Feeds
Chris demonstrated his youthful appeal in Life On Mars, forming a nice contrast to the brutishly blunt Gene Hunt and the prejudice-ridden Ray Carling. It was on its 80s based follow-up that the lad really came out of his shell though, becoming an action man, impressionist, boyfriend, flasher and bog-searcher. He was responsible for a variety of hilarious and endearing moments that helped to alleviate Ashes from any depressive reaction to the nauseating smugness of Alex Drake, along with creating a neat contrast to some of the harder-hitting socio-political themes.
Highlights included his Riverdance-style attempts to dodge bullets on the banks of the Thames in the opening episode, leaping to safety like a desperate salmon trying to belly flop upstream; his unconvincing surveillance double act with Ray; and the dodgy impressions of both Taxi Driver era Robert De Niro and Leonard Rossiter's Rigsby from Rising Damp.
When a fall guy was needed, Alex stomped straight to Chris and put him in charge of fishing a crooked fundraiser's gun out of the U-Bend in a public toilet. Furthermore, Gene's fear of Lord Scarman's visit prompted him to make Chris a fake inmate with the cover story of indecently exposing himself on a bus! Aww, bless him!
Ashes To Ashes also witnessed some love action for the chirpy chappy. Hooking up with the equally sweet and dodgy-barneted Shaz, the couple never actually shared an on screen snog but were definitely an item. The outfit and make-up worn by Chris in a bid to impress his ladyfriend at a New Romantic club is the stuff of legend - especially as his fellow police officers unexpectedly turned up. He has a lot to learn on charming the opposite sex though. He tried to talk Shaz round into seeing Friday The 13th Part Two with him because it was set by a lake - and therefore must be romantic!
DC Chris Skelton - long may you keep wagging your tail.
> What do you think about Chris? Pay tribute to the Icon here
Discuss this article
Share this article
Print this article
