# Four Fathers
> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Four_Fathers
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Four_Fathers.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Fathers
> Source revision: 1350424994
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox television
| image =
| caption =
| genre = [Drama](/source/Drama_(film_and_television))
| creator =
| developer =
| writer = Bill Gallagher
| director = [Dermot Boyd](/source/Dermot_Boyd)
| creative_director =
| starring = [Tony Doyle](/source/Tony_Doyle_(actor))
[Tom Bell](/source/Tom_Bell_(actor))
[Neil Dudgeon](/source/Neil_Dudgeon)
[Stuart McQuarrie](/source/Stuart_McQuarrie)
[Ruth Gemmell](/source/Ruth_Gemmell)
[Eva Pope](/source/Eva_Pope)
[Jacquetta May](/source/Jacquetta_May)
[Kate Lonergan](/source/Kate_Lonergan)
[Emma Williams](/source/Emma_Williams_(actress))
| theme_music_composer =
| composer = [Alan Clark](/source/Alan_Clark_(keyboardist))
| country = United Kingdom
| language = English
| num_series = 1
| num_episodes = 3
| executive_producer = [Sally Head](/source/Sally_Head)
| producer = [Martyn Auty](/source/Martyn_Auty)
Carol Wilks
| editor = Richard Milward
| cinematography = Kevin Rowley
| camera =
| location = [Sheffield](/source/Sheffield), [South Yorkshire](/source/South_Yorkshire), [England](/source/England), UK
| runtime = 50 minutes (eps. 1–2)
100 minutes (ep. 3)
| company = Sally Head Productions
| channel = [ITV](/source/ITV_(TV_network))
| first_aired = {{Start date|1999|12|09|df=y}}
| last_aired = {{End date|1999|12|21|df=y}}
}}
'''''Four Fathers''''' is a British television [drama](/source/Drama_(film_and_television)) miniseries, comprising two fifty-minute episodes and one one-hundred minute episode, that first broadcast on [ITV](/source/ITV_(TV_network)) between 9 and 21 December 1999. The drama serial focused on a quartet of four very different fathers living in a northern town who all have life changing experiences in store.[{{cite web |title=Four Fathers (ITV 1999, Tony Doyle, Tom Bell)|url=https://www.memorabletv.com/tv/four-fathers-itv-1999-tony-doyle-tom-bell/|website=Memorable TV|date=4 October 2017|accessdate=15 October 2025}}] First two episodes were broadcast each week during Thursdays and third and final feature length episode was broadcast on Tuesday.
==Cast==
* [Tony Doyle](/source/Tony_Doyle_(actor)) as Harry Clancy
* [Tom Bell](/source/Tom_Bell_(actor)) as Frank Yallop
* [Neil Dudgeon](/source/Neil_Dudgeon) as Vince Yallop
* [Stuart McQuarrie](/source/Stuart_McQuarrie) as Spud Starkie
* [Ruth Gemmell](/source/Ruth_Gemmell) as Nicola Yallop
* [Eva Pope](/source/Eva_Pope) as Kathy Starkie
* [Jacquetta May](/source/Jacquetta_May) as Linda Clancy
* [Kate Lonergan](/source/Kate_Lonergan) as Dawn Starkie
* [Emma Williams](/source/Emma_Williams_(actress)) as Justine Clancy
* [Lorraine Pilkington](/source/Lorraine_Pilkington) as Christy Bannan
* Peter Ryalls as Colin Yallop
* Amy Dempsey as Danielle Yallop
* [Barbara Young](/source/Barbara_Young_(actress)) as Janice Yallop
* [Andrew Tiernan](/source/Andrew_Tiernan) as Johnny Starkie
==Episodes==
{{Episode table|background=#1034A6|overall=|title=|director=|writer=|airdate=|viewers=
|airdateT=British air date|viewersT=UK viewers
(million)[{{cite web|url=http://www.barb.co.uk/viewing-data/weekly-top-30/|title=Weekly top 30 programmes – BARB|website=Barb.co.uk|accessdate=15 October 2025}}]
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 1
|Title = Episode 1
|DirectedBy = [Dermot Boyd](/source/Dermot_Boyd)
|WrittenBy = Bill Gallagher
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|12|09|df=y}}
|Viewers = 6.88
|ShortSummary = Father-to-be Spud Starkie struggles to keep his nephew on the rails, while Harry Clancy is knocked for six by the arrival of a face from the past, and tensions mount in the household of divorced couple Vince and Nicola Yallop.[{{cite web | website=BFI | title=Episode 1 | date=1999-12-09 | url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150546196 | access-date=2025-10-16}}]
|LineColor = 1034A6
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 2
|Title = Episode 2
|DirectedBy = Dermot Boyd
|WrittenBy = Bill Gallagher
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|12|16|df=y}}
|Viewers = 6.31
|ShortSummary = Dawn is devastated by the revelation that Spud is the father of Kathy's unborn child.[{{cite web | website=BFI | title=Episode 2 | date=1999-12-16 | url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150561692 | access-date=2025-10-16}}]
|LineColor = 1034A6
}}
{{Episode list
|EpisodeNumber = 3
|Title = Episode 3
|DirectedBy = Dermot Boyd
|WrittenBy = Bill Gallagher
|OriginalAirDate = {{Start date|1999|12|21|df=y}}
|Viewers = 6.33
|ShortSummary = Spud is furious when he discovers the identity of Kathy's unborn child; as Harry's daughters meet for the first time, he makes a shocking discovery.[{{cite web | website=BFI | title=Episode 3 | date=1999-12-21 | url=https://collections-search.bfi.org.uk/web/Details/ChoiceFilmWorks/150565129 | access-date=2025-10-16}}]
|LineColor = 1034A6
}}
}}
==Reception==
===Critical reception===
===Accolades===
Tony Doyle was won for Best Drama Actor and Phelps for Best Actor at the 2000 [Broadcasting Press Guild](/source/Broadcasting_Press_Guild) Awards sharing with [BBC](/source/BBC) TV series ''[Ballykissangel](/source/Ballykissangel)''.[{{cite web| title=BPG TV & Radio Awards 2000| url=http://www.broadcastingpressguild.org/bpg-awards/2000-2/| website=broadcastingpressguild.org| date=31 December 2007| access-date=16 October 2025}}]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* {{IMDb title|id=0227901|title=Four Fathers}}
Category:1999 British television series debuts
Category:1999 British television series endings
Category:1990s British drama television series
Category:1990s British television miniseries
Category:English-language British television shows
Category:ITV television dramas
Category:ITV miniseries
Category:Television series by Fremantle (company)
Category:Television shows set in Sheffield
---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Four Fathers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Fathers) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Fathers?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.