Quick Summary
An ageing detective, keen to attract further work, throws himself into a vigorous search for new cases across the city. His latest commission comes from a distraught woman who has lost her son, and she hires him to locate the missing boy.
About This Program ✦
A High Profile is presented as a single episode within a television programme. Classified simply as an “episode”, it forms part of the broader series that carries the same title. The format follows the conventions of a self‑contained story, offering viewers a concise narrative that fits within the programme’s overall structure. The centrepiece of the episode is an elderly private investigator who is keen to boost his dwindling workload. He throws himself into a concerted push to attract fresh commissions, and his efforts soon pay off when a woman approaches him with a personal crisis. She hires him to track down her son, who has gone missing, giving the seasoned sleuth a new case to pursue. Throughout the broadcast, the detective’s determination to secure more business is evident in the way he tackles the assignment. His age and experience lend a particular gravitas to the search, and the episode follows his methodical approach as he sets about locating the absent child. The narrative concentrates on his professional drive and the urgency of the woman’s request, highlighting how a single case can revive a veteran’s career. In the closing moments, the focus remains on the detective’s resolve and the unfolding effort to reunite the mother with her son. By the end of the episode, the audience sees how his proactive stance on finding work directly leads to the undertaking of this delicate, personal investigation.
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates broadcasts on BBC Four HD at 2:40am, Sunday, 1 February 2026. (Subtitles)


