Nice Guy Eddie

Later commissioned into a six-part series between 16 June and 21 July 2002, Nice Guy Eddie follows the exploit of a Liverpool-based bumbling private detective, Eddie McMullen, played by Ricky Tomlinson, whose life is turned upside down by the arrival of Frank Bennett (Tom Ellis), who turns up on his doorstep claiming to be his son. McMullen unwittingly takes the boy under his wing as a sidekick-cum-stooge, as the story of his true parentage plays out across the series.

Notably, the role of McMullen was written specifically for Tomlinson. For the series, a real life private investigator based in Liverpool, Tony Smith, acted as a script consultant, to ensure the stories were as true to life as possible.

Despite attracting moderate ratings, only seven episodes (including the pilot) were produced; subsequently, the BBC decided against recommissioning the show for a second series. Since initial broadcast, the series has not been repeated or released on any form of home media.