Unforgotten - ITV - starts Thursday October 8th at 9pm

[sadwidow28]

ITV’s six episode thriller series Unforgotten from former ITV drama executives Laura Mackie and Sally Haynes’ fledgling indie Mainstreet Pictures will premiere on Thursday October 8th at 9pm, it has been announced.

Penned by Undeniable scribe Chris Lang, Unforgotten tells the story of an 39 year old cold investigation into the murder of a boy who was killed in 1976. The modern day investigation is run by DCI Cassie Stuart and DI Sunil ‘Sunny’ Khan, who must re-examine the evidence and investigate the key suspects – Robert Greaves, Frank Philip Cross, Lizzie Wilton and Eric Slater – in order to close the case. The series utilises a multi-stranded narrative, set in different parts of the country, which explores and connects each of the principle characters.

The six-parter is produced by Mainstreet Pictures and features a large cast that includes Sanjeev Bhaskar (The Kumars), Nicola Walker (Last Tango In Halifax), Trevor Eve (Waking The Dead), Bernard Hill (The Grid), Ruth Sheen (Our Girl), Tom Courtenay (The Dresser), Gemma Jones (Marvellous), Brian Bovell (Death in Paradise), Cherie Lunghi (Casualty), Hannah Gordon (Hustle), Claire Goose (Mount Pleasant) Tamzin Malleson (Midsomer Murders), Peter Egan (Downton Abbey), and Frances Tomelty (Catastrophe). Ripper Street helmer Andy Wilson was the director.

UNFORGOTTEN - Episode 3

• Gordon and Charlie Fenwick ran an Eastend mob-style FAMILY in 70s/80s.
• Charlie Fenwick died five years ago but his son Michael lives in Alcudia
• Gordon has lived in Cyprus since '95 (there's an outstanding warrant for his arrest on drugs charges).
• Thomas Pinion who worked with the family in the '70s and '80s - before serving 14 years for drug offences - knew Frankie Cross (Sir Philip), but for some reason there's no love lost.

From the meeting with Pinion we learn:

• Frankie C did odd jobs here and there for maybe a year.
• Was on the payroll proper maybe six months.
• He started out doing anything the brothers wanted him to do - driving, deliveries, bit of muscle.
• Frank was very good at getting money that was owed to us [the Family].
• He was violent and liked the bolt cutters. Soon as he pulled 'em out, people suddenly remembered the few quid they got in the drawer upstairs. If they didn't, he started to work on one finger. Joint by joint until they did.

• Pinion recognises Jimmy’s photo
• He did a few bits and bobs for us [the Family].
• Frankie C would have known him because he borrowed 50 quid off of us [the Family].
• Don’t know whether it was paid back. Only Gordon [Fenwick] would know that.

When the police leave, Pinion contacts a newspaper to sell the story.

“Could you tell me, please, how do I go about selling a story?
Yeah, it's about somebody famous.”

So, we still don’t know why Pinion doesn’t like Frankie Cross but there is no loyalty shown at all considering they both worked for the FAMILY. Frankie C and Jimmy must have worked for the Fenwicks in 1976: Frankie C worked for them for 1 year - on payroll for 6 months; Jimmy just did bits and bobs - so not on payroll? Pinion worked for the Family over 2 decades through to the 80s - so after Jimmy’s death and after Frankie C had left. Was Frankie C/Sir Philip somehow involved in Pinion’s arrest and going to jail for 14 years?

Now the detectives are obviously thinking what we are thinking! Jimmy’s skeleton is intact (all parts of the fingers present) but they ask forensics to check the phallanges [finger parts] for bolt-cutter marks. Forensics can’t see any with the naked eye so have to use a microscope. But Cassie later says that there is no evidence on the body.

Pinion has clearly sold the story and Sir P is contacted by Liam Gough (the Government Civil Servant) who tells Sir P that he has 6 hours to get an injunction otherwise it will be all over tomorrow’s Mirror. Sir P is still denying that he was an Eastend gangster, but Liam reminds him that he did not make full disclosure when he was being considered for Entreneur Czar. The editor of the Mirror has run the PM’s office for a comment. BUT....but ... Notice how Sir P knows immediately that the source of the story “will be a man called Thomas Pinion” who just wants money. Liam makes it clear that ‘however this pans out’ Sir P ‘is done’ [Yay!!!! I so wanted Sir P to be ‘done’] Sir P’s lawyers don’t manage to stop the Mirror story. The Mirror lawyer is saying that they have proof.

The Mirror story is published with the headline “SIR PHILIP PAID ME TO KEEP MY MOUTH SHUT” (£12,000)

Apparently Gordon Fenwick is ‘on his uppers’ and wants to come back to the UK (he has an outstanding warrant) so the police might be able to do a deal with him for information. They want to know if Jimmy defaulted on his £50 loan - and only Gordon Fenwick knows that. A default on the £50 debt could link Frankie C - the debt collector - to the murder of Jimmy.

UNFORGOTTEN - Episode 3

We learn more about Jimmy, Father Rob and Jo-Jo from Eric Slater’s interview with the police.

