This article is a step back in time, more than 30 years to be exact, as we review a one-series wonder on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) network. Piloted in 1984 and aired in 1986, The Clairvoyant was written by Roy Clarke, the brains behind the hugely successful British sitcom Last of the Summer Wine. Although the show only lasted one series, its six episodes quickly created something of a cult following in the UK.
Arnold Bristow, played by Roy Kinnear, who was reaching the twilight years of an acting career spanning three decades, believed that he had psychic powers and could provide his family and friends with clairvoyant readings, which is a skill that allows individuals to visualise images or pictures in their mind’s eye and is an additional sensory awareness to the five traditional senses of smell, touch, sight, sound and taste. There are many clairvoyants in the off-screen world which attempt to provide messages to people from the spirit world.
Arnold was a second-hand car salesman of questionable nature but, following an untimely car accident as a pedestrian, Arnold awoke a reformed character to discover his gift of clairvoyance. His first vision upon waking in the pilot episode was to provide him with a useful clue in determining the identity of the hit-and-run driver.
Successful pilot show
The pilot was successful enough for it to secure a primetime spot on BBC2, with the first official episode airing on 15th May 1986. Roy Kinnear was undoubtedly the star of the show, with his quick-witted, larger-than-life style radiating throughout. His role as Arnold saw him act as something of a clown, after he discovers his gift of clairvoyance makes it virtually impossible for him to life to the faces of prospective customers; harming his ability to sell his dodgy second-hand vehicles.
One of the later episodes sees Arnold weave his verbal magic and seal the deal on a used car without fearing his clairvoyant capabilities would scupper the sale. Arnold’s clairvoyant senses worked for and against him throughout the series. In the penultimate episode, his gift of clairvoyant indicated to him that his business partner Vernie would have a beautiful future with Dawn, played by Glynis Brooks, and he played the heart-warming role of matchmaker.
A vibrant cast
American actress, Sandra Dickinson was also in the cast. Throughout her career, she has often been typecast as the “dumb blonde” in any series and that was certainly the case here in The Clairvoyant, playing the role of Lily. Off screen, Dickinson has had a string of failed marriages in the public eye including Doctor Who star, Peter Davison. However, she is now happily married to 48-year-old Mark Osmond.
Roy Kinnear was an acting institution in Britain during the 1970s and 80s and in fact, The Clairvoyant would turn out to be one his Kinnear’s last acting roles before his tragic death in September 1988. Kinnear suffered a heart attack brought on by his injuries sustained from a fall when out horse riding in Madrid, Spain as part of the filming of The Return of the Musketeers.
Six years after Kinnear’s passing, the Roy Kinnear Foundation was established by his daughter, Karina, designed as a fitting legacy for the great man to help improve the lives of young adults with mental and physical disabilities.
