as a probationer from Red Watch, what, a month ago?
03:44That's right.
03:44Now, when was it you and Jaco joined Blue Watch as self-scoring?
03:48Have you told him?
03:501966, wasn't it?
03:511948?
03:53Me and Jaco.
03:55Yeah.
03:571992.
03:58If it's any of your business.
03:59Scott is what we call in the job a 30-year fireman.
04:02It means he's got absolutely no ambition.
04:05Alternatively, it means you actually believe in the job you do.
04:07Oh.
04:08Jacko, I haven't met him.
04:10No.
04:10No, you haven't.
04:11Bloody Giggsie never met him either, come to that.
04:13Yeah, but everyone knows he was famous for the sake of his head.
04:16Look, shut up about Jacko's head, Giggsie.
04:19Mean it.
04:20The only bloke on the watch, right, who could carry a whole tray of drinks without using his
04:24hands.
04:25Really?
04:25Oh, yeah.
04:27Yeah, it's flat on top, you see.
04:28Anything we're missing around the station, right?
04:30Car keys, wallets, packets of bags.
04:32Everyone's looking around, right?
04:33And Jaco's got them on top of his head, inside his helmet.
04:36What's wrong?
04:43Look, the, uh, Victory Warehouse fire in Aightville.
04:47One where the roof caved in.
04:49Jacko was the bloke who didn't get out.
04:52Oh, I'm sorry.
04:54Oh, God.
04:55Well, it was a while ago now.
04:57No one still knows quite how it happened, huh?
04:59Giggsie.
05:00Because it looked like he didn't follow procedure, and of course, for one thing, everyone knew
05:05about Jacko.
05:05Look, shut up.
05:06Well, he was very level-headed.
05:09All right, all right, all right, I'm going.
05:12I can't believe he said that.
05:15Well, I did warn you.
05:17The trouble with blokes like Giggsie is they try too hard.
05:20We're always saying to him, face it, mate, you're not a funny bloke.
05:22You look funny, but that's about as far as it goes.
05:26Now, that cup of tea?
05:28Oh, good.
05:31Unless...
05:31Unless...
05:33What?
05:33Unless you want to see inside the, uh...
05:36Inside the fire engine?
05:39Well, inside the FRU.
05:42Yes, all right, the fire engine.
05:45Go on.
05:46Oh.
05:46Oh, this is amazing.
05:57It's like the driving seat, if you like.
06:00Oh, this is brilliant.
06:01This is more like it.
06:07It's warmer anyway.
06:10It's a funny thing to say, Philip, but I feel safer inside this vehicle than anywhere in the
06:14world at the moment.
06:16Anyway, what can I show you in here?
06:18Well, here's the breathing apparatus, the BAs, we call them sets, mask, harness, radio comms,
06:29and here's the board where it's all marked before we go in.
06:34How much air each firefighter's got in his set.
06:36There's a valve on each set that's kept shut by the pressure of the air that's left.
06:40When that pressure drops, the valve turns into a whistle, warning that the tank is low.
06:45Well, you don't want to air all this.
06:47You're off away in an episode of London's Burning.
06:49Oh, no, no, no, no, I do.
06:50I'm sorry.
06:51Then here, where it says remarks, we put, well, remarks.
06:55The miracle of the China-graph pencil.
06:58Ta-da!
06:59Never go anywhere without your China-graph.
07:01If you get a shout when you're eating, you can write your name on your plate with this.
07:05I've known blokes even draw a line round the flute.
07:07Do you, uh, do you want to try on a set while you're here?
07:10Oh, no, no.
07:11You can.
07:11No, no, no, I'm a bit claustrophobic.
07:14Well, I'm a lot claustrophobic.
07:15I mean, oh, my God.
07:17Look, what a thought.
07:18Sorry.
07:20Whenever I see it on television, even someone, you know, even scuba diving.
07:25Oh, God, I'm terrified.
07:29Yeah, well, shall we go?
07:32Well, I...
07:34You're not coming.
07:37They won't let you drive it for real, you know, even if you sit here all day.
07:40Scott, Scotty, I mean, can I...
07:45What?
07:48Ow.
07:49What?
07:50I just...
07:52I just thought I should say, seriously, I couldn't do any of this, you know.
07:59Lots of people couldn't.
08:00Most people couldn't do what you do, for real, as you put it.
08:03What, roll up a hose, show off a bit, and then go and have a cup of tea and a wagon wheel in the warm?
08:08Don't embarrass yourself, mate.
08:10But I think it's important to say something.
08:13You do this all the time, you see, so it doesn't strike you.
08:17What?
08:18You're brave.
08:22Blimey.
08:23Do you fancy me or something?
08:24I'm serious.
08:25I'm a married man.
08:26Oh, well, I was.
08:29Look, trust me, don't.
08:31You really don't know what you're talking about.
08:34Your friend died.
08:35Well, like I said...
08:36I mean, look at me.
08:37Look, I couldn't do any of this.
08:40Not even sliding down that pole to get started.
08:43You'd be all right.
08:45Look, seriously, we're trained.
08:47That's the difference.
08:48That's all.
08:50So we're not scared.
08:51I mean, I'm not saying there isn't the old bloke who can't be doing with bats or something.
08:55We had one bloke, right, who was so scared of spiders, he'd scream like a girl whenever he saw one.
09:01It was hilarious.
09:03In the end, they actually had to ban us from bringing them in.
09:05But we've got equipment, skills, procedures.
09:11We keep ourselves safe.
09:14That's our top priority.
09:16A lot of the time, we're preventing the danger of just reassuring people there isn't any.
09:20I remember when you came out to the bomb scare at the school.
09:23Exactly.
09:24Good example.
