Set in rural North Yorkshire during the 1960s, Heartbeat's combination of crime and medical storylines, charismatic regular characters and wonderfully nostalgic soundtrack made it staple Sunday-night viewing for two decades, with the series' many prestigious awards including Best Performing Peak-Time Drama and several ITV Programme of the Year awards. Attracting a peak audience of 14 million, Heartbeat has garnered a devoted following and remains primetime viewing world-wide.

This final series – which sees PC Joe Mason, DS Rachel Dawson and district nurse Carol Cassidy heading to Australia to try to trace former Aidensfield garage mechanic Rosie – features guest appearances from an array of British stars, including George Cole, Samantha Bond, Tim Brooke-Taylor, Keith Barron, Phyllis Logan, Rodney Bewes, Susan Jameson and Gemma Craven.