Little Al!
Little Al, can you hear me?
Al?
Al, wait right up.
Al.
Calm down, calm down, look at me.
Look at me. - I'm sorry, governor.
I'm sorry, governor. - Just breathe.
Breathe for me, good lad. You're okay.
Okay. I want you to go down to Nick and see where the A.L.P. is, alright?
The A.L.P. Al, come up you get. I'll cover for you, come on.
Come on.
Okay.
Make sure they draw everyone out.
The governor says he needs the aerial out as soon as possible.
The A.L.P. is stuck out with Stepney, we'll have to call another one in.
My men, listen up.
I want a crew two up on the bridge head with draw, ready to go in.
Go!
Ziggy!
Hey Zig, are you alright?
***
There's an infant in there. Ziggy, go.
Right, cover her. - Let's go.
It's alright, babe. I got you.
Cut the water. She's coming through.
Okay, we got three people on the bed Draw, now. In we go.
It's alright, it's alright. - My baby. My baby!
Did she say there was a baby? - Okay.
Billy, come in.
Person reported on the top floor. A baby.
Is the A.L.P. ready, over?
Where's the A.L.P.? - Still tied up in Stepney.
No, no, no, just called another one in. - No, you didn't.
I've told the governor said he needs the aerial ladder.
Call in now then.
This is a priority message from Churchill Estate.
We need an A.L.P... - Give me the radio.
Kev, this is Nick. I called an A.L.P. in, it's two minutes away.
Nick, it's a real goer mate, What's plan B, if it doesn't?
The ladder will be there, Kev.
I'm assuring your exit.
Mal, we're going up to look for the baby.
Kev!
Hey!
Are you okay? Help's on its way.
Gog, no. Wait, Gog.
Leave it, Gog.
No, come on. - Get off me!
Come on! We go! - Get off me.
Come on, get up. - No! We can't! The baby!
I got you.
I've got the baby. I'm coming down.
Help!
Who they think will help me. Who is it will help me!
Easy!
Don't worry. I'll make sure nobody steals his dinner with me.
Look at me. Keep looking at me.
Breathe, just breathe for me. You're okay. I'm here.
What's going on? - Keep looking at me.
You're okay. I'm here.
Listen, Fiona. Can you keep your eyes open for me?
I know I'm an ugly bastard but there's no need to rub it in.
I'm scared. - Okay, he's just put a neck brace on, love.
Alright. That's just gonna keep your head still.
Paramedics are on their way, gov.
Now, what's happened is, you're a bit stuck
and we're gonna cut you free. It'll sound a lot worse than it is,
okay, but it'll be quick.
So I just need you to be brave for me, okay, my darling?
Okay. Go.
So where have you come from tonight then?
A club. - You've been clubbing, yeah?
In my day, it was 'Canvas' at King's Cross, you've ever been there?
No. - No, of course not, you're way too young.
Yeah, they closed it down, turned it into a shopping centre.
Argh! Good girl, good girl. Better out than in.
Better out than in, that's it. It's okay.
Don't worry, my darling. Good girl.
Fiona? Fiona, stay with me. Come on, Mal, get a move on.
All clear. - Come on, Fiona.
Pull off. On my call. Three, two, one.
One try, boys.
Come on, Fiona. Come on, stay with me.
Alright lads, pull her out. I'll get her seat belt.
Ease, right? - For a bit. Two, three...
Nice and easy. - Yeah, she's okay.
Turn around.
Good girl. Well done. - A bit high, guys.
Who are you? - I'm Kev, Fiona, I'm a fireman.
Everything's okay. We're taking you to hospital now.
You're gonna be fine, my darling, alright? - On my count, one, two three.
Right, my lads, clear out.
Hiya. Hello, love of my life.
This is your girlfriend, not a djinn's ***.
Ah, though this is awkward.
I rang the station, where are you?
Out with White Watch RTC on Bow flyover.
We said: 'Take it slow', isn't that... Why do you have to...?
Because, my darling, I haven't been on a shout in nine months.
No way I'm gonna hide in my office all day long.
And you don't need the traumadol?
No, I do not need the traumadol.
Because we said, didn't we, if you need the traumadol, you're not ready.
