The Game of Thrones star swaps Westeros for Stockport in the 1990s. 

The Power of Parker is a new comedy which takes place in Stockport, 1990. It stars Conleth Hill as the ambitions Martin Parker, whose life is about to get very complicated…

Here’s the premise for The Power of Parker:

It’s Stockport 1990 and Martin Parker, a man with the ambition of Alan Sugar and the looks of Robert Kilroy Silk is slowly waking up to the fact that things are changing.

With a chain of electrical stores, a wife, kids and a flash car, he has the perfect life. But in reality he’s swimming in a sea of debt and lies, and it falls to the two women in his life, Kath and Diane to plot his downfall.

With a mix of barrow-boy savvy and oily charm, Conleth Hill is having plenty of fun with the central character. He leads the cast with Rosie Cavaliero (Gentleman Jack) and Sian Gibson (Car Share). The ensemble also includes George Costigan, Sheila Reid and Jason Barnett.

The Power of Parker is written by Paul Coleman and Sian Gibson and directed by Andrew Chaplin (Alma’s Not Normal). The producer is Gill Isles, executive producers are Kate Daughton for Boffola Pictures and Head of BBC Comedy Tanya Qureshi. The co-producers are Lookout Point.

Conleth Hill is Martin Parker

In a BBC interview, Conleth Hill describes his character:

“Martin Parker is a man who seems to have it all and more; beautiful wife and family, beautiful long term mistress, impressive detached home, successful chain of electrical goods shops, the confidence, the suits, the cowboy boots and car. But all is not as happy and successful as it seems, he has made bad business decisions and is against the clock to sort the whole mess out.”

And talks about a filming highlight:

“Filming was really hard work but great fun. All departments in the crew were at the top of their game and that helps so I genuinely enjoyed every scene but Kath’s nightmare scene at the beginning of episode two is one of the highlights, it’s just very silly!”

He also takes a crack at describing the show:

“Brilliant, suspenseful, awkward, funny, sad and engrossing!”

Sian Gibson is Kath

Co-creator, writer and star of The Power of Parker, Sian Gibson talks about the show’s setting:

“I was a student in Manchester in the 90s so obviously I love the music, the fashion and liked the idea of making something nostalgic with lots of big hair, shoulder pads and a cracking soundtrack.

However, for our story, the time period was also the perfect setting for Martin Parker and his dodgy dealings. In a pre-digital age, with no google, texting or email trails it would have been much easier to hide his secrets.

It was pre ‘ladette’ and #MeToo so women were also viewed a bit differently in relationships and in the workplace and probably wouldn’t have called out the bad behaviour so much. Hopefully our audience can enjoy watching Kath and Diane stand up for themselves and regain their power in love, in the family unit and in the workplace.”

She also describes the show:

“Ultimately it’s a love story about romantic love, family ties and the love of status and money. It’s about what happens when people get greedy and the lengths they’ll go to in order to cover up lies and bad behaviour and keep up appearances.”

Rosie Cavaliero is Diane

Rosie Cavaliero talks about her character:

“Diane is a wife and mother with a strong personality who loves her kids. She hasn’t really had her own career but supports Martin with his and is ambitious for their children. She likes the financial security that Martin provides so she can have a lovely house, kids at private school, a nice car and smart clothes.”

“She isn’t very happily married as she is bullied by Martin and undermined by him on a daily basis. She is fond of her father Dougie but is embarrassed by his shabby appearance. She wants everything ‘just so’ but ultimately her life is a bit empty and she knows it. She has buried the past and her feud with Kath and doesn’t want to face up to the truth.”

“Despite her pride and upwardly mobile intentions she has a kind heart and is very funny.”

The Power of Parker lands on BBC One and iPlayer on Friday, 28th July 2023.