Melissa's Heartbeat Page -
Series 7 Spoilers!

SPOILER!!! - Rumours fly thick & fast...
Information from the guestbook page at the Unofficial Coronation Street Page:
On April 18, 1997, Tina writes: "It was announced a few weeks ago that Nick Berry was worried about Heartbeat and that it might be wearing thin with the general public, so the producers have decided to make a spin off series. Nick will get him promotion and will transfer back to London (where he originally transferred from with his wife). It is expected that the original cast will stay in Heartbeat and this will continue as one programme and Nick and "a.n.other" will star in the spin off.

and Jude writes (May 16 1997):
I have just heard officially that Nick is to leave the series, he will only appear in the early episodes of the new shows, and the ABC have not taken up the option to televise the new series it has been bought by Channel 7. I guess this puts strength to the previous spoiler about a spin off show. All good things come to an end.

and Grace adds (June 21 1997): just got some disturbing news from a local radio station. Nick is leaving.
The scoop is that he and Jo will be getting married and moving to Canada. Nick will be playing the part of a Mountie in a new series. Just when there was something decent on televison, it goes bust.
Someone tell me that it's just a nasty rumour! The best show on the tube, and there it goes.

Nathan advises (June 16, 1997):
Jason Durr is taking over the lead role in Heartbeat now Nick Berry has left. Jason played Alex Hartman in Jupiter Moon.
Nathan has pictures of Jason on his Jupiter Moon web page.

NEW!Wildside: (August 13, 1997): Could I just say that with nick leaving this GREAT show may go the same way as another brilliant show Northern exposure.
in that the main character ( rob morrow )left and the show only lasted one more season
its sad heartbeat was the only show to ever come close to the "Friendlyness" of northern exposure.

Nick Berry has decided to leave Heartbeat. He feels he is not spending enough time with his family (wife Rachel Robertson & their 2 year old son Louis), who live in London. Berry's time in Yorkshire filming Heartbeat can take up to 9 months of the year, so he has decided that Series 7 of Heartbeat will be his last.
After their marriage, Nick Rowan and new wife Jo move to Canada, where Nick becomes a Mountie (some say, leaving the door open for a possible return in the future).
Producers say that Heartbeat will continue without Nick, and Berry doubts that his character will be missed. The rest of us will reserve judgement.

Yearling UK TV Listings Guide gives the following synopsis of major plot devices:

NEW!Jacqueline:

In Canada, last week's episode (Appearances??) involved Nick going to get interviewed for a job as a Canadian policeman and being accepted for the position. The subject came up rather suddenly in the episode before that, but Jo seemed agreeable. In the episode shown this week (sorry, I don't have the name, but I can give it to you later), Nick and Jo received their passport, packed up and left on a train at the end of the episode. There was a going away party in the middle of the episode, but there wasn't much emotion surrounding the departure of the Rowans. I guess they wanted the departure to be quick, to lessen the shock of it.
Maggie and her ex seem to be getting along well, and he is considering setting up practice in Kate's old surgery. Claude came up with a scheme of marketing his property as being 'haunted' and offered tours at a shilling a head, until a rival sabotaged him, thinking Claude had stolen his idea.
Mike is going to be offered the sargeant's job - so he is really replacing Nick in every sense! His latest case involves finding who stole a sack of mail that was getting delivered the post office. Blaketon suspects an old nemesis & his daughter. He's right, of course. Phil is not bitter about Mike's promotion but may be considering taking his sargeant's exams. This episode was the first of a two parter, but I didn't stay up to watch part 2! If you want any more info I can provide it later.

Heather writes:
Sgt. Blaketon is to take over as Post Master of Aidensfield Post Office when he retires from the Police Force.

NEW! BMG Entertainment, who manufacture this video, have sent the following information:
HEARTBEAT - CHANGING PLACES..... THE UNSEEN EPISODE
On January 25th, 1998, Britain's favourite TV actor, Nick Berry will leave Heartbeat for good. 20 million people are expected to watch Nick's final episode as he heads for a new life in Canada.
There is only one way to find out what happens in Sergeant Rowan's dramatic final chapter - buy the first ever Heartbeat video special on January 26th.
HEARTBEAT - CHANGING PLACES..... THE UNSEEN EPISODE was filmed on location in Canada's Rocky Mountains and cost 1.5 million pounds to make. It will not be shown on TV until 1999 so buying the video is your only chance of finding out what happens to Nick, Jo and Katie in Canada.

NEW! Lucky Melanie took these photos of Nick Berry with her daughters, plus one of the crew while Heartbeat were filming in Cochrane, Alberta, Canada.

Sorry Nick's Leaving!

Susan writes:
Thank you so much for your 7th season spoilers. Unfortunately, our local station in Victoria, British Columbia, called the Knowledge Network, "digitized" their signal some time ago. Therefore, we are unable to receive Heartbeat anymore. The last episode I saw was in June or July of 1997.
By that point, they had just completed the sixth season. It's interesting to note that "Nick" was re-married and embarked upon a new adventure here in our glorious country. I kept thinking about what a great story and television series that would make. Can you imagine Nick as a Mountie posted in some God-forsaken part of our country in the early 1970's? How would Jo and Katie adjust? Nick would have to trade in his motorcycle for a snowmobile or pick-up truck with great tires!
I feel much the same many of your countrymen do about Nick Berry leaving the series. I absolutely adored that series. Each of the characters feels like a member of our own community. No doubt, after some well-deserved time off, Mr. Berry will continue to delight us all with something equally warm and 'heartfelt'.