Babe. - Well, you seem happy, so...
I am happy! Saved a girl's life half an hour ago,
the sun's shining, it's nine a.m. and I'm eating a McFlurry.
Look, you know the ceremony tonight? Do I need to wear long
or is knee length alright? - I haven't a clue, sweetheart,
wear three posted notes and a hairnet if you like,
you'll still be the most beautiful woman there.
Leave it. - Ah, gonna go and be sick now.
Brush your teeth after, eh?
Love you. - Yeah, yeah.
Ladies and gentlemen. All rise for the hottest arse in Mile End.
Can I get you a cushion, gov?
Thought we got this out of the way earlier on.
Third degree burns are obviously comedy goals, so come on then, what else have you got?
Did we do, ehm... Ring of fire? - Hang on, hang on,
I had something about oven gloves. - Oh! Sounds promising.
Hang on, hang on. Guys? - Pathetic!
Billy the Mince, what's for lunch?
Clutch plates, gov. Do you want your buns toasted?
He's good.
I haven't slept in three days, I'm starting to hallucinate.
Ah, ***. This is White Watch, sleep is for pussies.
I haven't slept since 1998. - Piss off, Zig, there's a good chum.
Listen, I'll get you out of here, but you need to babysit the girls on Saturday.
Give me and Karen a night off. Deal? - Yeah.
What happened to you? - Cage fight, governor.
Yeah? Who won? - The cage, governor.
Obviously.
Introduce your shirt to the iron, son
and the rest if you could do with a good polish on your boots.
New DAC is coming over any minute and I want Mr Chandrakala
to see Mile End station for the well-oiled discipline machine
it could be if you lot were all fired, so...
This is Dennis, gov. New rookie.
Welcome to White Watch, Dennis. You settling in okay?
Yeah. - Oi!
Yes, gov. Not uhm.
Uhm! Yes, gov. Where's your manners, Asbo?
Yes, gov. - Alright, don't let them bully you, Dennis.
You bunch of... bullies.
Nick. Shall we?
Yeah.
Right then. 'E il amo Kermit'.
I'm very anti on sauce sachets. They should have bottles.
These refillable, squeezy bottles.
It's good to see you back. You look well.
I'm sorry, I didn't... Hospital, I wasn't sure if you...
No, don't worry about it.
I really appreciated the text message.
Kev, I know you must have a lot of questions around what happened
but we were showing equipment...
You sent me up seven stories, Nick, you guaranteed my exit road.
Because I was told the ladder would be there.
The service thinks the culpability didn't lie with me.
Well, yeah, except that everyone was actually there swears blindly that it did, so...
I understand your frustration, I'm frustrated too.
We have equipment shortages.
And I know you've been through a very traumatic experience...
This conversation a traumatic fucking experience.
Kev, come on. A little bit of... you know. Please.
What, respect? Deference?
Well sorry mate, but the last time I deferred to you,
I ended up in a burns unit.
Keep thinking about those boys. It's criminal.
The police getting anywhere?
One I.D. parade. Bloody useless.
I told them, I didn't see their faces. I said, show me their arses.
Probably might get somewhere.
I mean, how hard can it be to find a kid with a tattoo like that?
And the other one, I gave them a name and everything.
Goggle, or Gog or something.
But the enquiry is still ongoing, isn't it?
Yeah, but we all know what that means.
They can't get anyone to talk.
We want you to see a counselor. You can see her in our office.
Better things the service can spend its money on.
Our own A.L.P. for example.
If you come back to me in six months saying you're waiting to file a lawsuit
on grounds of lack of proper care, I need to have ticked all the boxes.
Will he now? - She.
This is her card. Call her.
I've been a firefighter since I was 18.
17 years. I've been the dib, dib, dobbiest boy scout,
not an order I have in the bank to the letter.
But actually Nick, where has it got me?
On a scale of ones completely shafted, where am I?
You're a hero. You acted very... heroically.
The commission is taking a special interest in your case.
You can talk to them tonight at HQ.
Someone's getting a medal, aren't they?
Yes, so I heard.
I'm just saying, I knew you'd let me down.
You made this promise you'd swap and then you don't deliver.
