Inside Man spoilers follow.
Inside Man is the latest Steven Moffat series gripping BBC audiences with its wild tale of a misunderstanding spinning out of control ridiculously quickly.
But episode one, which aired on Monday, September 26, was marked with sadness as the show ended with a dedication to Beryl Vertue, CBE, who died earlier this year.
Here's who Beryl was, her impact on British TV, and why she has been commemorated by the new thriller.
Who is Beryl Vertue and how is she connected to Inside Man?
Beryl Vertue CBE, born April 8, 1935, was the founder and chairman of Hartswood Films, an independent television production company.
Hartswood Films is behind a collection of beloved shows, most recently including The Time Traveler's Wife for HBO, BBC's The Control Room and upcoming Amazon series The Devil's Hour starring Peter Capaldi.
Their biggest success story is arguably Sherlock, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman.
Inside Man is the latest series to come out of the production company.
Her other credits including executive producing TV comedy Coupling in the early 2000s, TV series Jekyll, and most notably Men Behaving Badly from 1992 to 1998.
She was married once, to childhood sweetheart Clem Vertue, with their marriage lasting from 1951 to 1984. They had two daughters, Debbie and Sue. Sue is now married to Doctor Who writer and creator of Inside Man, Steven Moffat.
She died on February 12, 2022, at the age of 90, surrounded by family.
An official statement by her daughters on the Hartswood Films website reads: "It’s with the heaviest of hearts that we have to share the sad news that mum/Beryl passed away peacefully last night. It wasn’t Covid, it was just her nearly 91-year-old body saying enough is enough.
"We were there so the passing was as good as one could hope for. Nothing wrong with her brain – even earlier this week she was grilling us both about work. It’s really impossible to believe that she has gone though, because I know we’re not alone in thinking that somehow she’d go on forever.
"She meant so much to so many. She wasn’t just our mum, she was our best friend, our mentor, our advisor, our role model, our holiday companion, our giggle-maker and our boss! She adored her family and was so proud of us all. She also adored her career and spending time with everybody.
"She loved a glass of wine at lunchtime, she loved asking the common-sense question, she was often the last person at a party, she didn’t suffer fools, she was fair, she was kind, she was fun, she was stubborn, in fact she was the total package and we will miss her beyond words.
"She was more than a mother to us – she was also a friend. To many in the industry, she was more than a friend – she was often a mother."
By many, she is rightfully considered an industry legend. She was awarded an OBE for her services to television in 2000, and a CBE in the 2016 New Year Honours.
Inside Man airs September 26 and 27, and October 3 and 4 on BBC One. The episodes will then be available via BBC iPlayer.
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