In 1983 John Fortune played a barrister in an episode of Granada TV's Crown Court which I directed. He was defending a policeman accused of corruption. As was usual, there was friendly but fierce competition between the rival legal teams. A "book" was started during rehearsals and the smart money was on an acquittal for John's client. Nevertheless, the jury (made up of members of the public who were asked to vote "guilty" or "not guilty") decided to convict.
After the recording, the cast gathered in Granada's Stables bar before heading back to London. We were celebrating a successful show, but John was noticeably subdued. "What's the matter, John?" I asked. "I just think I could have done better for him," he sighed.
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