YP Comment: Heartbeat creator dies aged 80

During its heyday Heartbeat was essential Sunday night viewing, regularly drawing in TV audiences of more than 14 million.
Peter Walker, who has died aged 80.Peter Walker, who has died aged 80.
Peter Walker, who has died aged 80.

Set during the 1960s in the fictional village of Aidensfield, this gently evocative police drama was the brainchild of Peter Walker, who has died at the age of 80. Mr Walker, under his pen name of Nicholas Rhea, drew on his own experiences as a local bobby for his Constable books which provided the inspiration for the hugely popular TV series that ran for 18 years.

It wasn’t just a hit with viewers, it also helped make Goathland, where the series was predominantly filmed, one of the county’s tourist hotspots with fans flocking to the North York Moors to catch a glimpse of their favourite locations.

Today, a quarter of a century after the show first aired on our screens, Heartbeat continues to be watched, and enjoyed, around the world – proof that good storytelling never goes out of fashion.