09:25Bomb scare.
09:26But the bomb wasn't a bomb.
09:28Nothing happened.
09:29The main thing I remember about that job was sharing a Twix outside with Jacko when we got the all clear.
09:35All right.
09:37Look, why do you think we slide down that pole you're so scared of?
09:44It's because it's a lot less dangerous than running down the stairs.
09:52Scotty, you got a minute?
09:54Oh, hello.
09:54It's the governor.
09:55Mike?
09:56Can you find your way back up to the mess, Philip?
09:59The lads will make you a cup of tea.
10:00Oh, yes.
10:01Sorry.
10:01Sorry if I was...
10:02No, you're all right.
10:03Just don't, for God's sake, tell anyone else they're brave.
10:06Especially not anyone bigger or uglier than me.
10:10Thanks for giving me your number.
10:13Looking for the mess?
10:14Over there, mate.
10:15Red door.
10:16Thanks.
10:16You, er, all right, Scotty?
10:22I'm, er, fine, honestly.
10:23Mike, I'm fine.
10:25I couldn't do this welcome to my fascinating world stuff every day, but otherwise I'm, er,
10:29all right.
10:30Yeah.
10:30That, er, that Giggs is a tick, isn't it?
10:34Oh, you're telling me, it's like being handcuffed to a Muppet.
10:38Er, how's the, er, er...
10:42The what?
10:44Well, you know, the, er, the man, er...
10:49Oh, er, good.
10:51Yeah.
10:52Yeah, all right.
10:53I don't see the point of it personally, but I'd say it's doing him a world of good.
10:57How much longer have you, er, you know, er...
11:02No one says, Mike.
11:04It feels like it's never a bloody ending.
11:06I can't remember a time before it.
11:07I can't imagine a time after it.
11:08It just goes on and on and on.
11:11Yeah.
11:12It's, er, it's separate from this, mate.
11:16It's nothing to do with this.
11:19Have you heard from your, er, er, you know, the ex, what, er...
11:24Angie?
11:25No.
11:27Scotty, look, er, we're glad you're properly back at last.
11:33Er, er, everyone...
11:34I know, mate, yes.
11:36I mean...
11:37I've been in this job, you know, er...
11:41Doesn't need staying, Mike.
11:42It goes without.
11:44Oh.
11:45Oh, er, well, er...
11:47Well, saved by the, er...
11:48Right, er, good.
11:50Okay.
11:51See you later, mate.
11:53Scotty!
11:53What have we got?
11:54Get up, Uber!
11:57Between you and me, I actually hate that box of tissues.
12:13I'll take it away.
12:14I'm not being funny.
12:16No.
12:16But it's like a threat.
12:18I understand.
12:18I mean, man-sized.
12:20It's gone.
12:22Gone.
12:22Yeah.
12:23Now what else?
12:25Is there anything else annoying you?
12:26You're free to say.
12:27All right, yes.
12:31What?
12:32Since you asked, yes, there is something.
12:33What?
12:34Well, I could do without you calling him Jacko, in bloody commas all the time.
12:41What do you mean?
12:42It makes him sound like he's someone I made up, all this.
12:44So when did you first meet Jacko?
12:48Oh, yeah, oh, I'm sorry.
12:49I didn't realise, you know.
12:50He was real, you know.
12:51I know, I know, of course.
12:53He wasn't my invisible friend.
12:55He wasn't some six-foot bunny rabbit no one else could see.
12:57Oh, no, it's just a nickname thing, Scott.
13:00I'm sorry.
13:00It feels intrusive for me to use it, I suppose.
13:04Jacko.
13:05I mean, come on, be fair.
13:07That's why people in communities like yours...
13:10Communities?
13:11Yes, well, come on.
13:12That's why people in communities like yours give each other nicknames.
13:16Using nicknames is a sort of privilege that has to be earned.
13:21You have to belong.
13:22And I don't belong to yours, do I?
13:24I mean, if I told you that I call my wife, I don't know, a...
13:28A moo-moo.
13:30You'd probably feel a bit uncomfortable, yeah?
13:32Moo-moo?
13:32Well, I hasten to say I don't.
13:34I'm glad to hear it.
13:35The point is, look, you're an intelligent man, you get my point.
13:38All right, all right.
13:40Looking on the bright side, I don't have any trouble calling you Scott, do I?
13:46That's true.
13:47I suppose I should be grateful for that.
13:49Where did Scott come from, by the way?
13:51Why the name Scott?
13:53Why Scott?
13:55From Tracy.
13:58What's her name?
14:00Scott Tracy.
14:01Scott Tracy, Thunderbird One.
14:03Oh, of course.
14:04Yeah.
14:05At least it wasn't Virgil.
14:06That's what me mum used to say.
14:08Scott was all right, but she could never cope with Virgil.
14:10And as for Alan and Gordon...
14:15My name's Alan, as it happens.
14:18Right, yeah.
14:21But it wouldn't work well as a nickname, that's what I'm saying.
14:23Did she call you Scott, along with everyone else, your mum?
14:29She called me a lot of things, thank you.
14:32Oh, sorry, I'm an idiot.
14:34Thunderbirds.
14:35International Rescue.
14:36Yes.
14:37Oh.
14:37When did your mum die, Scott?
14:41What?
14:42Your mum.
14:43I just wondered.
14:44You see, this is why I hate this.
14:47We're here to talk about Jacko.
14:49Yes, we are.
14:50I just wondered.
14:51It was a bad time for you when she went.
14:54Well, let's see.
14:55I'm not being funny, but as I remember it, her dying of lung cancer within six months of the diagnosis,
15:00I think that was more of a bad time for her.
15:03Are you drinking much still on your nights off?
