Rumpole of the Bailey (TV Series) Rumpole and the Bubble Reputation (1988) User Reviews

Tabloid attacks romantic novelist

[lucyrfisher · 9/10 · 6 February 2019]

Hilda is addicted to the works of Amelia Nettleship, a romantic historical novelist clearly based on Barbara Cartland (though younger). A mud-slinging tabloid accuses her of torrid affairs, despite her support for virginity before marriage, and she sues. Rumpole is retained for the defence - of the tabloid and its editor. John Mortimer's stepdaughter, Caroline Mortimer, plays one of the journalists. Meanwhile Claude attends a strip club purely to examine the "locus in quo" of an affray with Coca Cola bottles, and is snapped by the tabloid's paparazzi. Phyllida takes a dim view and he moves in with the Rumpoles, singing Mozart at breakfast (he has a really nice voice), and forcing poor Hilda to sit through recordings of Die Meistersinger.