Did you check the whole ****? - Are you listening? You don't deliver.
Hey, pass that petrol can.
Tina!
Where is he, Rob?
Alright, Tin? That's a nice surprise.
Did you send these? Did you send these to my office?
Happy birthday, darling.
We're not together anymore, you freak.
But I still love you, I can't just turn that off.
And I'm Liams dad, Tin,
so I thought I get you a present and say happy birthday.
You're gonna show up, right?
Yeah, of course I am, I said I was, didn't I?
Cause if it's Farnborough Airshow, all over again...
How many times, I had concussion.
Last week, Al, I find him on the phone. He's 7, he's on the phone.
I said, what are you doing, he said I'm calling 999.
I said, Babe, that's only for emergencies, he said, this is an emergency,
I wanna speak to my daddy.
Bullshit.
You wanna get some Tixylix.
You got the child support, yeah? - Yeah, I've got it.
How? Cause that's a bit amazing to me.
First time in six months, you're suddenly daddy Warbucks?
I've been doing a bit of cage fighting, that's all.
You pathetic... I'll give you a bloody cage fight.
I work in international finance, Alan.
This? It makes me look like a muppet.
Better get a move on, if you wanna get to Tina's birthday.
Do you think I don't know that?
Good one! Are you alright?
Alright? - Yeah. Thanks, mate.
I owe you one.
Is it up or down? - Up, up, up, up, up.
Gov?
Gov, are you in there?
There's been an accident. Gov!
Thought we were gonna have to call the fire brigade to get you out.
What happened to him?
Walked into a door, didn't you?
Idiot. Busted his nose. He should go home, really.
Do you know what a privilege it is to do this job?
Out there we have the publics respect.
We have their gratitude and trust, but most of all
we have their respect, but it has to be earned.
Little Al, do you think if a member of the public saw you now,
they'd feel safe, knowing their life might be in your hands?
I don't know, I'm... - Say no.
No. - No.
Then pray to God you got stuck in a traffic jam.
Now get back to work.
Hello.
Hello. Pauline Pinchin.
They call me Pauline. Or Miss Pinchin. Not a feminist thing.
You look a bit uh... utter.
Nick said you were expecting me.
Sorry, you're the counselor?
Were you expecting a man?
No, I just... Anyway, uh...
You're here. Would you like a cup of tea, coffee?
That's alright. I mean, I'd love a cappuccino,
But *** got a look at a coffee bean and my tummy starts doing the hokey cokey.
Shall we set up in here, or shall I find somewhere else
that's a bit more neutral?
You wanna start now?
I'm not here for me health.
Mobilise... - Sorry, that's me.
It's alright. I'll wait.
Hey.
Where're you going, Asbo? - Down the pole.
No, we don't use the pole, stairs are quicker.
Come on.
Shit! It's alright, Gov, we've got this covered.
Where is it? - Ah, nothing, smoke issuing.
Mal, where? - Churchill Estate.
Listen, Kev. We can do this.
Alright, let's get a chimney on.
Okay, we've got smoke issuing from the fifth floor.
Looking a bit pale there, Asbo.
Oh, my God. - This is a laugh.
He does the math, does he? Does he?
Is it magnificent, Zig? - It's poking my eye out, Robert.
Don't look at it.
It's just the adrenaline, Asbo. Happens to the best of us.
Right, Zig? - Oh, yeah.
First shot I win on *** cause the ***** left the station.
What?
Cause I was sitting next to you.
Right, let's go.
Firemen look so much fitter on the telly. - Yeah.
***
Is Gov alright? - Gov's fine.
He only got his arse burnt. - You got your arse burnt, Asbo?
No? Then shut your hole.
Up here, Gov.
Fire brigade. Ziggy, get stuck in.
Alright, Mal.
Fuck it! - Piss off.
Ziggy, Asbo, get down here now. First room.
Nice one, Gov.
*** coming in here now.
Hey! Wake up.
Wake up! Wake up.
... say Geoffrey's the real man of the match.
I mean, you got your romance got your politics,
it's got your washing machines, the lot.
You've got anything with Jennifer Aniston?
Jog off.
Alright. I mean, do you want a big bulge your door?