15:06Yes, thank you for asking.
15:07That's going very well.
15:08Very, very well, in fact.
15:14Do you know, there are some people who don't know what it's like to lose someone close to them.
15:21Really?
15:22I know several lucky people, even in their forties, who've never seen anyone dead.
15:27Not at all.
15:28Not a stranger.
15:29Not anyone.
15:31You're very unusual, you know.
15:34The exposure you have to horrific things.
15:39Were you with her when your mum died?
15:43Were you there?
15:45Yes, I was.
15:48Oh, God, will you leave those tissues alone, please?
15:52I'll give you a nod if I want more, all right?
15:54Scott, there's something stopping you grieving for Jacko.
16:02Oh, that's it.
16:03I'm going.
16:04No, no, I mean for Jacko, Jacko, Jacko.
16:06I'm sorry.
16:06Please, please.
16:07Come on.
16:07Look, Scott, I'm trying to help.
16:10Your best friend died of suffocation when he shouldn't have, separated from his colleagues when he shouldn't have been, and then the building fell on.
16:17I do know that.
16:19I was there.
16:20There's something preventing you from grieving for him.
16:25Now, do you blame yourself in any way?
16:27No.
16:27You miss him, surely?
16:33Well, I'm not made of stone, mate.
16:35I'm not made of wood.
16:37I've worked with him for 15 years.
16:39For half that time, we were literally tied together and clinging to each other for dear life.
16:44Of course, I bloody miss him.
16:57Blackstock, close.
17:04Townhouse.
17:05Carl ran it all day in the integral garage.
17:08Two adults going to conquer four, one male, one female.
17:11Plot on the scene.
17:13Carbon monoxide right through the house by now, they reckon.
17:15Blackstock, can you believe that?
17:17Those townhouses, the whole place sits on the garage.
17:20A couple of small rooms on the ground floor, the rest upstairs.
17:23Two floors.
17:25We'll need the sets, all right, H.
17:26The rear door's the quickest way in.
17:28You reckon?
17:29Better than wrestling with you up and over.
17:31There's an alley right along the back.
17:33Access on the corner of Buckingham.
17:35Most of the rear doors are at these charter gates.
17:38Glass panels, no security bars, nothing.
17:41It's unbelievable.
17:43Yeah, that seems to really fancy you, Scotty.
17:46You were in there, mate.
17:47You reckon, do you, Giggsie?
17:48Oh, yeah.
17:49Well, that's funny, because he said after you've gone that he'd never seen the night as peachy as yours.
17:54Obviously, I told him you'd be up for it.
17:56Bad news, by the way, Scotty.
17:57What now?
17:58The kids, they ate all the wagon wheels.
18:00Oh, what?
18:01Didn't let them in our nutty cupboard.
18:03They're kids.
18:04They were so much yesterday.
18:05Hold it up.
18:06Hey.
18:07I told you about Jack who locked you in there, mate.
18:11Oh, cheers for that.
18:12As long as you couldn't help yourself, it made such a hilarious bloody incident, of course.
18:17And he did it twice.
18:18Well, the kids thought so.
18:20They mainly wanted to know why it's called a nutty cupboard, aside from the obvious connection with you.
18:24Of course, I told them I didn't have a famous idea.
18:27Oh, carbon monoxide in the integral garage.
18:30You know what I hate about people doing that?
18:32There's always some poor budgie cops here as well.
18:35Oh.
18:36Little legs sticking up, little eyes bugging out.
18:41Scotty.
18:42What?
18:42Those kids ate all the crisps as well.
18:44Oh, not my chicken and chips in a basket flavour.
18:48You can't taste the chips, though, can you, Scotty?
18:50I mean, not really.
18:51Are you kidding?
18:52You can even taste the baskets.
18:54Right, black stock closed.
18:55Here we are.
18:56Better get the gear on.
19:05Right, do the door.
19:06Power out.
19:13Use your torch.
19:14No?
19:15There's no power.
19:16Oh, great.
19:21Opening door to backslide.
19:25No casualties.
19:27I'm opening the door to the, uh, the office under the stairs.
19:32No casualties.
19:34Opening door to garage.
19:36One casualty.
19:41Mail.
19:43Shall we drag him out?
19:44No, he's long gone, mate.
19:45Look at him.
19:46Search for the other casualties first.
19:47Yeah, but I could just stick together, Giggsie.
19:50Upstairs.
19:50Come on.
19:55Wait till the top, all right?
19:57Come on.
20:02Right, main bad drink.
20:05Clear.
20:05Clear.
20:06Oh, cat.
20:08On the bed.
20:10You see?
20:10What was I saying?
20:13I'm opening the cupboard.
20:16Clear.
20:19You're not helping much, mate.
20:22Come on, Giggsie.
20:23Giggsie, what are you playing at?
20:28Don't mess up about, mate.
20:29Where are you?
20:32Where are you?
20:33Put your torch on the bloody bag.
20:35My torch has gone out of milk.
20:37You're having a laughing room.
20:39Look, Giggsie, whatever you're up to, there's at least one life that's staying, mate.
20:43Listen, just switch your torch on right now.
20:52Oh, my God.
20:57Oh, my God.
20:58I've been shouting.
21:00I'm calling you.
21:06You're not helping me.
21:08If you're in trouble, I'll get to the guy.
21:10I've been shouting.
21:10It's all that.
21:12It's all that I've been doing.
21:12I found her, mate. Couldn't you hear me? I've been shouting. What are you doing without
21:24your torch on? Give us a ear. That's better. How did you switch it up, you pillop?
21:30Oh my God.
21:31I found the other buddy, mate. What's going on?
21:34Nothing. I just need to get out of here.
