HEARTBEAT - Opening Titles

Series 1

These were the original opening titles to Heartbeat used only for Series 1 back in 1992. Black and White archive footage tinted blue was used showing scenes of Big Ben in London, police controlling a riot and an old sixties ambulance arriving at a hospital. Colour pictures of Nick Berry and Niamh Cusack were then superimposed over the footage. Then scenery shots were used for the rest of the titles, ending with a shot of the war memorial in Goathland where the name of each episode and it's writer appeared. Nick Berry recorded the theme tune to the series and the original version had a rather twangy beat to it, this was replaced for Series 2 with the more familiar version of the tune we all now as the theme today.

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Series 2,3 and4

These were the opening titles to the show for series 2 - 4, they were basically just a modified version of the original titles. The blue tinted archive footage used in the original titles was used again, but the Colour pictures of Nick Berry and Niamh Cusack were re-shot. Also new scenery shots were used for these titles and included a new shot of sheep on the hill before ending with the same shot of the war memorial used in the original sequence. Naturally the shot with Frank Middlemass' name was removed after he left the show in Series 3, and for Series 4 was replaced with Peter Firths name superimposed over the same scenery shot (bottom image) instead.

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1994 Christmas Special - A Winter's Tale

The titles usually used were modified for the Christmas special in 1994 and instead of including the familiar scenery shots of Yorkshire's green moorland, they were replaced by shots of the countryside covered in think snow to give the episode that extra Christmas feel to it. The sequence then ended with the producer and director's names coming up.

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Series 5 and 6

Series 5 started with some new titles which were completely different from what had been seen before. The titles started with too new scenery shots and then a slightly revised version of the logo appearing superimposed over another scenery shot. Then each cast member appears in motion, with an old Black and White style photograph behind them (which was in fact a film sequence from previous episodes - featuring their characters). Behind that was a faded image of objects or scenery which was appropriate for each character. The sequence then ends with the original war memorial shot where the episode title and it's writer still appeared.

After the third episode of Series 5 - 'Thief in the Night', Niamh Cusack left the show and so the titles then had to be slightly modified - Nick Berry's image was re-shot (bottom image) and instead of him appearing on the left hand side of the screen, he now appeared on the right. The moving photograph behind him was also changed and the faded background behind that was the same as Berry's original image, but was just reversed. Exactly the same titles were used for Series 6 also. The titles were created by a company called The Look.

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Series 7

Series 7 had a new set of titles - they were based on the titles used for Series 5 and 6, but now the cast were shown as Colour motion photographs themselves which had a smaller Colour motion photograph behind them, again showing the individual characters in action. The first 14 images below (not including Derek Fowlds' image of him in civvies - see next paragraph) show what the sequence was like for most of Series 7.

After the Character - Oscar Blaketon (Derek Fowlds) left the Police force in the Series - the image of him in uniform was then replaced by the image of him in civvies. And when Nick Berry, Juliette Gruber and Anne Stallybrass all left - the titles naturally were then updated.

Firstly newcomer Jason Durr replaced Berry's slot in the titles, Derek Fowlds image (bottom row) was changed and he now appeared on the left hand side of the screen, and William Simons' image replaced where Gruber's had been. Then Jordan, Pelka and Penrose's images followed unchanged. A new image of  David Michaels then followed - replacing Stallybrass' slot. The sequence then ended with Maynard and the usual war memorial shot (which had been re-shot for the Series 7 titles).

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Series 8

The titles for Series 8 were really the same as those for Series 7, but all changed around a bit. Durr now had a new image, Fowlds' image reverted back to his original 'civvies' image of him from the Series 7 titles (with him appearing on the right again). A new image of Philip Franks then followed before a re-shot image of Jordan. Maynard, Michaels, Pelka, Penrose and Simons then followed (the later four with re-shot images on swapped around backgrounds). After Michaels left, his image was then replaced by one of newcomer - Fiona Doleman (bottom). The sequence ended with the same shot of the war memorial used in Series 7.

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Series 9 - 11

A new set of titles arrived in 1999 for Series 9, opening with a beautiful sun set shot (with two small colour images appearing). This shot is then followed by a new scenery shot with the logo overlaid. But the idea of the characters in photographs had now been replaced by close up images of the characters in action with a smaller image of them from a previous (or in some cases - yet to come!) episodes. The backgrounds are new and very colourful and fade to white as they come close to the appropriate actors images. The titles then end with the now traditional memorial/sheep image which was re-shot for Series 9. Also note that from Series 9 Heartbeat was filmed in widescreen as a result of the arrival of the digital TV age and advances in TV broadcasting technology. 

The Same set of titles were also used for Series 10. However when Maynard was forced to drop out of filming due to his stroke, David Lonsdale was then promoted to appearing in the opening titles and replacing Maynard. However Maynard was briefly reinserted when he made his final appearance in the 2000 Christmas special - Cold Turkey. Then he was again replaced with Lonsdale's image. When Kazia Pelka then left the series and Geoffrey Hughes joined, the titles were slightly rearranged as a result of the cast changes. The titles remained unchanged until Philip Franks' image. In the original sequence he was directly followed by Mark Jordon, Maynard and Pelka's images. But in the rearranged sequence it went as follows - Hughes, Jordon (who's image now appeared on the - Maggie's Land Rover shot), and then Lonsdale (who's image was lightly modified from the original). Then the titles continued in there original order with Penrose's image followed by Simons. 

Some viewers may have noticed in these rearranged titles that when Hughes joined the cast, just prior to his image appearing, you can still briefly see Mark Jordon's original shot appear and then vanish again. After Franks' image goes, Mark Jordon's original shot then starts to come up, but is quickly covered up by Hughes' image then appearing.  I guess this is due to the guys in the edit room not quit getting it right and accidentally leaving a frame or two in the sequence that should have been removed during this modification!

The titles were again used for Series 11 and Peter Benson finally was included in the sequence. After Fiona Dolman's departure at the end of series 10, Benson's image was now the first to appear in the sequence, followed in alphabetical order by Durr, Fowlds, Franks, Hughes, Jordon, Lonsdale, Penrose and Simons' images as in the series 10 version. When Philip Franks left the show during series 11, the titles obviously had to be updated. Geoffrey Hughes' original shot was replaced with a new one and where Franks used to appear in the sequence, Hughes now did.

Additional series 11shots (see Above) ▼

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