Keith Hutcheon

Over the course of four decades, the personal lives of a quartet of Newcastle friends—Nicky, Geordie, Mary, and Tosker—intertwine with various political machinations, often for the worse: slum housing projects, police corruption, the rise of Thatcherism, political sleaze, and specific events like the 1984 Miners' Strike.

The Young Person's Guide to Becoming a Rock Star is a British comedy series, which aired on Channel 4 in 1998. It was a six-part satirical take on the music industry, written by Skins creator Bryan Elsley. The plot centered around a young Glaswegian band - Jocks Wa Hey - as they struggle to find success. The series won the 'Best Drama Serial' award at the 1999 RTS Television Awards and, that same year, writer Bryan Esley was nominated in the RTS 'Best Writer' category for the series. It was remade as My Guide to Becoming a Rock Star, a short-lived American/Canadian series that starred Oliver Hudson and was made for the now defunct The WB Television Network.

In 1990s Edinburgh, Barbara Thorburn reflects on memories of her poet mother, Greta, and her tragic death.