The Runaway is a six-part British television crime drama series, adapted by Allan Cubitt from the novel by Martina Cole, that first broadcast on Sky1 on 31 March 2011. Directed by David Richards, The Runaway is set in the sleazy, gritty world of 60s and 70s London, and focuses on the doomed romance of East Londoners Cathy Connor (Joanna Vanderham) and Eamonn Docherty (Jack O Connell). The series also co-stars Burn Gorman, Keith Allen and Kierston Wareing among others.

Principal shooting on the series took place in South Africa, which doubled up for 1960s Soho. Original music for the series was written by Chris Letcher, alongside Ben Bartlett. The Runaway was the second of Cole s novels to be adapted by Company Pictures for Sky, following on from The Take, starring Tom Hardy and Charlotte Riley, that first broadcast in 2009. The complete series of The Runaway was released on DVD via ITV Studios on 9 May 2011.

Reception

Patrick Smith of The Telegraph said of the first episode; Martina Cole s crime novels aren t for the faint-hearted: they are gritty, lurid and relentlessly brutal. It s no surprise, then, that the opening episode of The Runaway made for uncomfortable viewing. Although one moment captured this transformation perfectly, the rest of the episode wasn’t nearly as gripping. The central storyline was hackneyed, while Keith Allen, sporting a horrendous wig, sounded – irritatingly – as if he was channelling Danny Dyer. I was a little disappointed with Jack O Connell, too. He wasn t bad. It s just that, having watched him play Cook in Skins with such élan, I was expecting a tour de force.

Metro published a slightly more positive review, writing: Despite the Lock Stock clichés that lurked at every turn, The Runaway had me running with it. Opening with a knockout boxing scene straight out of Raging Bull, The Runaway had a sweaty, salty tang about it, an intensity that overcame the fact it staggered about, drunk on its own testosterone.

Plot

While unrelated by blood, Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty live as brother and sister growing up and embark on a secret relationship. The couple are torn apart when Cathy is sent into care, but she manages to escape and finds her way onto the streets of Soho. Befriended by colourful transvestite Desrae, Cathy grows up in the heart of London s underworld, while Eamonn is drawn into a life of crime and ultimately flees to New York. The pair are finally drawn back together in the midst of the nation s impending future, but their future is far from safe.

Cast

• Jack O Connell as Eamonn Docherty Jnr.
• Joanna Vanderham as Cathy Connor
• Burn Gorman as Richard Gates
• Keith Allen as Danny Dixon
• Kierston Wareing as Madge
• Alan Cumming as Desrae
• Sam Spruell as Jim Harvey
• Ken Stott as Joey Pasqualino
• Mark Womack as Eamonn Docherty Snr.
• Nora-Jane Noone as Caitlin
• Max Irons as Tommy Pasqualino
• Emily Beecham as Caroline Dixon
• Dominika Jablonska as Maureen
• Grant Swanby as Sean Carty
• David Westhead as Ron Carver

Episodes

Episode	Title	Written by	Directed by	Original airdate	Viewers (millions)
1	Episode 1	Allan Cubitt	David Richards	31 March 2011	0.86
Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty are childhood sweethearts who are desperate to escape their East End roots. When Cathy murders her Mum s pimp in self-defense it changes their lives forever.
2	Episode 2	Allan Cubitt	David Richards	7 April 2011	0.86
Cathy and Eamonn struggle with their enforced separation. Whilst Eamonn plays a dangerous game by undermining his boss, Cathy finds herself in an oppressive reform school. When Cathy is abused, she runs away and ends up in Soho.
3	Episode 3	Allan Cubitt	David Richards	14 April 2011	0.86
With Desrae s help, Cathy reinvents herself in Soho. Cathy and Eamonn are reunited but it ends in disaster and Eamonn is forced to flee the country.
4	Episode 4	Allan Cubitt	David Richards	21 April 2011	0.81
Eamonn and Cathy rekindle their romance but when Eamonn is forced to return to America, a pregnant Cathy seduces Tommy and they get married.
5	Episode 5	Tom Grieves	David Richards	28 April 2011	0.78
Cathy and Tommy s marriage is on the rocks which is further exacerbated when Eamonn returns to London. When Tommy s drug deal goes wrong, Kitty s life is left hanging in the balance.
6	Episode 6	Allan Cubitt	David Richards	5 May 2011	0.77
Eamonn plays a dangerous game by informing on the IRA to Special Branch. He and Cathy are desperate to get away and start a new life together but will they make it without being caught?

Year	2010
ReleaseDate	2011-03-31
Plot	Cathy Connor and Eamonn Docherty are brought up together in the East End. As the daughter of a prostitute, Madge, Cathy’s life is difficult, especially when everyone assumes that she will be following in her mother’s footsteps. Bu…
Awards	Awards, 2 nominations
Stars	Joanna Vanderham, Jack O’Connell, Keith Allen
Series Produced by	Fiona Colbeck,Martina Cole,Mike Dehghan,George Faber,Helen Flint,Nick Goding,Willow Grylls,Charles Pattinson,Elaine Pyke,Lance Samuels,Lavinia Warner
Series Music by	Ben Bartlett,Chris Letcher
Series Cinematography by	Owen McPolin
Series Film Editing by	Margeaux Britz,Fiona Colbeck,Catherine Creed,Trevor Waite
Series Casting By	Emma Style
Series Production Design by	Rob Harris
Series Art Direction by	Jo Riddell
Series Set Decoration by	Mark Walker
Series Costume Design by	Neil McClean
Series Makeup Department	Samantha Katzen,Nadine Prigge,Raine Rafter,Amanda Ross,Amanda Ross-McDonald,Francesca Van Der Feyst,Megan Chassay
Series Production Management	Phil Brown
Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director	Adam Friedlander,Lynette Mitchell,Jaco Smit,Justin Van Der Merwe
Series Art Department	David Glasscoe,Barry Coetzer,Laura Conway-Gordon,Mark Erasmus,Nathan Victor Honey,Jacobus Uys van der Merwe,Brendan Smithers
Series Sound Department	Philip Barnes,Nigel Edwards,Larry Hopkins,J.J. Le Roux,Francis Ward Lindsay,James Long,Jamie Selway,Andrew Wilkinson,Naomi Dandridge,Adam Davidson
Series Special Effects by	Flip Bester,Antony Stone
Series Visual Effects by	Gary J. Brown
Series Stunts	Francois Grobbelaar,Paul Pieterse,Oliver Bailey,Dermot Brogan,Julian Koberman,Brandon Livanos,Paul Hampshire,Dan Hirst,Antony Stone,Mick ‘Stuntie’ Milligan
Series Camera and Electrical Department	Derek William Carlow,Jeremy Connell,James Frater,Margaret Muggleston,Bohdi Schoeman,Wayne Shields,Jayson Snyman,Jacques van Tonder,Brandon Daniels,Robert Fischer
Series Costume and Wardrobe Department	Susan Barras
Series Editorial Department	Lyndsey Fitzgerald,Clyde Kellett
Series Location Management	Gray Sinclair,Emma Woodcock
Series Script and Continuity Department	Charlotte Essex
Series Additional Crew	Katie Barrett,Cherry Fiddaman,Richard Fiddaman,Deen Lee Dillon Fredericks,Julia Hall,Stefan Kruger,Alex Protherough,Alton Stoffels,Elliott Swift,Jacques Van Rooyen,Howard Watkins
Genres	Crime
Companies	Company Pictures
Countries	UK
Languages	English
ImDbRating	7.4
ImDbRatingVotes	899
Keywords	london england,timeframe 1960s,timeframe 20th century,contemporary historical setting,british historical setting