Channel 5 continues its successful streak of reviving classic BBC formats with a poignant new one-off drama, Play for Today: Big Winners, which transforms an old joke about lottery wins into a devastating exploration of a long-term marriage.
A Marriage Unravelling
The drama centres on Arthur and Edith Thistle, a couple portrayed by Sue Johnston and Paul Copley, who have been married for nearly 53 years. On the surface, they appear to bicker contentedly, but subtle cues reveal Edith's deep-seated discontent. The production employs a classic Play for Today technique, with the camera lingering on characters' faces to amplify their silent suffering.
Arthur remains oblivious to his wife's unhappiness, a central theme of their problems. Their weekly ritual of discussing what they would do if they won the lottery takes a dark turn when Edith jokingly suggests she would leave him and take all the money—a warning sign he completely misses.
The Life-Changing Win and a Shocking Demand
In a dramatic twist, the Thistles' hypothetical scenario becomes reality when they discover they have won £14 million on the lottery. While Arthur immediately begins making grand plans, his wife delivers a crushing blow: Edith tells him she wants a divorce.
Her aspirations are not materialistic. She reveals a desire to study psychology and feminism, visit London, see plays, and experience new cuisines. The depth of her resolve is underscored by her use of the phrase every man dreads: ‘Don’t you think we ought to talk about this properly?’ This highlights the core issue; Arthur has never been one for conversation, a problem stemming from a family tragedy.
A Padlocked Room and a Desperate Act
The narrative delves into the source of their emotional chasm: a room in their house that has been padlocked for 50 years. This room is where their young daughter died, likely from cot death, while Edith was away. This unresolved grief has festered for decades, crippling their communication.
Faced with the imminent collapse of his life, Arthur makes a desperate, final gesture. In a bid to destroy the means of Edith's escape, he burns the £14 million lottery ticket, watching her dreams turn to ash along with the paper. The drama concludes without a clear resolution, but Sue Johnston's masterful performance leaves little hope for a happy ending, her expression conveying a future of quiet despair for the couple.