• Jimmy was a resident (they would smoke together in the dining room)
• Slater doesn’t remember ever giving Jimmy his phone number
• Jimmy tried to sell Slater a car once, but Slater thought it might have been nicked.
• Doesn’t recall Jimmy having problems - he was a gentle soul.
• One day he just wasn’t there (at Arlingham House) but it was a temporary hostel.
• Doesn’t remember Beth Laws nor Frank Cross
• Recalls Jo-Jo - she was about 17 or 18 years old
• She didn’t live at the hostel
• Only met her once when she was ‘at it’[having sex] in a storage room with Father Robert Greaves.

But then Claire Slater steps in as Cassie and Sunny are leaving the house and she has some brilliant lucid moments [Yay go girl!]:

• Did they ask about the night’s he (Eric) never came home?
• “I never got it out, you know”
• “I think he must have put it straight in on a boil because you need a cold soak first.”

[Hmmm - This sounds like the removal of blood from an item of clothing]

But later Cassie and Sunny follow up the Fr Rob/Jo-Jo relationship (carried out when Fr Rob was newly married and newly ordained) with Fr Robert himself:

• It wasn't just a physical thing. It was a proper relationship.
• He cared for Joanna very much. And he'd like to think that she cared for him too.
• Fr Rob doesn’t know her age but guesses about 19 or 20.
• Fr Rob was 28 yrs old.
• It lasted a few weeks.
• If Jo-Jo was seeing Jimmy then Fr Rob didn’t know about it.
• Jo-Jo lived in a bedsit a few doors down from the church but he can’t remember the address - not even the name of the road (He says “Well, it was 40 years ago”).
• He also doesn’t recall her full name
• She was lonely and started helping out at coffee mornings and Sunday school.
• Fr Rob says he was going through a difficult period in his life. He wasn't sure that some of the decisions he'd made were the right ones.
• He and Jo-Jo used to talk and then one day it just turned into something else.
• But it was biggest mistake of his life. Felt ashamed every day for last 40 years even though his wife never found out.
• Fr Rob ended it and shortly afterwards Jo-Jo moved away.
• The last time he spoke to her was 39 years ago.

Even though Cassie and Sunny say that they are going to check the records, Fr Rob confirms that they last spoke 39 years ago. Well, we know he is still in touch with Joanne (Jo-Jo) because Fr Rob phoned her at the end of episode 2. But he used a public phone box, so he is clever enough to keep contact with her away from his registered phone lines.

So we have another liar, liar pants on fire!

Loving this so far. I have been trying to read the newspaper photograph details.

I have:
residents of Arlingham House as strike enters it's third week
Ravenscroft, Serena Birdee, Xanthe Steer, Tom D

ButterflyUpSoHigh

That is brilliant! You have found a twist we haven't seen yet - a strike!

Keep it up. We'll help Cassie and Sunny crack this case.

And I offer here, Sir P's FLASHBACKS from episode 3.

In context (family scene in kitchen with press outside after the Mirror article):

Josh: In case you hadn't noticed, this isn't actually about you, Bella.
Bella: I'm not saying it is. I'm just saying, as a human rights lawyer, torture is a little bit of a bugbear of mine and having a father accused of lopping people's fingers off is, you know, a tiny bit awkward.
Shirley: God, you're a sarky bitch sometimes.
Bella: All I want to know is if it's true, Dad. Did you give this Pinion man money? Did you do what he says you did?
Sir P: No.

FLASHBACKS

Sir P: On both counts. Now, don't ask me again.

-----------------

N.B. I did manage to get 4 screenshots - but I will upload 3 to save space. I'll miss the Jimmy one out for now because the others offer more clues that we have to figure out.

(1) Looks like a racist attack - carrying lanterns
(2) Someone with hands bound behind his/her back
(3) Jimmy - look of fear
(4) A lantern close up [I think]

I think it's referring to a bin men strike. It's the picture she puts on the evidence wall that says "Down in the dumps" with bags of rubbish piled up at the bottom of the steps. Might be Jack Ravenscroft and Tom Darleston?

Thanks Butterfly I'll go back to those photos. I hadn't thought about screen-capping them.

I think we are given clues in these newspaper cuttings but they are before our eyes and off the screen again so quickly, we can't study them.

I still have 3 photos to upload - magazine photos of the hostel and residents. I think I can see a recurring MALE face .... but would like opinions!

I have to wait for Mumsnet to give me back photo space as I can only upload 6 in 24 hours.

I have two questions for our thread detectives:

(1) Is Curtis more significant than we think? (We know Lizzie is taking a special interest in him - and she has 'watched out for him for the last 3 years' whilst his mother smoked crack.)

(2) Who is Jo-Jo/Joanne really? She is still alive - aged about 58 yrs old now. Still in contact with Fr Rob. She has a current voicemail message that says "This is Joanne" but Fr Rob only phones that number from a public phone box.

