White Gold

Summary

White Gold is a British sitcom set in Essex during the 1980s. The series follows a group of ambitious double-glazing salesmen working at Cachet Windows, centring on charismatic salesman Vincent Swan and his colleagues Brian Fitzpatrick and Martin Lavender, under the management of their boss, Tony Walsh, as they navigate the competitive world of sales, workplace rivalries and the excesses of the era.

Series 1

Series 1 follows the exploits of Vincent Swan, a charismatic and unscrupulous double-glazing salesman at Cachet Windows, alongside his colleagues Brian Fitzpatrick and Martin Lavender. Over the course of six episodes, the series depicts their high-pressure sales tactics, personal conflicts, and moral compromises, as Vincent navigates marital difficulties, financial troubles, and workplace rivalries. The series concludes with Vincent undertaking a bold scheme to restore his standing, illustrating the competitive and morally ambiguous world of 1980s sales culture.

Series 2

Series 2 continues the story of Vincent Swan and the Cachet Windows sales team in mid‑1980s Essex. The series focuses on the challenges they face from a rival company and the pressures of maintaining their business. Vincent must manage new complications, including the involvement of his boss Ronnie’s son RJ, while the team engages in various schemes to secure sales. The series concludes with Vincent and his colleagues facing the consequences of their actions, forcing them to confront the limits of their ambition and the ethical compromises they have made in the cutthroat world of 1980s sales.

Cast and characters

Ed Westwick as Vincent Swan, the head salesman at Cachet Windows

James Buckley as Brian Fitzpatrick, a junior salesman

Joe Thomas as Martin Lavender, a junior salesman

Nigel Lindsay as Tony Walsh, the owner of Cachet Windows

Linzey Cocker as Sam Swan, Vincent's wife

Lauren O'Rourke as Carol, the secretary at Cachet Windows

Lee Ross as Ronnie Farrell, a gangster who pretends to be an antiquities dealer

Rachel Shenton as Joanne "Jo" Scott, a motivational spokeswoman turned head saleswoman for W-Windows (series 2)

Theo Barklem-Biggs as Ronnie "RJ" Farrell Jr., the son of Ronnie Farrell (series 2)

Episodes

Production

The show is produced by BBC Comedy alongside Fudge Park Productions, which was established in 2015 by the creators of The Inbetweeners – Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. Beesley created White Gold and acts as show runner and executive producer, in addition to having written eight of the 12 episodes. Joe Thomas and Chris Niel wrote two episodes each.

White Gold was renewed for series 2 but production was suspended in November 2017 following allegations of sexual assault against Ed Westwick. Filming recommenced in November 2018, after Westwick was not charged with a crime. Series 2 aired in 2019.

James Buckley responded to a fan on Twitter stating that he was unaware of any cancellation of the show after a Facebook post from the BBC started circulating online. It was later confirmed by the BBC that the post was fake. At this time, it has not been officially confirmed whether White Gold will return for another series.

Reception

White Gold received generally positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the first series holds an 88% approval rating, with reviewers praising its 1980s setting, dark humour, and performances, while noting that the tone and characters could be polarising. The second series has a 90% approval rating, based on a smaller number of reviews, with critics highlighting the continuation of the series' style and charm, though some felt the humour and plot were less consistent than in the first series.

Media commentary often noted the series' embrace of 1980s culture and humour. A Chortle review remarked on the show's "laddish swagger" and exposed the era's Thatcherite backdrop, with characters' superficiality presented as part of the comedic world. Another review described the comedy as grounded in exaggerated, foul‑mouthed dialogue and highlighted its use of period details such as music and fashion to evoke nostalgia.

The show's style and character dynamics were sometimes noted as contentious. While some found the anti‑heroic traits of Vincent and his colleagues entertaining, others observed that their exaggerated behaviour could be irritating or off‑putting to some viewers. In interviews discussing the series, cast and creators emphasised that the characters' language and behaviour were intended to reflect the setting and to be humorous rather than purely provocative.