‘Ridley Road’ recap: What happened in Episode 3?

The BBC’s adaptation of Ridley Road continued in the UK tonight.

From the executive producer of Downton Abbey and the makers of Last Tango in Halifax, the new four-part mini-series is based on Jo Bloom’s hit novel.

Ridley Road is a four-part thriller set against the backdrop of a swinging sixties London we haven’t seen: an East End world where far right fascism is on the rise.

Joining newcomers Aggi O’Casey and Tom Varey in the cast are Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), Tracy-Ann Oberman (It’s a Sin), Eddie Marsan (The Pact), Tamzin Outhwaite (EastEnders), Samantha Spiro (Game of Thrones), Danny Hatchard (EastEnders), and Rita Tushingham (Doctor Zhivago).

Watch the trailer:

 

The official synopsis for Ridley Road reads: “Inspired by the struggle of the 62 Group, a coalition from the Jewish community who stood up against rising neo-Nazism in post-war Britain, Ridley Road tells the story of Vivien Epstein, a young Jewish woman (played by Agnes O’Casey).

“When Vivien starts to work with them and realises that Jack, her missing boyfriend (played by Tom Varey) has been badly injured, she infiltrates the NSM, a neo-Nazi movement which is becoming increasingly prominent in London, risking everything for her beliefs and for the man she loves.”

Ridley Road will air on PBS in the US in 2022.

Here’s a plot recap for the third episode, which aired on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday 17th October 2021:

After following Colin Jordan (Rory Kinnear) to the National Socialist Movement (NSM) stately home base, Vivien (Agnes O’Casey) feels vulnerable after the events of the night before, while an unexpected arrival only serves to further complicate her plan to exploit Colin Jordan’s growing affection for her.

Meanwhile Soly (Eddie Marsan) takes the evidence Vivien and Jack (Tom Varey) have collected to the police, hoping they will protect the Jewish community from the NSM.

But when Soly fails to convince police about the danger of the NSM, the 62 Group must take matters into their own hands.

Can both Vivien and Jack maintain their cover while protecting their community from the violent actions of the NSM?

Jo Bloom’s novel is available on Amazon.