29/10/2026
Makes you feel old!
Best show I’ve seen in ages!
⏰FRIDAY SHOP IS 11 - 7PM
⏰Saturday Shop is 7 - 4pm
❗️❗️SUNDAY WE ARE AT THE FARMERS FAYRE ON THE MARKET SQUARE
Arthur Daley and Terry McCann were such a brilliant pairing. George Cole and Dennis Waterman brought two completely different personalities together in Minder, and their constant arguments, dodgy business arrangements and attempts to stay one step ahead of the police made the programme a favourite for years.
It all began on 29 October 1979, when ITV broadcast the very first episode, "Gunfight at the OK Launderette".
Dennis Waterman played Terry McCann, a former boxer and ex-prisoner trying to make an honest living, although working for Arthur Daley was hardly the best way to achieve that!
George Cole was wonderful as Arthur, the fast-talking second-hand car dealer who always had another business opportunity lined up, no matter how questionable it happened to be.
Arthur had an answer for everything. He could talk his way into a deal, persuade someone that a heap of rubbish was worth a fortune and somehow convince Terry that his latest scheme was perfectly legitimate.
And whenever things went wrong, it was usually Terry who had to sort out the mess.
Their relationship was one of the great pleasures of Minder. Terry was much more straightforward and sensible than Arthur, but he also had a loyalty to his employer that Arthur frequently took advantage of.
In the first episode, Terry finds himself caught up in a robbery at a launderette, while Arthur spots an opportunity to make some money by selling the story to the newspapers.
That was Arthur all over. Even when his minder was in trouble, he could still see a possible earner!
The supporting cast added enormously to the programme. Glynn Edwards was excellent as Dave, the long-suffering landlord of the Wi******er Club, where Arthur seemed to spend half his life making deals over a drink.
Patrick Malahide was another memorable presence as Detective Sergeant Chisholm, who was forever suspicious of Arthur's activities.
And there were some wonderful guest actors over the years, alongside a parade of colourful characters from London's criminal underworld.
Minder was originally developed with Dennis Waterman as its principal star, but George Cole's Arthur Daley gradually became just as important to its success.
The writing gave both actors plenty to work with, mixing crime stories with some very funny exchanges and situations.
Then there was the music. Dennis Waterman sang the memorable theme song, "I Could Be So Good for You", which became a hit in its own right.
The series continued throughout the 1980s, with Dennis eventually leaving in 1989. Gary Webster then joined as Arthur's nephew Ray Daley, and the programme continued until 1994.
Sadly, we've since lost both of the original stars. George Cole died in 2015, aged 90, and Dennis Waterman died in 2022, aged 74.
But watching those early episodes, the chemistry between them is still wonderful.
Arthur with his endless schemes, Terry trying to talk some sense into him, and Dave watching it all unfold at the Wi******er.
What a brilliant combination they were, and what a great piece of British television Minder remains.