What the...? That's a new door!
It's not funny, you can't have no front door.
You don't live in this estate. Donkeys are thieves.
It's medicinal. Vicky's got cancer.
Yeah? Where?
Her b... - Liver.
Oh, for Gods sake.
Piss off out. Go on, out.
Come on. Hurry up.
You put yourselves and your neighbours in serious danger.
Get a smoke alarm. - What the...? Piss off out.
Get a bloody smoke alarm.
Ah! Oi! - Run!
Come back here.
We share the rep*** They find me. We good?
Gog! Gog! Where are you?
Give it back!
Take if off! - Get off! Get off!
Pick on someone your own size, he's a kid for Gods sake.
Kev! Kev, Kev.
Did you hear what he called him? He said Gog.
I'll get you out of here. - He said Gog!
Let's get you out. - He said Gog!
Come on.
Gov.
Are you alright, Gov?
Yeah, yeah, no, I just uh... forgot how hot the uniform was, you know?
Kev, mate?
You in there, mate? - No.
I see your feet.
Are you alright?
I'm fine.
Sorry about before.
You were just having a bad day.
I tell you what.
I'd rather have Kev Allison on a bad day than anyone else on a good one.
How about this morning, you saved that girl, didn't you?
Ýeah, but that was an R.T.C.
So? She could be dead now.
Instead, she's in Bart's Hospital, wearing a backless nightie,
eating a billion grapes. That's because of you.
She's not in Bart's. She's in Saint Thomas's.
You're so sexy when you're pedantic.
Go on, piss off.
I forgot to say, the Whites wanna take you out before the ceremony.
I'm going down the hospital.
And I don't drink in front of the watch, you know that.
Yeah, I know, but could you...
Maybe later, just this once. - Great.
It'd really mean a lot to them. Celebrate your first day back and all that.
Malby? - Yeah?
I'm on the toilet. - Right. Yeah.
Right, got you. Yeah.
Sorry, governor.
Dozed off.
I've been working double shifts at the club, I'm knackered.
What's this all about then?
I was supposed to see my son this afternoon.
It's nothing compared to what Tina's gonna do when I tell her I ain't coming.
Haven't seen him for a month.
It kills me.
They tell him, you know.
Me and Billy, we reported it. Nick messed up.
They said you were freelancing and I told them that's bollocks.
I heard Nick send you in, I heard him, governor.
He's a greasy little... lickspittle.
I know, but what can you do, eh?
*** the chicken and logged it to his car.
When? - Couple of times.
I changed my mind, go on. Knock off.
But Gov, I'm on call... - Go see your boy, I won't tell you twice.
Idiot.
How did it feel going back to the Churchill Estate today?
No, it's not uncommon for people to have to go all back to work after an injury.
You don't know anything about my...
You were in hospital for five months, recuperating at home for four
and then readmitted after an attempt to...
That's uh... that's not... - I couldn't give a toss.
Do you like sticking me out in the open about three times a day?
Most people do. - Come on.
Do you ever suffer from tinnitus?
Well, I mean, you know do you ever get like ringing in your...
Yeah, I-I know what tinnitus is. - How about physical tics?
No! Please, could you leave now?
It's nothing to be ashamed of if you do.
I'm not.
It's just in my experience... - Sorry, sorry, but...
wh-what experience do you a-actually have?
Oh well! Listen, you'll have to be more specific. I mean...
What are we talking about here? Work? Life?
Sexual? Near death?
Firefighters. How many firefighters have you worked with?
You. You are my first.
So be gentle.
If you go over, under and then...
You've never worked with a firefighter before?
I've been in trauma for ten years. - But not in this service?
No.
Then with all due respect, you don't know the first thing about what it's like.
Okay. So tell me.
What is it like?
There's someone asking for you. - Right.
Can I help you, sir?
I'm looking for Kevin Allison.
He's not on duty, I'm afraid. Can I help?
I'm Eric Springer.
My daughter's Fiona. Springer.
She was in an accident this morning.
She died.
They said she was gonna be okay, but...
then she wouldn't stop bleeding.
Inside she was...
She was... she was conscious for a bit.
She kept talking about this fireman, Kev. And I just...
