Format
The premise of the show is pretty simple: struggling small British business needs help, is offered free advice by former plc-level director; advice often given over number of months is then edited into 1hour duration television show. However, the reason that it made Harvey-Jones Britain's most notable and public business person was the fact that he engaged both the audience and the company on a human level. By both observing key issues (Harvey-Jones was always very focused on markets and customers first, and then systematic efficient production secondly, focused around people and responsibility), and then asked simple questions to confirm his view or see if the management actually saw the problem.Production
After originally approaching companies to produce the first series, the BBC production team for the subsequent series were overwhelmed by applications from various British businesses and enterprises. This was in part for the quality of consultation that Harvey-Jones gave, but also for the publicity, which often resulted in an immediate revival for the company through increased sales. After selecting a breadth of companies, industries and situations, Harvey-Jones and executive producer Richard Reisz would review the applications to choose the selected applicants. Harvey-Jones would nominally only have access to any published accounts, management provided plans, and any items of press and media that could be found, before engaging the company. The period of consultation was given over a period of at least three months per company, resulting in the third series requiring Harvey-Jones to have reserved dates in his diary for 50weeks of the year: the major reason he gave up the programme, to concentrate on his charitable activities and family. The original six show proved so popular, that Harvey-Jones was contractually engaged for a second series of six show, and signed on to a further three series of seven shows each - the maximum Harvey-Jones would agree to sign-on for.Harvey-Jones style
At its peak, ''Troubleshooter'' gained 3million viewers per episode. This was in great part for Harvey-Jones personable, frank and straightforward style, with judgements given through his own manic cackling style: *You are being killed by slow strangulation *The situation is barmy and intolerable *It is possible to break through but only if you charge the guns Organisations featured includedBusinesses and organisations featured
Series 1 *Publications
* * *I’ll Show Them Who’s Boss!
Trying to revive the series in light of the rise ofReferences
Similar programmes
* '' Badger or Bust'' * ''External links
*{{IMDb title, 1183237, Troubleshooter BBC Television shows 1990 British television series debuts 1993 British television series endings 1990s British reality television series