21:37Blimey, you...
21:38You're not supposed to break. You know that.
21:41Calm down, mate.
21:42It's the golden rule, Giggsie. Don't break. It's the bloody golden rule.
22:05Right, see you free mugs tomorrow night.
22:07Well, not if we see you first, obviously.
22:09Night.
22:10Your phone, Scotty. Scotty. What? Oh, er, sorry, Ash.
22:17If there's any help, Mike. I think he's in mourning for his crisps.
22:21Oh, your mobile went a couple of times. Did it? Cheers. Er, I'd, er, I'd bet around.
22:31Erm, I've been meaning to say, Scott. Oh, not now, Mike, please. Really, not now.
22:38No, it's not about, er, well, it is. Er, the thing is they want to do another one of those
22:44little safety films, like the one Jacko did. They can't really show that one anymore, can they?
22:48Him saying, chips are lovely, but if you over feel the pain. Oh, God.
22:55Are you going? Yeah, er, can we talk about this another time?
22:59Of course, yeah. Er, I just thought you should know.
23:03And it's time for a new one anyway. They might use Giggsie this time, they said.
23:10Really? Oh, well. Go home and get some sleep, Scotty.
23:16Yeah. Go home and get...
23:23Oh, God, what's happening to me?
23:31What's happening to me?
23:32Oh, yes.
23:43You have two messages. Message one.
23:47Scott, it's Lucy.
23:49Oh, no.
23:50Please, I can't stand this. You were his friend.
23:53No, Lucy, no. Not a chance. Not a chance.
23:57Well, that settles it.
23:58From this afternoon.
23:59He does fancy me.
24:00I'm on my way home. I just wanted to thank you again. I'd say I'm so sorry I embarrassed you with all that bravery stuff.
24:18Yeah, well, good.
24:19Good.
24:20It was just that I felt so sort of puny, relatively, which obviously I am, of course.
24:28Anyway, the reason I'm calling, I know it's none of my business, but I thought afterwards you might be more prepared to accept what I've said.
24:38Oh, for heaven's sake.
24:39Have you thought about it in terms of your friend instead of yourself?
24:43What?
24:44I mean, you're not going to say Jacko wasn't brave, are you?
24:48Oh, bugger off.
24:50I mean, that's something you have to accept, isn't it?
24:55I said bugger off.
24:59I need a drink.
25:01No.
25:02Oh, bugger.
25:19No.
25:21Not again.
25:51Scotty?
26:12What? Lucy?
26:14Lucy?
26:19Hello, Scotty.
26:21Lucy, what are you doing here? This is...
26:23Look, you shouldn't be here, Lucy. You know that.
26:26I'll go and get my...
26:27No, don't.
26:29Lucy, I can't.
26:30Please, just sit with me for a minute.
26:34Please sit with me.
26:37Oh.
26:40Lucy, this isn't helping, sweetheart.
26:43Why are you doing this?
26:45It won't bring him back, will it?
26:47Nothing can bring him back.
26:49No, nothing can.
26:51No.
26:56And it's nearly six o'clock, Lucy. I'll have to go.
26:58I do know the shift time, Scotty. I live with him long enough.
27:02And you know I can't be sitting out here with you.
27:07Look, I'm really sorry for you, Lucy, but we all have to get through this our own way.
27:12I can't help you.
27:13You can't help me. That's how it is.
27:16And you said you haven't spoken to us since June.
27:19She hasn't spoken to me either, as it happens.
27:22It works both ways.
27:23I'm the one who needed the support.
27:24I have got to go.
27:27Oh, please, Scott.
27:29Mike won't tell me.
27:31No one will tell me.
27:32I'm going out of my mind.
27:33Tell you what?
27:35Why?
27:36Why?
27:37Why it happened?
27:38Oh, not again.
27:39We'd done our gauge check together.
27:43Jacko knew he had ten minutes top, same as me.
27:46We'd got the guideline between us so we could follow it out.
27:49He unclipped himself.
27:50He went off.
27:52And then something happened and we lost him.
27:55He stopped radioing.
27:57We started screaming for him.
27:58I only just got out alive myself.
28:01Perhaps he hit his head.
28:02That's what I keep hoping, Lucy.
28:03That the post-mortem got it wrong.
28:05Maybe he was unconscious before the air ran out.
28:07The one thing they're sure of is he was already dead before the roof came down.
28:17There was nothing wrong with his set.
28:19There was nothing wrong with his radio.
28:20He still had his mask on.
28:22The right number of minutes was written on the board.
28:24There was no negligence.
28:25That's all I know, Luce.
28:27That's all I know.
28:28But there's a warning.
28:29A whistle.
28:31He didn't get out, all right?
28:35Look.
28:35Look, I was mad at him.
28:38Tell me about her.
28:39Tell me something nice.
28:41Oh, I've got to get her out of this car.
28:47Oh.
28:49Oh, God.
28:49That's better.
28:50Are you seeing someone, Scotty?
28:56A ferretist or anything?
29:00You see, this is what I hate.
29:02Oh, here we go.
29:04All this.
29:04This bloody macho...
29:06Macho...
29:06Don't care, Luce.
29:07All right.
29:08Trey!
29:09Mike's looking for you.
29:10Cheers, mate.
29:11Doesn't look happy.
29:12No change there, then.
29:15Evening.
29:16Hello.
29:19Well, go on, then.
29:20Tell Mike I'll be straight in.
29:23Sod off, Gigsy.
29:24All right, yeah.
29:25It's a new bloke.
29:29It's a bit of a git.
29:32Oh, look at you.
29:35Jacko would have hated to see you like this.
29:37I miss him so much.
29:40Yes.
29:42It comes over me.
