The Befrienders
Updated: 12/11/2025, 5:55:43 PM Wikipedia source
The Befrienders is an 11-episode British television drama series which aired on BBC1 in 1972. The series was based on the work of the Samaritans, the suicide prevention charity founded in 1953 by the Reverend Chad Varah. Each episode depicted a fictional, dramatised story of an individual in a predicament leading them to contemplate ending their life. Only one of the 11 episodes ended with a death by suicide. At the time that the television series was broadcast, the Samaritans had 122 branches in the United Kingdom, as well as ten overseas. Most branches offered a 24-hour telephone service staffed by trained volunteers who would listen, often providing callers with relief in being able to have a confidential conversation with an anonymous voice. Some callers were encouraged to come to their local centre; in extreme cases, emergency services would be dispatched to assist the caller in person. The series was created by Harry W. Junkin, who also wrote many of the episodes, with Varah as an advisor. The leading cast members playing Samaritans helpers included Megs Jenkins as the main character Janet, as well as Michael Culver and Peter Armitage. The producer was John Henderson.
Infobox
Genre
Drama
Created by
Harry W. Junkin
Written by
Harry W. JunkinDonald JamesStephen RichStanley ConnorChad Varah
Directed by
Raymond MenmuirSimon LangtonVere LorrimerBen ReaKen Hannam
Starring
Megs JenkinsMichael CulverPeter Armitage
Country of origin
United Kingdom
Original language
English
No. of series
1
No. of episodes
11
Producer
John Henderson
Running time
50 minutes
Network
BBC1
Tables
· Episode list
1
1
No.
1
Title
"Allenby and Son, Ltd"
Written by
Harry W. Junkin
Directed by
Raymond Menmuir
Air date
19 February 1972
2
2
No.
2
Title
"Mr Marland's Revolt"
Written by
Harry W. Junkin
Directed by
Raymond Menmuir
Air date
26 February 1972
3
3
No.
3
Title
"Hunted"
Written by
Harry W. Junkin
Directed by
Simon Langton
Air date
4 March 1972
4
4
No.
4
Title
"Dense Forest, Hungry Wolves"
Written by
Donald James
Directed by
Vere Lorrimer
Air date
11 March 1972
5
5
No.
5
Title
"A Case of No Resolution"
Written by
Harry W. Junkin
Directed by
Ben Rea
Air date
18 March 1972
6
6
No.
6
Title
"Nobody Understands Miranda"
Written by
Chad Varah
Directed by
Raymond Menmuir
Air date
25 March 1972
7
7
No.
7
Title
"Lots of Friends in the Big City"
Written by
Stephen Rich
Directed by
Ken Hannam
Air date
1 April 1972
8
8
No.
8
Title
"Next Patient, Please"
Written by
Donald James
Directed by
Simon Langton
Air date
8 April 1972
9
9
No.
9
Title
"Wedding March"
Written by
Stanley Connor
Directed by
Raymond Menmuir
Air date
15 April 1972
10
10
No.
10
Title
"Odds Against"
Written by
Harry W. Junkin
Directed by
Vere Lorrimer
Air date
22 April 1972
11
11
No.
11
Title
"Fallen Star"
Written by
Stephen Rich
Directed by
Ben Rea
Air date
29 April 1972
| No. | Title | Written by | Directed by | Air date | Ref. |
| 1 | "Allenby and Son, Ltd" | Harry W. Junkin | Raymond Menmuir | 19 February 1972 | |
| 2 | "Mr Marland's Revolt" | Harry W. Junkin | Raymond Menmuir | 26 February 1972 | |
| 3 | "Hunted" | Harry W. Junkin | Simon Langton | 4 March 1972 | |
| 4 | "Dense Forest, Hungry Wolves" | Donald James | Vere Lorrimer | 11 March 1972 | |
| 5 | "A Case of No Resolution" | Harry W. Junkin | Ben Rea | 18 March 1972 | |
| 6 | "Nobody Understands Miranda" | Chad Varah | Raymond Menmuir | 25 March 1972 | |
| 7 | "Lots of Friends in the Big City" | Stephen Rich | Ken Hannam | 1 April 1972 | |
| 8 | "Next Patient, Please" | Donald James | Simon Langton | 8 April 1972 | |
| 9 | "Wedding March" | Stanley Connor | Raymond Menmuir | 15 April 1972 | |
| 10 | "Odds Against" | Harry W. Junkin | Vere Lorrimer | 22 April 1972 | |
| 11 | "Fallen Star" | Stephen Rich | Ben Rea | 29 April 1972 |
References
- British Journal of Psychiatryhttps://dx.doi.org/10.1192/bjp.124.5.470
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/news/2007/nov/10/guardianobituaries.obituaries
- Express & Echohttps://www.proquest.com/docview/2714751911
- The Guardian Journalhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-journal-drop-in-suicides-as/162201306/
- Harrow Observerhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/harrow-observer-weekend/162231779/
- Northern Echohttps://www.newspapers.com/article/northern-echo-the-brink-of-despair/162890115/
- Walsall Observerhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/walsall-observer-the-samaritans-expect-b/162232186/
- Leicester Mercuryhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury-the-homely-image-make/162358920/
- Daily Recordhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-record-samaritans-are-good-to-the/162891743/
- Evening Sentinelhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-sentinel-work-of-samaritans-in-b/162202288/
- Lincolnshire Echohttps://www.newspapers.com/article/lincolnshire-echo-samaritans-will-take-u/162200628/
- The Observerhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-observer/162226987/
- Leicester Mercuryhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury-star-choice/162226592/
- Leicester Mercuryhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury-samaritans-with-an-unr/162228196/
- Daily Posthttps://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-post-merseyside-ed-samaritans-o/162231515/
