PICKLES - THE DOG THAT WON THE WORLD CUP

03 June, 2006 by The_Boss

ITV1 Saturday 3rd June 2006 4:00pmto 5:30pm

PICKLES - the funny and heart-warming tale of one lovable canine’s bid to save the World Cup, is a new drama from the makers of Walking with Dinosaurs and The Legend of the Tamworth Two.

On the eve of the 1966 World Cup Tournament, and while the Jules Rimet trophy arrives in Britain under close guard, the Yeomans family – Dad, Lennie (PAUL KAYE) – Mum, Janice (CAMILLE CODURI) – Mother-in-law, Ada (LIZ FRAZER) teenage daughter, Nicky (NICOLA BLAND) and 11-year-old Sammy (IMOGEN BYRON), are watching the Opening Ceremony with their pets Bud and Chesney (ferrets) and Pickles (a mongrel dog). They’re joined by Ken (SAMUEL OATLEY) – an apprentice goalkeeper for London football team, West Ham. Disaster strikes when the family’s ancient TV blows up. Now how will they watch matches?

The following day brings dramatic news – the Jules Rimet trophy has been stolen from a display at Westminster Hall. Meanwhile, Sammy has her own disappointment. The boys in the park won’t let her play football because she’s a girl.

The Yeomans listen to the second match of the tournament on the radio – but somehow it’s just not the same. While Lennie frets about what he can do with no money (he’s out of work and Janice is heavily pregnant), news of a reward is announced. Sammy determines to show everyone what girls can do: she resolves to find the cup, claim the reward and solve the family’s money worries.

Sammy’s first step is to follow suspicious local gangsters Bernie (KEITH BARRON) and Bertie (GEORGE INNES) and their German Alsatian Fritz. While Fritz and Pickles trade insults about the performance of their respective football teams, Sammy overhears Bernie and Bertie talking about the Jules Rimet trophy. She tries to tell Lennie – but he is more interested in keeping up with England’s progress in the third match. Frustrated, Sammy takes matters into her own hands and sneaks into Bernie and Bertie’s factory to investigate. However, when Lennie arrives, looking for a job, Sammy is caught red-handed. Pickles makes matters worse by biting one of the gangsters.

As the excitement of the tournament reaches fever pitch, Lennie buys a new TV – Janice is enraged. She’s just been told that she’s expecting twins, they can’t afford a telly! Something has to give. Sammy and Pickles return home to discover that Lennie has found a job – and that they’re having a celebratory steak tea. But the occasion is ruined, when Janice upsets the frying pan and Pickles dives into the steak. It’s the last straw; Janice decrees Pickles must go. Ada volunteers to take him in.

Distraught at the loss of her best friend, Sammy goes to the factory to play football alone. She kicks the ball onto the roof – and when she climbs up to reclaim it, sees one of the Scotsmen – who are working with Bernie and Bertie – with the World Cup. Sammy hurries home and drags Ken and Lennie back to the Factory. However, when they arrive, Lennie reveals this is his new place of work. This is where he makes plastic replicas of the World Cup to sell in Woolworths. He tells Sammy she must never visit the factory again.

Sammy interrupts Lennie’s attempts to watch the semi-final by insisting that there’s something strange about the new Scottish men working at the factory. However, when Ada arrives with Pickles, the family is distracted by his new look: he’s been shampooed, blow-dried and tied up with a ribbon. Humilated when they laugh at him, Pickles pulls free and runs away.

Pickles endures a cold, wet night alone, before crawling into the Docklands for shelter. There he comes face to face with Fritz once more – and discovers that the German dog’s bark is worse than his bite. As the two make friends, Fritz confides that the Scots are up to no good. And the next morning, Pickles indeed sees them holding the World Cup. Excited, he hurries to fetch Sammy.

As the country gears up for the final, Lennie and Janice realise Sammy is missing. Lennie begins a search as Janice has her first pains of labour – and Sammy and Pickles engage in a game of cat and mouse with the Scots at the warehouse. A comic chase sees Sammy hiding the World Cup in a room filled with plastic replicas. However, all trickery is in vain as the Scots escape with their prize. Only Pickles’ keen doggie nose keeps Sammy on the trail.

The bumbling Scots are eventually forced to hide the cup. Pickles sniffs it out, hidden in a rolled up newspaper – just as they return for their prize. But now Lennie and the East End gangsters Bernie and Bertie are also hot on the trail. They confront the Scots – just as Germany scores an equalizing goal in the World Cup Final.

Lennie, Sammy, Pickles, Ken and the gangsters hurry to Wembley to deliver the cup – eagerly following the game on the radio as it goes into extra time. At the same time, Janice is rushed to hospital. The game, the race against time and Janice’s labour all come to a head as Geoff Hurst scores the winning goal and the final whistle blows. England has won. The rescued, gleaming trophy is presented by the Queen as the ferrets celebrate at home.

As Lennie hurries to Janice’s bedside, the Scots are dispatched north, and the FA hands over the reward. As our story closes, the family comes together to watch a special recording of the World Cup Final.


PICKLES is inspired by true events, written by Michael Chaplin (The Walk, Monarch of the Glen, Dalziel and Pascoe), and directed by Gavin Millar (The Last Detective, Foyle’s War). The 90-minute single film is produced by Keith Thompson (Malice Aforethought, The Return) and is executive produced by Joanna Anderson and Tim Haines.

PICKLES is an Impossible Pictures production for ITV1.