We have had name-changes already:

Frankie C = Frankie Cross = Sir Frank Philip Cross

Beth Laws = Elizabeth/Lizzie Wilton

I can't see a possible name-change for any of our female protagonists of the same age:

Grace Greaves
Sheila Slater
Shirley Cross

Curtis' Mum is Mrs Salgado (but we haven't met her yet and we don't know her first name). She COULD have had a 16 yr old boy when 42 yrs old - but that is stretching things isn't it?

Have we seen anything in a newspaper or magazine that gives us a clue to Jo-Jo's identity?

Frankie C and Beth Laws have had whole identity changes!

I'm hoping we see more of what these flashbacks are, as they go so fast!

What happened between Beth/Lizzie and Jimmy? She and Erskine were violently racist and she was staying at the hostel at the same time as Jimmy on 5 (?) occasions, unlikely that there wasn't some incident.

I dont know if Curtis is a red herring.

I doubt Lizzie would be his mum so she cant be involved from that angle. Perhaps her interest lies in her past and the fact she lost a son.

I only know that Im worried about him to the extent its taking over the whole plot for me. Im scared the baddies on the estate are going to hurt him or ruin his life by making him miss exams.

So is lizzie taking Curtis under her wing going to be his undoing because she is white and the boys on the estate don't like her caring for Curtis?

Just a thought - could Lizzies name changes be something she did herself or could it be an 'official' name change as part of a witness protection program?

Is her partner her husband? If so how would they have gotten round a marriage licence is she was just using an alias?

Lizzie Wilton:

Her maiden name was Elizabeth Laws - and she went by the name of Beth

She married Ray Wilton, dropped Beth and used Lizzie

So both Beth and Lizzie are shortened forms of Elizabeth.

She has 're-invented' herself - and distanced herself from when she was known as Beth.

Has anyone figured out who Carol is yet?

Has anyone else seen the interesting cast listing for the actor who plays Curtis on imdb.com? I haven't posted it here as it could be a bit of a spoiler.

She has 're-invented' herself - and distanced herself from when she was known as Beth.

Yes, thats what I thought so was a bit confused by someone mentioning whole identity changes. It really isnt the same thing at all.

I meant they hadn't just changed their names, but re-invented puts it better.

Frankie C: working for the Fenwicks as a debt collector becomes Sir Philip Cross, entrepreneur.

Beth Laws: skinhead and racist with violent history becomes Lizzie Wilton in mixed race marriage, helping Curtis overcome his background.

Hi Quirky - I realise that now

Still got an episode to catch up on. Jekyll and Hyde starts tonight as well, yet another thing to watch! At least DH wants to watch this one with me.

EeyoresTail

Good spot! How very interesting.........

DO NOT CLICK THIS LINK IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS OR CLUES NOT YET SHOWN

I thought I would post the link to what EeyoresTail found. It's up to you if you want to click or not:

Ade Oyefeso (Curtis in Unforgotten) acting biography

I have wondered what connection Curtis has as he is focused on a fair bit. We are given hints to his background - there must be some significance but I cannot put my finger on it.

Here we go... I have just got my 3rd photo slot back from Mumsnet and I need to keep these together.......

UNFORGOTTEN - Episode 3

I have 3 screen shots to upload - pictures that Cassie shares with Jimmy’s Mum (Maureen) when Cassie and Sunny take Maureen to Arlingham House for ‘closure’ and one from when she and Sunny are in the car park.

For context:

Cassie: And then these are from the early '70s, so he probably wouldn't have arrived here yet. Although it didn't change much throughout the whole decade.
This is one of the bedrooms. He, um... He would have stayed in a room just like this.

Maureen: Bigger than I thought. I think he would've been happy here. Thank you so much.

Sunny: Nice one, Boss.

[Outside in the car park, when Maureen has left, Cassie suddenly realises what Claire (Eric Slater’s wife) was referring to]

Cassie: It's blood, isn't it?

Sunny: What's blood?

Cassie: What his wife said, Eric Slater's.
It needs cold soak first, right?
You wash it in hot water, it fixes it. Blood.

[Pulls out a photo from the file]

This is the second floor, right?
You can tell from what's outside the windows. Right. Check out if they had a lift.

Sunny: A lift?

Cassie: Eric Slater said he used to have a fag with Jimmy in the dining room.
If they didn't have a lift, how the hell did he get up the stairs?
Not a bloody Dalek, is he?

Sunny: Well, let's not rule out anything just yet.

We learn later that Arlingham House never had a lift, but Eric Slater was able-bodied in 1976. He had a car accident in 1979 which confined him to a wheelchair

Now my thread detectives.... Do you see the same male in these pictures? If so, who do you think it might be?

Could the beardy guy be Father Rob maybe? Or Frankie C?

Lots of spoilers in The Times Saturday Review about Frankie C, Eric and Lizzie.

Interesting link sadwidow.

Did the Fenwicks run the hostel? How could you bury a body underneath without it being noticed?

I'm going to make a guess on why Lizzie is keeping an eye on Curtis...
Jo Jo was pregnant with Jimmy's child when he "disappeared" (which was a tragic accident that they all knew about.)
She gave birth to a daughter...
Who had a son...
Who is Curtis.
So that is why Lizzie is trying to help him. As penance for her part in his grandfather's death.