The Nearly Man

The Nearly Man is a sharply observed and quietly devastating piece of political drama from the prolific playwright Arthur Hopcraft. First broadcast as a single play on 4 August 1974, it centres on Christopher Tomlinson, a backbench Labour MP played with precise restraint by Tony Britton (Robin's Nest | Don't Wait Up). An ex-public school intellectual with ambitions of a Cabinet post, Tomlinson is a man increasingly disconnected from the very electorate that sustains his political career—a contradiction the play explores with uncomfortable clarity.

Hopcraft’s script deftly charts Tomlinson’s gradual drift into irrelevance. Once hailed as “a brainbox from Transport House” thanks to his early work as a research assistant and a well-received political book, he now faces a far less flattering reality. His local party workers accuse him of cultivating a superficial “cocktail sausage image,” and with a general election looming, his complacency becomes untenable. The working-class Northern constituency he represents is losing patience with his lack of engagement, while Tomlinson himself seems far more invested in the intensifying Common Market debate than in local concerns.

At home, his personal life offers little refuge. His wife Alice, played by Ann Firbank (Crown Court), is outwardly supportive but increasingly disillusioned. Her description of him as a “lounge lizard” cuts to the core of his character—charming on the surface but fundamentally lacking warmth and sincerity. Even when confronted by her criticisms and those of his newly appointed left-wing agent, Tomlinson remains stubbornly resistant to self-reflection, a trait that ultimately underscores the tragedy of his situation.

The play’s success was immediate and well-deserved, earning the Broadcasting Press Guild award for Best Single Play on British Television. Its impact led to a seven-part series beginning on 4 November 1975, which expands on Tomlinson’s story. In the series, his hunger for political prominence intensifies, while Alice—struggling with his renewed ambition—withdraws to the Shropshire countryside. Meanwhile, local party chairman Bernard King, portrayed by Wilfred Pickles (Ask Pickles), becomes increasingly disillusioned with Tomlinson’s neglect of grassroots politics, reflecting the growing frustration of constituents. Strong supporting performances from Gwen Taylor (Duty Free) and Michael Elphick (Boon) further enrich the series.

What makes The Nearly Man so compelling is Hopcraft’s refusal to offer easy resolutions. Tomlinson is neither villain nor hero, but a painfully recognisable figure—ambitious yet out of touch, articulate yet emotionally tone-deaf. The drama captures not just the mechanics of political life, but the personal cost of ambition and the fragile relationship between a politician and the people they claim to represent.

Given Hopcraft’s distinguished career—later cemented by acclaimed adaptations such as Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Bleak House, A Perfect Spy, and A Tale of Two Cities—it is no surprise that The Nearly Man remains a standout work. It is a deep, character-driven exploration of political identity, as relevant today as it was in the 1970s.