- The Agehttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-age-friendly-listeners-who-save-live/162391681/
- The Birmingham Posthttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post-television/162924827/
- Birmingham Evening Mailhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail-hands-held-out-t/162921698/
- Evening Sentinelhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-sentinel-samaritans-are-stars-of/162232885/
- Cambridge Evening Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/cambridge-evening-news-star-choice/162232407/
- Leicester Mercuryhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury-drama-and-despair/162392056/
- The Daily Telegraphhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-telegraph-stephen-d-required/162924187/
- Birmingham Evening Mailhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail-star-bob-going-d/162922954/
- Manchester Evening Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/manchester-evening-news-a-new-theory/162922624/
- Reading Evening Posthttps://www.newspapers.com/article/reading-evening-post-war-bomber-film/162923314/
- The Guardian Journalhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-journal-television/162925421/
- The Guardian Journalhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-journal-weekend-tv-radio/163128076/
- Leicester Mercuryhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/leicester-mercury-a-great-writer-and-a-s/163129957/
- South Wales Argushttps://www.newspapers.com/article/south-wales-argus-400-million-will-see-t/163077651/
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122225120/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/31e245ba2b944dae89475859ce406012
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250112081356/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/d199bd962a1446c5b0f02abaf3caae41
- Reading Evening Posthttps://www.newspapers.com/article/reading-evening-post-dr-who-returns/163078989/
- Widnes Weekly Newshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/widnes-weekly-news-your-radio-tv-progr/163079987/
- Reading Evening Posthttps://www.newspapers.com/article/reading-evening-post-life-in-the-usa/163080494/
- The Guardian Journalhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-guardian-journal-the-befrienders-o/162390004/
- Hull Daily Mailhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail-the-befrienders-falle/162358773/
- Coventry Evening Telegraphhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/coventry-evening-telegraph-wrong-prescri/162391280/
- Western Daily Presshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/western-daily-press-on-my-tv-last-night/162232353/
- Western Daily Presshttps://www.newspapers.com/article/western-daily-press-drama-more-like-a-c/162228144/
- The Timeshttps://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS219509634/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=6b723d87
- The Birmingham Posthttps://www.newspapers.com/article/the-birmingham-post-television/162229317/
- Birmingham Evening Mailhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/birmingham-evening-mail-what-ethel-might/162356981/
- Ears to Hear : 50 years of Samaritan Listeninghttps://archive.org/details/earstohear50year0000forr/page/84/mode/2up?q=befrienders%20samaritans%20BBC#page/84/mode/2up/search/befrienders?q=befrienders+samaritans+BBC
- Hull Daily Mailhttps://www.newspapers.com/article/hull-daily-mail-befriender-meg-is-too-re/162358600/
- The Northern Echo (North Yorkshire ed.)https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-northern-echo-north-yorkshire-ed/162920684/
- Ealing and Acton Gazettehttps://www.newspapers.com/article/ealing-and-acton-gazette-samaritans-new/162390920/
- The Timeshttps://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CS34569052/TTDA?u=wikipedia&sid=bookmark-TTDA&xid=35a69a7f
- The British Medical Journalhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1674674
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122232815/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/b9943f042b9f40e2bfd67158a4a328f7
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122231653/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/3a90ceffa29e474baaf32c3d7593c992
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122233537/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9ba80758097641eaa356bd200597d059
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250112080821/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/a45a37c231de4d93be20597579a10b40
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122230015/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/56d750f24e07391120b9dfa7ba69bda8
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122230019/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/8541e664df2149e4855abd049f23493a
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122230620/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/1407c19f90ee4eac822faca11a90d44b
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250122225930/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/9d5c04f31f9a4ccfa780d7a9d6d429bc
- BBC Programme Indexhttps://web.archive.org/web/20250123114234/https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/5f17c5dcb2b244ce922cc47f939e2eaa