29:44It just...
29:45It takes me over.
29:46You were so close.
29:56This bloody place.
29:59You was never going to leave it.
30:02You know what it feels like sometimes?
30:09It feels like, in the end, you took him.
30:14Me?
30:15You.
30:17Mike H.
30:19Lots of blokes whose names end in O.
30:23Spend all their time teasing each other,
30:26playing practical jokes and insulting each other,
30:28all in the interest of bonding.
30:30That's what it feels like.
30:33Like one day he got bonded so totally
30:36that the whole thing just...
30:37just swallowed him up.
30:39We have to be mates, Luce.
30:42We have to have a laugh,
30:43otherwise we can't do the job.
30:44I know.
30:45I know.
30:51You were a real rock at the funeral, Scotty.
30:54Was I?
30:57I've never felt so bad in my life.
30:59Seeing little Maddie with the tears rolling down,
31:02I kept thinking,
31:03oh, that's all wrong.
31:06An eight-year-old kid, that's all wrong.
31:09Kids should cry because they've fallen off their bike
31:11or because someone's pinched their ice cream,
31:13not because they're dead.
31:14Luce.
31:20What?
31:21Can I tell you something?
31:24Of course you can.
31:28We were on a job yesterday.
31:31Something really, really weird happened.
31:35What do you mean, weird?
31:36I know how this is going to sound, but...
31:39I heard him, Luce.
31:42I heard Jacko.
31:44Blimey, Scott.
31:45Don't say that.
31:46It's true, Luce.
31:48He was in this bedroom,
31:50in this 60s townhouse,
31:52Blackstock close,
31:54blown, dead,
31:55downstairs in his car.
31:56I didn't see him.
31:57Jacko, I mean.
31:58I'm not saying it was really him, Luce.
32:00Oh, I don't know if it was real.
32:02What if I'm going out of my mind?
32:05Of course it wasn't real.
32:07Oh, thanks.
32:09No, I mean...
32:10It sounded so real at the time,
32:12I thought it was Gixi.
32:16It was his set.
32:19Jacko's set.
32:21Running out.
32:22Oh, my God.
32:23He was suffocating.
32:25It was him.
32:28In the end, it stopped.
32:29Oh, Scott.
32:33Have you told anyone?
32:34Are you kidding?
32:36I may be going out of my mind,
32:37but I'm not mad.
32:38Scott!
32:40The thing is,
32:42what if it happens again?
32:47What if it happens again?
32:49I'm not being funny,
32:49but what if it happens when I'm on a job?
32:51What?
32:51Are you all right?
33:01Was I right to tell you?
33:04I don't know, Scotty.
33:08Oh, you're so like him, you know.
33:13It's unbearable
33:16that you're so like him.
33:18All right.
33:26Bye, Scotty.
33:29I won't come here again to worry.
33:32I shouldn't have told you, should I?
33:34It...
33:35It did help.
33:37Funnily enough.
33:38I think it did
33:41really help.
33:46I see you, Scotty.
33:55That your new girlfriend, is it?
33:57God, Gegsy.
33:58Nearly had a heart.
33:59Mike's waiting, mate.
34:00Right.
34:01Yes.
34:02Thanks.
34:02Yeah.
34:03Is there something...
34:04Well, just to say, Scotty,
34:08I got you some of those crisps, mate.
34:10The basket you want.
34:12Replacements.
34:13Did you?
34:15What on earth for?
34:17For yesterday.
34:18You know, me breaking when I shouldn't.
34:20You didn't say anything to Mike.
34:22I just wanted to, you know,
34:24say thank you.
34:25There's no hope for you, Gegsy.
34:31What?
34:32What?
34:34I'm sorry, son.
34:36But there's no hope for you at all.
34:46Mike?
34:47Come in.
34:50Er, Gegsy's...
34:51Look, I'll get straight to the, um...
34:54That teacher that was here yesterday afternoon.
34:58Hey.
34:59You don't think he might have fancied you, do you?
35:00Oh, don't you, Stad.
35:03That's a bit strange.
35:04Um, sit down?
35:05No.
35:05No, I'm all right.
35:07What's he done?
35:08Did he catch his death?
35:09I did offer him a jacket three times.
35:11He's made a complaint.
35:12He said you phoned him in the middle of the night.
35:14What?
35:15Says you shouted at him.
35:16What?
35:19Well, I didn't, Mike.
35:20Obviously.
35:21Are you sure?
35:24Yes.
35:26Erm, could you check your phone?
35:29Well, if you like.
35:31Hang on.
35:32Hang on, just...
35:33Oh.
35:37Oh.
35:39Is it there?
35:41Well, yes, it is.
35:45A 407.
35:47Did he tell you what I said to him?
35:49What did I say?
35:49Look, Scott, I'm getting a bit worried about you.
35:52I have to tell you that.
35:53You're in the box tonight, you know?
35:55I know.
35:56Everyone's relying on you.
35:57If you can't deal with this stuff...
35:58I can.
35:58I'll be fine, Mike.
36:01Good.
36:03Why on earth did I phone him?
36:05Er, you probably fancy him too, mate.
36:08Deep down.
36:08Yeah, right.
36:09I've always thought that about you, to be honest.
36:12Yeah, go on.
36:21Scott.
36:23Yes?
36:24Did anything change between you and Jacko before he died?
36:29Oh.
36:30Can we talk about Big Brother for once, like normal people?
36:33Well, I'll tell you what I'm thinking, you see.
36:35I'm thinking that you're very defensive.
36:37Really?
36:38But the thing is, you've never told me anything that would give me a bad opinion of Jacko,
36:42so that makes me wonder, well...
