The Life and Times of Vivienne Vyle

- Season 1

(2007)

Vivienne Vyle, in a show marriage to gay actor Jared and mentored by transvestite Miriam, is a leading figure in daytime television, interviewing the lowest common denominators on her chat show for shock effect. Like her drug-taking producer Helena, her main interest is ratings rather than the human cost and new show member, Doctor Jonathan is alone in his concern for the programme's participants. Vivienne, in fact, goads a man so hard that he has to be restrained by a security guard who, in the resultant melee, falls on and hospitalizes her, so that Fern Britton ...

Back at the helm again, Vivienne decides she needs a better image, such as that enjoyed by her breezy, informal rival Chris Connor, who talks to his audience. Sadly for Vivienne none of her audience seem especially keen to talk to her and after a fruitless meeting with two P.R. consultants, she takes Miriam's advice and goes back to the people - in this case at a shopping centre in Slough!

Vivienne's day gets off to a bad start when the plumbing needs fixing and she delegates Jared to get it mended. Things get worse for her when she gets interviewed by a very bitchy newspaper journalist who calls her a washed-up weather girl and a one trick pony. Helena has a bad day too when she learns that her sister has won a role in a Hollywood movie, causing her to have a tantrum. When Vivienne gets home she finds that Jared has been out for the day with a camp friend and the plumbing still needs fixing.

The Vivienne Vyle Show is, amazingly, on the short list for Best Daytime Programme in the T.V. Pick awards, voted for by viewers and hosted by Paul O'Grady.A documentary crew arrive to film an account of back stage life at the show and there is tension. In fact Vivienne decides not to go to the awards show but she and Jared go to watch their local football team instead. The ceremony is shown on live television at the ground and Vivienne is feted when she actually wins.

The morning after winning the award Vivienne feels unwell and unable to get to the studio for the celebration. Helena holds a conference by video link with Vivienne but Jared fusses around and generally gets in the way. Rather surprisingly, when the conference is over Helena ends up in a clinch with Dr. Jonathan, who has just diagnosed Vivienne's illness as being psychosomatic.

Janey Evans, the reporter who previously rubbed up against Vivienne by calling her a one trick pony, is at it again, claiming that she has evidence that Jared attended a gay party where a young rent boy accidentally died. Vivienne calls in Miriam, who gives her a lesson in damage limitation, so that, on the first ever live Vivienne Vyle Show, Vivienne milks the crowd's sympathy by getting Jared to admit he is an alcoholic - with no gay references - whilst she herself talks about being abused as a child. It all goes down a storm - as intended.