This is a special episode, paying tribute to Leon Griffiths, the creator of Minder, as well as revealing the origins of the programme. As such we will feature a reading from Jonathan of the Minder fans site and there are also contributions from Andrew Payne so if you want to know about the beginnings of the show, or learn more about Leon Griffiths then keep listening.

Leon Griffiths (Back Left) with all the important players in the Minder production (Andrew Payne is far right with Tony Hoare to his right)

So who was Leon Griffiths? Information on him is hard to find but through persistent research and the information already known I have tried to build a picture of the man. Luckily some interviews survive and so we’ll use his own words too.

We feature many of his early works which featured none other than Glynn Edwards and John Thaw.

Not serving Vera and Philharmonics today
One of Griffiths’ most Minder-esque scripts with an impactful social statement

Altogether Griffiths gained 33 screenwriting credits, though of course in certain cases, such as Minder, he wrote multiple episodes under one credit.

By the time the final Minder series ended in 1994 the show could account for ten series, 105 52-minute episodes, a Christmas compilation of excerpts and two feature films. Despite its shaky beginnings, the programme became a huge hit. In 1985, at the peak of its success, nearly 18 million people a week in Britain were watching the show. It wasn’t just successful on British television but also overseas where it sold to over 70 countries around the world, making it one of Britain’s top TV exports.

Here we pay tribute to the man who created the show and reveal the origins of Minder.

Download the show here.

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