36:44Well, whether you're protecting an idea of him that had got damaged.
36:49Some sort of sacred idea that got damaged.
36:54A sacred idea?
36:56Of Jacko?
36:57I've seen it a lot with couples, but when the partner who's died was having an affair, for example.
37:03A disappointment can get in the way of the other feelings.
37:06Well, I wasn't married to Jacko, was I?
37:09And though I probably shouldn't say it, he had affairs all the time.
37:12Women always wanted to feel his head for some reason.
37:15And one thing led to another.
37:16I'll tell you what's troubling me, shall I?
37:19Well, if you like.
37:20Well, I hope you've noticed how I've put the tissues behind my chair.
37:24What I'm having trouble with, it's this idea that there's only one way to deal with this stuff.
37:30This stuff being...
37:32Death.
37:33This idea that there's only one way to deal with it.
37:35I don't go along with that, I just don't.
37:38I've never said there's only one way to deal with death, Scott.
37:42I don't believe that's the case.
37:45Well, why am I here, then?
37:49When we talked the other day about your mum, was it difficult for you?
38:00Well, I love my mum, if that's what you mean.
38:06Oh, I'm sorry.
38:07Well, at least it was natural.
38:10She was in bed.
38:12We were all there.
38:12I wish she hadn't kept telling us it was just an infection.
38:16She'd be recovering.
38:16She'd be home by Friday, but she did.
38:18The thing about my mum was, she was, she was lovely.
38:30There was, erm...
38:39There was this leaflet I picked up a couple of days before.
38:42It was left lying around accidentally on purpose, I suppose.
38:47It told you what the signs of death were.
38:49Said things like,
38:50Watch out, and you'll find the body starts to go cold, and the flesh settles back on the face, so the nose goes all sharp.
39:00And, er...
39:00And, you know, they look a bit peaky, that kind of thing.
39:03Show less interest in a cup of tea, can't they wiggle their ears the way they used to?
39:07I thought, blimey, what a waste of time.
39:13Fancy printing this rubbish.
39:16But then, when I was sitting with her at the end, holding her hand, I...
39:21I realised she was going cold, while she was still alive.
39:27Her hand was cold, so I...
39:29I knew.
39:34Tell me something.
39:36Anything you like.
39:37About Jacko.
39:40Well.
39:42He had a flat head, didn't he?
39:44Like when you slice the top of a boiled egg like that.
39:48It was very distinctive.
39:51That's, er...
39:51That's not what you wanted me to say, though, was it?
39:54What was he like?
39:55Was he kind?
39:56Yes.
39:57Loved his family?
39:58Oh, yes.
39:59Generous?
40:01No.
40:02Clever?
40:02You're joking.
40:04Loyal?
40:05Yes.
40:05Good at his job.
40:07We're all good at our job.
40:09Dependable?
40:09Yes.
40:10Good looking?
40:11God, no.
40:13Although, like I said, the head's...
40:14Brave.
40:17Oh.
40:18Was he brave, Scott?
40:21What have I said?
40:23Oh, all right.
40:24If you like, he was outstandingly brave.
40:27If I like?
40:28Yes, if you like.
40:29Why would you say if you like?
40:31Because it doesn't mean anything, does it?
40:35Doesn't it?
40:36Brave.
40:37Ooh, you're so brave.
40:38You save lives.
40:39You're a hero.
40:40It winds me up when people say things like that.
40:43Does it embarrass you?
40:44No.
40:44I just think it's stupid.
40:46Look, if you're scared of something and you do it anyway, that's brave.
40:52If you're frightened of deep water and you dive in, that's brave.
40:56Or you're terrified of snakes and you pick one up and tickle it between the eyes.
41:02But if you're not scared in the first place, you're not scared.
41:06We don't jump in the appliance and then ask ourselves,
41:10Ooh, am I feeling brave today?
41:12We don't get halfway up the ladder and suddenly think,
41:14Blimey, that's a long way down.
41:16We don't walk into a wall of smoke and say,
41:19Oh my God, I can't see anything.
41:21That's a bit frightening.
41:22So the question of being brave or not, it's...
41:25It's just annoying.
41:28Was Jacko scared?
41:29What?
41:30It must happen sometimes.
41:32It can happen to anyone.
41:33It would explain a lot.
41:34Look, drop it.
41:35I'm not being funny.
41:36Just drop it.
41:37Did he lose it, Scott?
41:38I said drop it.
41:39You don't know what you're talking about.
41:41You don't know who you're talking about.
41:43You don't have any idea.
41:44You're not one of us.
41:46Did anyone else know what was happening to Jacko?
41:53Did anyone else know what was happening to Jacko, Scott?
42:01No.
42:03No, of course not.
42:05And they never will either.
42:06Not from me.
42:07You're protecting him.
42:08Well, we look out for each other.
42:10I've explained that.
42:11Sticking together, that's what you do.
42:13Didn't you think he might need help?
42:15Not my call, mate.
42:17Did you hate him for losing it?
42:18No.
42:19Are you sure about that?
42:21Leave it.
42:22Just leave it.
42:25I suppose you're happy now.
42:26Would you tell anyone if you were scared of anything, Scott?
42:29Would you tell your mates?
42:32Well, they're there for me, if that's what you mean.
42:35They're rock solid.
42:36That's how it works.
42:37You see, that's what I don't understand.
42:39How does it work?
42:42How are they there for you if you can't...
42:43I'll tell you what.
42:45What?
42:45I'd rather tell them than you any day, mate.
42:48I'd rather tell them than you any day.
42:59I'd rather tell them that you can't...
43:29It's four o'clock in the morning.
43:33It's me, mate.
43:34From the station.
