PICTURE OF INNOCENCE
First Broadcast: June 3, 2007
Rivalry between traditional film photographers and digital camera fans in the village of Luxton Deeping reaches fever pitch at the annual photographic society exhibition when snapper Steve Bright threatens black and white film enthusiast Lionel Bell.
During the private viewing, Joyce is shocked to see a print on the wall showing Barnaby caught in a passionate embrace with another woman - Marion Bell, Lionel's wife, who left him to live in Spain.
Photographer Headley Madrigal says the image has been digitally manipulated - its two shots put together. Joyce assumes it's a criminal getting revenge, then Barnaby admits he had a brief relationship with Marion 30 years ago.
Lionel is photographing his favourite oak trees in Luxton Wood when he is strangled with the cord from his light meter. A memory card from a digital camera is found in his mouth.
Police discover Lionel shared a bottle of wine with a visitor the night before he died, but according to his diary it was DCI Barnaby. Then the detective's fingerprints are found on a wine glass at Lionel's home.
Barnaby realises someone must have taken his wine glass from the exhibition to frame him but he is taken off the investigation and replaced by irritating bureaucrat Martin Spellman, who spends most of his time planning his forthcoming wedding.
The memory card reveals glamour shots of a blonde woman. Before Jones can question Steve Bright about it, he too is strangled. This time, a roll of black and white film is found in his mouth containing more images of the mystery woman.
Behind Spellman's back, Barnaby visits Lionel's daughter Philomena, who admits her mother returned to England recently. Then Headley's son Seb invites him to his dark room at night offering information about the blonde woman. He claims Bright held sessions at his studio with glamour models, plus Lionel and other middle-aged men.
Jones finally discovers who the woman is - but her identity comes as a complete shock. Then Seb invites Spellman to his darkroom for more revelations. With the evidence mounting against him, will Barnaby be able to clear his name?
- CAST -
Lionel Bell NIGEL ANTHONY Lionel is a mild-mannered man whom life - and his wife - has treated harshly. He works as a quantity surveyor in the town of Luxton Deeping and is a traditional amateur photographer. Steve Bright ANDREW TIERNAN Divorced, brash and in his 40s, Steve is a purveyor of fitted kitchens and leader of the digital faction in the Luxton Deeping Photographic Society. Headley Madrigal PETER EYRE The proprietor of Madrigal Photographic, Headley is dishevelled in an absent-minded professor way. He is determinedly non-digital, committed to photographing the village street at the same time every day. Sonia Madrigal LYNN FARLEIGH Sonia is a grim-looking misanthropic woman in her 60s, married to Headley. Sebastian Madrigal MARTIN HUTSON The son of Headley and Sonia, Seb is thin, pale and nerdish, sharing his father's lack of interest in appearances. He helps his father in the shop. Eddie Carfax ADRIAN SCARBOROUGH Eddie is a self-satisfied man who thrives on other people's misfortunes. He takes cute photos of kittens and puppies. Philomena Bell MONTSERRAT LOMBARD Lionel's daughter is shy and unassuming and peers at the world anxiously through her thick fringe. She is doing a book-binding course and fancies Seb. Martin Spellman RICHARD LINTERN A detective inspector with Causton CID, Spellman carries a laptop and is going places. He fits police work around planning his wedding - his third. Imogen CAROLINE TROWBRIDGE Attractive, well-dressed Imogen is Martin Spellman's fiancée. Adam Knox IAN PECK Knox has an aggressive manner and is a digital crony of Steve Bright's. Lee Peters MICHAEL GEARY Another self-satisfied member of Bright's digital crew. Marion Bell LIZA GODDARD Marion is a former girlfriend of Barnaby's. Now in her fifties, she is toned, honed and botoxed and living in Spain after leaving her husband Lionel. Nigel Woodley STEVE NORTH Maitre d'Hotel FRANCOIS DOMANGE Hotel Manager MALCOLM RAEBURN Middle-Aged Woman FRANCINE MORGAN Postman BRIAN PARR Screenplay by ANDREW PAYNE Directed by Richard Holthouse Produced by Brian True-May
Filming took place for 'Picture of Innocence' in November and December of 2006, in villages Thame, Bucks (Luxton Deeping) and Little Missenden, Bucks (Steve Bright's house).