Case file · Series 12, Episode 7 · Season 12, Episode 7
The Great and the Good
A sleepwalking teacher fears an intruder before two men are killed near her home during preparations for a school fundraiser.
The 60-second case card
Should I watch this one?
Respectable charity work supplies a social hierarchy as dangerous as any country estate.
- Best for
- Village school · Fundraising · Sleepwalking
- Mood
- Classic
- Team
- DCI Tom Barnaby with DS Ben Jones
- Spoiler guidance
- Read the premise freely; open the marked sections only after watching. Check the linked provider advisory for further viewing information.
Why it matters
Respectable charity work supplies a social hierarchy as dangerous as any country estate.
Teacher Connie Bishop suffers disturbing dreams, sleepwalks and believes someone has entered her house. When a councillor and then a handyman are found with their throats cut nearby, her uncertain memory makes her an easy suspect.
Barnaby remains unconvinced while the village's annual school fundraiser is reshaped by philanthropist Howard Richardson and his status-conscious wife Zukie. Rival plans, private humiliations and Connie's night-time experiences converge at the charity evening.
Break the seal: reveal the finding
Who was the killer in The Great and the Good? (spoiler)
Connie's sleepwalking is exploited to make her doubt herself. Barnaby connects the fundraiser's social grievances to the intrusions and arrests the killer during the event.
Spoiler-safe viewing companion
Three questions to carry into the episode
Three spoiler-safe questions for your rewatch.
- Place
What does Ford Florey conceal?
- Theme
Which details could have more than one meaning?
- Teamwork
Watch DCI Tom Barnaby and DS Ben Jones: who notices what?
More episode detailsProduction, cast, deaths and filming information
Credits, context and checked facts
Production and cast
- TV series
- Series 12
- Episode number
- Episode 7
- Written by
- David Hoskins
- Directed by
- Richard Holthouse
- Listed transmission date(s)
- 4 October 2009 14 April 2010
- Reported filming period
- March–April 2009
- Detective
- DCI Tom Barnaby
- Partner
- DS Ben Jones
- Pathologist
- Dr George Bullard · Barry Jackson
- Principal setting
- Ford Florey
- Casebook tone
- Classic
Sources accompany the production credits and filming links.
Fictional settings and real filming places are listed separately. Filming links include 3 mapped areas; 6 exact sites.
Credits and archive connections
- Writer credits9 episodes credited to David Hoskins
- Director credits16 episodes directed by Richard Holthouse
- Release positionCase 73 of 144
- Story characterClassic · Village school · Fundraising
- Location evidence6 exact screen-use matches
Frieth School appears as the village primary school, with the neighbouring hall used as Justin Hooper's studio.
The Six Bells in Warborough returns as Ford Florey's pub, beside the house used for Connie's home.
Sources for the production file
Published episode chronology and credits ↗Official ITV programme page ↗Filming-location reference index ↗Credits follow the linked chronology. Dates can differ between territories. Consult original credits for story, teleplay and adaptation wording. External synopses may contain spoilers.
Selected episode credits
The Great and the Good cast
These selected cast entries link to their published profiles. They do not include every name shown in the end credits.
Jane Wymark
Kirsty Dillon
Paul Kaye
Bertie Carvel
Monica Dolan
Paola Dionisotti
Nancy Carroll
Deddie Davies
Deborah Moore
Suzanne Burden
Claire Oberman
Tim Wylton
John Atterbury
John Ramm
Maroussia Frank
Paul Chapman
The performers behind this case
Core cast
Follow the cast links for full actor and character guides.
John Nettles
Tom Barnaby · Detective Chief Inspector- Bergerac
- Poldark
- Royal Shakespeare Company
Jason Hughes
Ben Jones · Police Constable · Detective Sergeant · Inspector- This Life
- Marcella
- The Pact
Barry Jackson
Dr George Bullard · Police pathologist- Cathy Come Home
- Doctor Who
- Barry Lyndon
Image credits identify the licence used. No programme publicity stills are reproduced.
Forensic team
Dr George Bullard
- Credit
- Resident pathologist
- Played by
- Barry Jackson
Spoiler-controlled deaths
Deaths recorded in this case
2 people die in this case, according to the linked death record.
Break the seal: reveal the list of deaths
- Councillor Jim Hanley
Murder · Stabbing or impalement
Performer check- Councillor Jim Hanley: Tim WyltonThe list of deaths includes Jim Hanley’s councillor title; the published cast record credits the same full name without the title.
- Laurence Mann
Murder · Stabbing or impalement
Performer check- Laurence Mann: Paul KayeThe list of deaths prints ‘Lawrence Mann’; the published cast record supports ‘Laurence Mann’, used here.
Break a second seal: reveal the verified killer
Who was the killer in The Great and the Good? (spoiler)
Howard RichardsonHoward killed Councillor Jim Hanley and Laurence Mann, then used Connie Bishop's home, boots and fingerprints with remote sound recordings to frame her as a sleepwalking killer. His aim was to force the village school to close so that he could reclaim its valuable building; Zukie Richardson is cleared of involvement in the murders.
Verified motive
Howard's failed spread betting left him needing the valuable school building to revert to him under its covenant so he could sell it. He killed Hanley when the councillor resisted blackmail and intended to approve the extension that would keep the school viable, then killed Laurence after Laurence identified and blackmailed him.
Verified important clue
Archive case 73 · checked 16 September 2026The remote-controlled speaker in Connie's spare roomThe device can replay the creaking floorboards, footsteps and whispered command that Connie heard while half asleep, proving that her supposed nightmares were manufactured; the staged guilt then points back to Howard's school-reversion scheme and trading losses.
Verified decisive clue
Archive case 73 · checked 17 September 2026The remote-controlled speaker in Connie's spare roomThe device reproduces the floorboards, footsteps and whispered command Connie heard while half asleep, proving that her apparent nightmares were manufactured. It exposes Howard's use of Connie's home, boots and fingerprints to frame her, connecting the two murders to his plan to force the school building's reversion.
Verified death and discovery order
Archive case 73 · checked 16 September 2026- discoveryThe school covenant creates a financial motive
Howard needs the school to close so its valuable building will revert to him and cover his spread-betting losses.
- deathCouncillor Jim Hanley is killed
Howard kills Hanley after the councillor resists blackmail and supports an extension that would keep the village school viable.
- discoveryConnie Bishop is framed
Howard uses Connie's home, boots and fingerprints, together with remote sound recordings, to suggest that she kills while sleepwalking.
- discoveryLaurence Mann identifies the scheme
Laurence recognises Howard's involvement and tries to blackmail him with what he knows.
- deathLaurence Mann is killed
Howard kills Laurence to stop the blackmail and preserve the plan to recover the school property.
- discoveryThe staged sounds and prints clear Connie
The framing method and financial trail expose Howard, while Connie and Zukie Richardson are kept outside the murder attribution.
Real place → fictional identity
Where was The Great and the Good filmed?
The Royal Saracens Head
Used as: The hotel appears as a restaurant in Ford Florey.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.Frieth School
Used as: The school represents Ford Florey's primary school.
Frieth Village Hall
Used as: The hall becomes Justin Hooper's art studio.
Portland Place
Used as: The cottage becomes the Stroud family home.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.
The Six Bells
Used as: The pub appears as Ford Florey's local.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.Village-green house
Used as: The house beside the pub represents Connie Bishop's home.
Representative photograph of the real filming location; the exact camera angle or building may differ.Sources accompany the identified filming places.
Wider filming areas