Trouble at the Top, Series 2 (6 Parts)

Synopsis

Cameras shadow six high-powered business executives through the triumphs and setbacks of big business.
1 (producer Michele Kurland): Five years after a tasteless joke cost him his cut-price jewellery empire, Gerald Ratner is making a comeback with a chain of health and fitness clubes in Henley-on-Thames.
2 (producer Linda McDougall): The famous D’Oyly Carte opera company, producer of classic Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, is threated with closure, and chair Sir Michael Bishop asks for an Arts Council grant. Follows as the Arts Council offers a grant conditional upon an investigation of the company.
3 (producer Ashok Prasad): Follows a last-ditch attempt to rescue the Hull Kingston Rovers Rugby League team, which is a £1m in debt and threatened with closure. Company troubleshooter Edward Klempka is called in.
4 (producer Ashok Prasad): With Lord Brocket in prison convicted of fraud, hotel manager Michael Longshaw is appointed to reverse the fortunes of Brocket Hall, Lord Brocket’s stately home in Hertfordshire, and his failing business.
5 (producer Sue Bourne): With Pilgrims Frozen Foods bankrupt, receiver Lee Manning has two weeks to find a buyer for the company or close it down. Prospective buyers are loooking for a bargain and staff wait to hear if they still have jobs.
6 (producer Mary FitzPatrick): As new managing director of the model agency IMG, Jonathan Phang is given just six months to find the next generation of supermodels, cut costs and make a profit.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 6 x 40 min.

Year of production

1998

Availability

Sale; 2000 sale: £65.00 (+VAT +p&p) each 2000 sale: £250.00 (+VAT +p&p) series

Notes

Broadcast on BBC2 from 18/2/98.

Subjects

Business studies

Keywords

business firms

Credits

Producer

Ashok Prasad; Linda McDougall; Mary FitzPatrick; Michele Kurland; Sue Bourne

Contributor

Robert Thirkell

Sections

Title

Ratner returns

Synopsis

1 (producer Michele Kurland): Five years after a tasteless joke cost him his cut-price jewellery empire, Gerald Ratner is making a comeback with a chain of health and fitness clubes in Henley-on-Thames.

Title

Knight at the opera, A

Synopsis

2 (producer Linda McDougall): The famous D'Oyly Carte opera company, producer of classic Gilbert and Sullivan operettas, is threated with closure, and chair Sir Michael Bishop asks for an Arts Council grant. Follows as the Arts Council offers a grant cond

Title

Rover’s return 1

Synopsis

3 (producer Ashok Prasad): Follows a last-ditch attempt to rescue the Hull Kingston Rovers Rugby League team, which is a £1m in debt and threatened with closure. Company troubleshooter Edward Klempka is called in.

Title

Ghost of Brocket Hall, The

Synopsis

4 (producer Ashok Prasad): With Lord Brocket in prison convicted of fraud, hotel manager Michael Longshaw is appointed to reverse the fortunes of Brocket Hall, Lord Brocket's stately home in Hertfordshire, and his failing business.

Title

Receivers are coming, The

Synopsis

5 (producer Sue Bourne): With Pilgrims Frozen Foods bankrupt, receiver Lee Manning has two weeks to find a buyer for the company or close it down. Prospective buyers are loooking for a bargain and staff wait to hear if they still have jobs.

Title

Model MD, A

Synopsis

6 (producer Mary FitzPatrick): As new managing director of the model agency IMG, Jonathan Phang is given just six months to find the next generation of supermodels, cut costs and make a profit.

Sponsor

Name

BBC Television

Distributor

Name

BBC Active Video for Learning - now BBC Learning

Contact

Carolina Fernandez Jeremy Wilcox (CF - for educational enquiries JW - channel sales manager)

Email

BBCStudiosLearning@bbc.com

Web

https://www.bbcstudioslearning.com/ External site opens in new window

Phone

+44 (0) 20 8433 1009

Address

BBC Studios Limited
Television Centre
101 Wood Lane
London
W12 7FA
UK

Notes

The BBC Active company has now been absorbed within BBC Learning, a division of BBC Studios. It was originally a joint venture between BBC Worldwide and Pearson Education. Formerly known as ‘BBC Worldwide Learning Studies’ and before that as ‘Videos for Education & Training’