An ex- Merseyside police officer behind a new original BBC drama starring Martin Freeman has spoken about what inspired him to write the show.
The Responder begins on Monday (January 24), and was written by Tony Schumacher.
Filmed in Merseyside - in locations such as Everton, St Helens and Wirral - the six-part series focuses on Tony's former life as a first responder patrolling Liverpool's streets.
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For eleven years, he witnessed the extremes of life on the front line of British policing, and "good, hardworking people being stretched beyond belief".
Describing his police role, Tony said a responder is "someone who never gives you good news; somebody who kicks in doors, races round town centres and who fights literal and sometimes metaphorical fires".
He said: "When I first joined the police, I remember on my second or third night, an old bobby called Colin said to me ‘you will never knock on someone’s door and tell them they’ve won the lottery’.
"You are only ever going to deliver bad news in this job; so it’s a big responsibility to take on but conversely, it’s incredibly exciting.
"Occasionally, you do things that change people's lives be it saving someone’s life or locking up a criminal – you and your colleagues are working all night, every night and living constantly on your wits."
Tony left the force in 2006 after, in his words, "cracking up" and having a nervous breakdown, before experiencing a period of homelessness.
He told the ECHO he had always dreamed of being a TV writer as a kid, and thought he had nothing to lose by giving it a go.
Following his success in the literary world - with three novels released between 2014 and 2017, he was mentored by Scouse screenwriting legend Jimmy McGovern - who has worked on dramas such as Cracker, Hillsborough, Accused and recent prison series Time - through a TV writers' bursary scheme.
Tony said: "I went for a pint with Jimmy, and every so often I'd be thinking 'I'm in the pub with Jimmy McGovern... I'm basically in the pub with God'."
He credits Jimmy with helping him sculpt the idea for The Responder, a story he was compelled to tell.
He said: "I really felt the need to get across the pressure people are under.
"It was like working on a piano wire, we were stretched so thin. People are really, really struggling to do their jobs, but they've got no choice."
However, working for Merseyside Police had its upsides.
Tony added: "It wasn't always doom and gloom, you have to see the funny side to things, there has to be humour. And I don't think we could've made a show based in Liverpool without comedy."
The Responder airs from Monday at 9pm on BBC One and on BBC iPlayer.
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