Before 'As Time Goes By' ( which I have never cared for ) reached the screens in the '90's, Adrienne Conway penned this sweet little sitcom in 1988 which focused on two childhood sweethearts meeting up in their adulthood purely by chance. Amanda Redman and the late James Hazeldine took on the roles as the on/off lovers. She, Sylvia Grant ( a role that Conway initially wrote for herself ), is a successful literary agent while he, Bernie Walters, is a black cab driver and a widow with two children - the precocious Paul ( Neil Kagan ) and the suspicious Mandy ( Anna Murphy ). Both Bernie and Sylvie were besotted with each other when they were in their teens but eventually went their separate ways. One day, Bernie meets Sylvia when he picks her up ( in his cab, that is ) on her way to work and slowly their relationship is rekindled.
Their relationship isn't exactly plain sailing. For one, Sylvia does not seem to have a fondness for children ( and after meeting Bernie's kids, can you blame her? ), which meets with short shrift from single parent Bernie. Also coming between the two is Reenie ( Diane Langton ), the brassy ( and jealous ) sister of Bernie's best friend Cliff ( Desmond McNamara ).
'Streets Apart' was well received. Like John Sullivan's earlier 'Just Good Friends', there was a hint of 'will they, won't they?' but sadly, we never found out what became of them. After two series, it ended. The final episode was left open-ended, suggesting the possibility of a third series, but that was it. The gorgeous Amanda Redman evoked much sympathy and empathy as 'Sylvie' and James Hazeldine made for a likable lead as the ruggedly handsome cabbie. Desmond McNamara was impressive as Cliff, who sometimes inadvertently screwed things up between Sylvie and Bernie. Less impressive were Anna Murphy, Neil Kagan and Diane Langton ( who many might remember as Del Boy's old flame 'June' in the 'Happy Returns' episode of 'Only Fools & Horses' ). Stealing the show however was Edna Dore as Sylvie's troublesome grandmother, who Bernie nicknamed 'granite faced Gertie'! June Barry also was in the cast as Sylvie's sympathetic secretary Jenny.
Apart from a re-run of both series in the '90's on UK Gold, 'Streets Apart' is barely remembered. It may not have been a wonderful show but it was funny, not in a 'ha ha, bust a gut' kind of way but in a sit back and relax with your feet up kind of way.
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