43:36Pew, pew, Barney McGrew, Cuthbert, Dibble, and that other little puppety bastard, whatever
43:43his name was.
43:45Scott?
43:47Who am I being, mate?
43:48Quick, come on.
43:51Scott?
43:52I'll have to hang up.
43:56Just wanted to say thanks for your message.
43:59That was very, very helpful about Jacko.
44:03I'm hanging up.
44:05Very helpful indeed.
44:12Scared?
44:13You've no idea.
44:15No idea.
44:16I am your father.
44:25I am your father.
44:25Ah!
44:26Ah!
44:27Ah!
44:41Pampering.
44:42By arranging for the girl to take on only life cooking.
44:47Oh, well.
44:50Five letters.
44:52Seven letters.
44:54Ing on the end.
44:56Oh, Molly Codling.
44:57Good.
44:59Molly Codling.
45:03Yes.
45:03Confess to knocking over a jar of coffee.
45:09Five, three, five.
45:11Second letter.
45:12Pee.
45:14Spill something.
45:16Confess.
45:18Spill this something.
45:21Come back to that.
45:22Oh!
45:22Hello?
45:24Hello?
45:27Hello?
45:31Right.
45:33Spill the...
45:34Spill the beans.
45:37Confess.
45:38Isn't it more a blur when you spill the beans?
45:40Oh, God.
45:42Blimey.
45:43Get over here, mate.
45:45Hello?
45:47Squire?
45:47Giggsie.
45:48You all right, mate?
45:49Why aren't you asleep?
45:50I thought you went up hours ago.
45:52It's three o'clock.
45:54Banging noises, mate.
45:56Downstairs.
45:57Can you sort it?
45:58Banging noises?
45:59Yeah, from the mess, I reckon.
46:02All right.
46:02Good luck, mate.
46:05Banging noises from the mess.
46:07Great.
46:08Oh.
46:09Oh.
46:10That kind of banging noise.
46:12Right.
46:12Well.
46:14Better investigate, then.
46:16Cheers, mate.
46:18I really owe you one.
46:20Hello?
46:31Hello?
46:32Hello?
46:37Oh, no.
46:42I can't take this.
46:46Oh, God.
46:47Is there someone there?
46:54Oh, not again.
46:57Where are you?
46:58I can't see you, mate.
47:01Not again.
47:04Is there anyone here?
47:08Jacko?
47:11Jacko, look.
47:11I wish it hadn't happened to you, mate.
47:15What do you want me to say?
47:18I wish you hadn't done it.
47:23Jacko?
47:25Oh, not again, mate.
47:27Not again.
47:31Oh, God help me.
47:33God help me.
47:34It's only me, mate.
47:38It's only me, mate.
47:40Kigsy.
47:42Oh, you stupid, stupid, stupid.
47:45Oh, calm down.
47:47Calm down, mate.
47:47It's only me.
47:48You stupid.
47:49Get off, Scotty.
47:50Scotty, stop it.
47:51It's only just a laugh, mate.
47:53Shut up.
47:54Just shut up.
47:55I heard you telling that bird outside.
47:57I heard the story.
47:57You're dead, Kigsy.
47:59You don't know what you've done, do you?
48:02Get off.
48:03Don't.
48:03Get off me, Scotty.
48:04You have no idea.
48:06Please, please.
48:15One morning,
48:16at the hospice,
48:17in that last week,
48:18I walk into the day room,
48:20and my mum's in a wheelchair
48:21by the window having a fag,
48:23staring outside at the trees.
48:25And she doesn't see me.
48:27And this nurse is sitting beside her,
48:30and she doesn't see me either.
48:32She's saying to my mum,
48:34and I can't believe I'm hearing this,
48:36she's saying to her,
48:37very matter-of-fact,
48:39you're ready to go,
48:41aren't you, Patricia?
48:44And my mum says to this nurse,
48:47to this virtual stranger,
48:48who, of course,
48:49doesn't know that everyone's called my mum Paddy
48:51her whole life,
48:52she says to this nurse,
48:53Oh, yes.
49:00Imagine that.
49:02Feeling that there's nothing left for you,
49:04absolutely nothing.
49:06You're ready to go.
49:07I think I've worked out
49:13what happened to Jacko.
49:14Oh, yeah.
49:16I've been thinking about it
49:17going back to the jobs
49:18you did in the months
49:19leading up to what happened.
49:21I was looking for, you know,
49:22huge, dramatic things,
49:24collapsing stairwells,
49:26piles of charred bodies,
49:27multiple pile-ups,
49:28but it wasn't anything like that,
49:32was it?
49:35You never told me about the bomb
49:37at the school, Scott.
49:38It wasn't a bomb.
49:39I know.
49:40That's probably why I didn't mention it.
49:41That isn't why you didn't mention it.
49:45This was about a week before he died.
49:47About that, yes.
49:48About a week.
49:49Nine days,
49:50if you want to know exactly.
49:51The school his daughter
49:52Madison goes to?
49:53Yes.
49:54You were with him?
49:55Look,
49:56I never let on.
49:57Well, that seems to go
49:58without saying, Scott.
49:59I mean,
49:59I never let on to him.
50:01It just happened, all right?
50:04I mean,
50:04leave the poor bloke something.
50:06It's not like he wanted it.
50:08Was this when you got to the school?
50:10No, it was after.
50:11It was after.
50:11It was when we'd
50:13had the all clear,
50:14when he knew it was all okay.
50:19Look,
50:20we were standing outside the gates
50:23having a Twix, all right?
50:25He'd been fine on the way there,
50:26you see.
50:27And I'd been the one thinking,
50:28that's Madison's school,
50:29isn't it?
50:30This is a bit tough for Jacko.