To know that someone was there...
Holding her hand...
What's it mean?
It means, don't fuck with me, I speak French.
I wouldn't fuck with you in any language.
Right, I'll show you mine.
A bit closer.
Hey, I've probably got one.
It's a good one. What would she like? Blondie out there, she's new.
Chiara? No man. We just hooked up a few times, innit?
Do you remember that little redhead in the Shakespeare? She had the...
Didn't she, on her...
Sorry, sorry, Nosey Parker.
Don't take the piss yet, but I really missed you.
Shut up, you soft git. - No, I mean, I love Trish but...
You and me... Oh, shut up, Kev.
Yeah. You're pissed.
I am, I'm pissed.
Do you want to come down Churchill Estate with me?
Ask some questions? You know... - Kev, come on.
What? - It's over, alright? It's done.
The kids, the dragon, I know that someone's got off with this.
We know that, the police know that. But it's been nine months, Kev.
Door to door, no one on that estate will say a bloody thing.
They're a pack of animals, mate.
Wish to God I did know who to kick the shit out of.
For what they've done to you?
For what they did? Should string them up.
She's told you, hasn't she?
What? No, who?
Trish. She's told you.
Listen. Of course I've talked to her, I mean, it's been hard on her.
She needed someone to, you know, to support her...
Yeah, I bet you were a real tonic. Did she tell you, yes or no?
I'm sorry, mate.
Alright, mate? - Are you good?
How dare you go around, telling Mal my business?
You promised, didn't you?
Listen, don't come tonight. I don't want to see you.
Just go home, whatever. Go to your sisters
or watch sex at her fucking scene. Talk about what a failure I am
to everyone we know.
You're un-bloody-believable, my darling.
Sorry about that, mate. - No worries, mate.
Hey! Evening, Kev. Mrs. Kev not here?
She's not Mrs. Kev, Nick, she's Ms. Tooley.
Nick. Good to see you.
Listen, can I steal you for a minute?
Jerry wants to go through the away-day with you.
Hello. - Sorry Sir, this is uh...
It's good to meet you.
You don't know who I am, do you?
Excuse me. Excuse me. Who Am I?
Who am I, Sir? - It's Kevin Allison, Sir.
Kevin Allison. Yes, of course.
It's wonderful to meet you, congratulations.
No no, not my name, not my name, you.
I mean, why am I here?
Listen, I've got a lot of people to talk to tonight,
so you'll understand if I... - Don't give me a medal
when you don't know why.
He's taken a special interest, you said.
Blimey Sir, I'd hate to be one of the poor fuckers
you don't give a toss about. - I think you've forgotten yourself...
Get off me.
Clearly you have some grievances
which I would be very happy to discuss with you at a later date.
But this is neither the time nor the place... - Alright. Alright, alright.
New question.
What is the difference between
a senior officer and a firefighter?
Alright, come on.
About 40 grand.
It's a joke.
The difference between a senior officer and a firefighter
is about 40 grand.
Well that, and the fact
that most senior officers
never got this close
to an actual fire.
My lords, ladies and gentlemen, dinner is served.
So tell me, what is it like?
It's like...
I hated that hospital.
Trish tried not to cry.
The bloke in the next bed croaking through his...
his whatsit, his voice box telling telling me it'd be alright.
Little electronic box in his neck and he's feeling sorry for me.
Then one day this new nurse came on.
I could tell she hadn't read any notes or anything
cause she didn't look at me in that way, in the way that...
everyone looked at me.
She said: Hi, I'm Denise. I'm a student.
I said: Hi, I'm Kev.
I'm a fireman.
The way she looked at me.
She wasn't pretty or anything. She wasn't important.
She was just some bird from Newcastle fancying doing a crap job
with no pay for the rest of her life.
But I just about fell in love with her then.
Because I told her I was a fireman.
And her face changed.
This awe in her eyes.
Then she left
and I lay there for a bit.
And I felt the pain stop.
I thought about this place for the first time in ages
and I wanted to cry.
About Mal... and Big Al...
and Billy the Mince...
and the sound of the bells going down.
And I felt like a fucking God.
Transcript on audio: Désirée www.addicted.com