50:32But he'd been all right,
50:33completely all right.
50:35Till we were outside
50:36and it was all clear
50:37and they'd even got the stupid pillock
50:39who'd planted the thing
50:40and I gave him this Twix
50:42and he took it.
50:44But I noticed he,
50:45he looked away.
50:47It was a really weird movement.
50:52Like that.
50:54He went
50:55like that.
50:58So I said,
50:59you all right, Jacko, mate?
51:01And he said,
51:01yeah, mate, of course.
51:04But he wasn't.
51:05He wasn't all right.
51:07It was like
51:08something went.
51:11Went?
51:12Broke.
51:13I don't know.
51:14Came apart.
51:14Went twang.
51:15Look, I'm not the therapy
51:16clever clogs here.
51:18You lost it, Scott,
51:19in an instant?
51:19Whatever, yes.
51:22It's all right
51:23to talk about this, you know.
51:24I mean, as you said,
51:24it wasn't Jacko's fault.
51:26Oh, shut up!
51:28Why don't you ever
51:29shut up?
51:31Don't you ever think
51:32there's anything
51:32you don't understand?
51:33All right, just listen.
51:40All right, listen.
51:42We were on a shout
51:43two days later
51:44on nights,
51:46two days after the bomb
51:47that wasn't a bomb
51:48and we were clipped together.
51:49Golden rule.
51:51And we're doing the shuffle,
51:52the BA shuffle
51:53where you're
51:54edging yourself along,
51:55right,
51:55in the smoke,
51:56feeling along the wall
51:57and feeling in front
51:59with your feet
51:59and hanging on to each other
52:00and suddenly
52:01he stops.
52:05Jacko stops.
52:07All right?
52:08He stops dead.
52:10We've only gone about
52:11twenty feet.
52:12There's people shouting,
52:13people screaming.
52:15There's a lot of work to do,
52:16a corridor to clear,
52:17a hundred feet long.
52:18We don't know how many
52:19casualties.
52:20And we've got our comms on,
52:21so H is in charge
52:23of the BA comms
52:24and he wants to know
52:24what's happening,
52:25why we've stopped.
52:26He's saying,
52:27what's the situation,
52:28Scotty,
52:28and I don't know
52:29what to do.
52:30What can I do?
52:31I say we've found
52:32something H,
52:33something unidentified.
52:34I'm just stalling,
52:36making it up,
52:37covering up for Jacko.
52:38I want to physically
52:39pull him on.
52:40Come on!
52:41But I can't see anything
52:42ahead any more
52:43than he can.
52:44So that's not the question.
52:45We have to get on.
52:49But Jacko won't move.
52:53He's shaking.
52:55We're holding on
52:56to each other
52:56so I can feel it.
52:57He's shaking.
52:58I think he might
53:01even be crying.
53:05Why didn't he
53:06talk to someone
53:07about it?
53:08I expect because
53:08he reckoned things
53:09were bad enough already.
53:11And why didn't you
53:12try to get help for it?
53:13Because that wasn't
53:14my call, mate.
53:15How many more times
53:17I was his friend?
53:18Blimey,
53:19have you been listening
53:20to a word I've said?
53:23Jacko was 38.
53:24He wasn't ill.
53:26He was the funniest
53:27bloke I've ever known.
53:28He had Lucy
53:30and Maddie
53:31and me
53:31and all the blokes.
53:33But none of that
53:34was enough, apparently.
53:35He said to me
53:36he'd be a minute.
53:37He went off on his own.
53:38He didn't answer his radio.
53:40He must have
53:40listened to that
53:41bloody whistle
53:42as his hair ran out.
53:44On his own.
53:47You have to let him go, Scott.
53:49Oh,
53:49don't say that.
53:51Oh, come on, Scott.
53:56Break your golden rule.
53:59He let go of you.
54:01Now you've got to
54:02let go of him, too.
54:04I remember, Jacko.
54:14Chips are lovely
54:15but don't
54:16overfill the pain.
54:17Oh,
54:17so,
54:18what do you know about him?
54:19We're starving in here
54:20if you haven't noticed.
54:21Oh, come on.
54:22I'll put you more than that, mate.
54:23Scotty,
54:24behave.
54:24I hope I'm not going to have to
54:25lock you in a nutty cupboard again.
54:27All right, Jacko.
54:28Loads more room in there.
54:29Come on.
54:30What are you doing?
54:32Listen, flathead.
54:33Oh, my God, Jacko.
54:36Oh, bloody hell.
54:37Scream.
54:38Get the fiend
54:39behind the squirty fiend.
54:42Stand back, mate.
54:44How does this thing work, mate?
54:45Get on with it.
54:47All right,
54:47here we go.
54:49What's going on?
54:51Wet tea towel.
54:52Come on,
54:53you stupid great food.
54:54Get away.
54:55Get away.
54:55Come on, back.
54:57Woo.
54:57Oh, ho, ho.
54:59Oh, ho, ho, ho.
55:01Oh, ho, ho, ho.
55:04Oh, bloody hell.
55:06Look at that look on your face, mate.
55:08Oh, I got quick.
55:09I've got to get a picture.
55:11A picture of you comedians
55:11has got my mobile.
55:12Yeah.
55:19In Giving Up the Ghost,
55:22Scott was played by Adrian Bauer,
55:25Alan by Struan Roger,
55:26Philip by Jeff Rall
55:29and Giggsie by Joe Absalom.
55:33Mike was played by Brendan Charlson,
55:36H by Richard Nichols
55:38and Lucy by Sarah McGoughy.
55:42Other parts were played by members of the cast.
55:45Giving Up the Ghost was written by Lynn Truss
55:49and directed in Wales by Kate McCall.
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