Anthony Head Credits

Monarch of the Glen

Television guest star appearance (UK)

Series summary: Drama series revolving around the lives of the residents of Glenbogle, Scotland.

Role: Chester Grant
Episodes: 6.07 - 6.10
Original air dates: October 31 - November 21, 2004
Network: BBC1
Availability: Currently available on DVD

Summary of Anthony Head's storyline:

Episode 6.07

Paul Bowman has recently taken over the position of laird of Glenbogle from his half-brother Archie. He and a local woman, Isobel Anderson, have been flirting back and forth since she arrived at Glenbogle to take over her grandmother's farm. As this episode opens, they had recently kissed, but Paul inadvertently offends Isobel and she is giving him the cold shoulder.

There has been an increase in poaching in the area. When Paul and Jess, who is acting as ghillie (the person who runs the grounds) in her father's absence, go to another estate in the area, they find a new resident, Lucy. Lucy is immediately smitten with Paul and, in her desire to pursue him, she decides to hold a housewarming party. During the course of the party, a gong suddenly goes off and as the guests investigate, they discover Chester Grant has arrived. It turns out that Lucy does not own the estate as she let Paul and the others believe, but she is actually Chester's personal assistant. Chester introduces himself to the crowd and takes special note of Isobel when she is the only one to get his Rolling Stones reference and laugh at his punny jokes. He then shows off his flamboyant personality by opening a champagne bottle with a sword. He and Isobel flirt while Paul takes note. Chester tells them that he earned his money by prepackaging chickens and makes a comment about organic farming being nonsense. He's only mildly embarrassed when Lucy lets him know that Isobel is an organic farmer. He challenges Paul to a wager on a game of billiards, despite the fact that he's never played before. Paul tires of watching Isobel and Chester's flirting and leaves the room, with Lucy following. They end up talking and sharing a kiss, which Isobel happens to witness. When Jess shows up looking for Paul because she has discovered who is doing the poaching, Isobel lets the others know where he is. Chester follows Jess outside and enthusiastically tries to offer to help catch the poachers. Paul and Jess turn him down flat. After they leave, Chester offers Isobel more champagne. She declines but, much to Chester's delight, suggests they break out the malt instead.

The next morning, a hung-over Isobel wakes up on Chester's couch, with him sitting in a chair having been watching her sleep. He tells her she was talking in her sleep about someone and it sounds like things aren't working out. He goes on to tell her that when one door closes, another opens - clearly thinking of himself as the new direction for her to go.

Episode 6.08

Chester decides to hold a shooting party at his new estate. While talking to Lucy about the guests who have accepted, his competitiveness with Paul becomes evident. Later he drives his fancy, expensive car to Isobel's. However, he stops a short distance down the road, splashes water on himself and then heads down to the farm, making it look as if he had jogged there instead of driving. Isobel shows him around the farm and he mentions that he took his father's small chicken processing business and turned it into a big business with big profits. He then asks Isobel out to dinner that night. They go into her house for coffee, while Chester continues to tell Isobel the advantages of thinking big when it comes to business. She still prefers her way of running a small, organic farm. In the house, Chester sees jars of relish that Isobel is making from her Gran's recipe and hopes to sell. He tries a sample and finds it delicious. He asks about her marketing strategy just as Paul arrives and says they are doing fine, as he is Isobel's partner in the relish business. Paul tells Isobel that a local store has agreed to take fifty jars, which Chester mocks as insignificant. He tells them they have to hit the market aggressively while Paul insists that they need to start small. Isobel interrupts the bickering to inform them that it is her decision as it is her relish.

Later, Paul and Chester run into each other in town and immediately get competitive again. Chester tells Paul that if he fancies Isobel, he should just say so. Paul avoids that issue to point out that his local knowledge gives him the advantage of knowing that Chester's fancy car is parked underneath a bird's roost, prompting Chester to scramble to move it.

Isobel and Chester go out to dinner that night, only for Paul and Lucy to arrive at the same restaurant. Naturally, they are seated at the table right next to Isobel and Chester's. Chester makes pointed comments about Paul's 'local knowledge' and insists that Paul show it by ordering for everyone. Paul selects the venison and points out that it comes from his estate. When the food arrives, Paul tells Isobel they should try to sell their relish there. Chester insists that it is not their relish but Isobel's. Lucy tells Paul Chester cannot stand to lose and Chester insists it's not about winning or losing but about what is best for Isobel. Isobel tries to avoid choosing sides as she doesn't want to offend either neighbor. Chester suggests that the shoot for it, prompting Lucy to get excited about the idea of a duel. Chester deflates her enthusiasm by clarifying that he is referring to clay at the shooting party he is holding. When Paul insists that Isobel wouldn't wan that, she decides to prove a point and agrees. Whoever wins the shooting match will be her partner in the chutney business. When the checks arrive, Paul realizes he forgot his wallet. Chester tries to show him up by offering to pick up his bill. But the waiter intervenes and assures Paul that everything is fine. Paul makes one more attempt to talk Isobel out of the idea of he and Chester shooting for it, but she wants to go through with it and leaves with Chester.

At home, Chester is talking business on the phone when Lucy disconnects his phone and turns off his computer. He whines that he is going mad as there is nothing to do around there. She simply confiscates his cell phones (all three of them) as well as the glass of brandy he was drinking. He pouts and convinces her to a t least let him keep the brandy. She scolds him for his behaviour at dinner and asks why he can't just stay out of it. He tells her that building a small business into something big is the only thing he does well. He is confident he will win as he is a good shot. Lucy informs him that Paul is an expert marksman from his military experience. After she leaves the room, Chester decides to give Paul a surprise and pulls another cell phone from his sock to make a call. The next day, a mysterious man on a motorcycle pulls up to Chester's estate (which we learn is called Drumstickit Lodge). This man turns out to be an expert marksman Chester brought in as a ringer. Still, Chester refuses to flat out cheat by having MacDougall do something like hide in the bushes and shot while Chester fakes it. He insists that he will shoot on his own and only brought McDougal in to make things more even.

The day of the shoot arrives, and Chester greets Paul by introducing him to MacDougall as his temporary ghillie. Turns out MacDougall is a gold medal Olympic shooter. Paul's ghillie, Golly, is late, upset over his own personal problems. Chester grows tired of waiting and says they've waited fifteen minutes so it's time to start the competition. If Golly doesn't show, Paul forfeits. Isobel tries to talk him into giving it longer, by Chester insists that all's fair in...business. MacDougall takes his shots and hits every time. Paul and Lucy both ask Chester to wait longer, but he refuses. Just when it appears he has won, Golly shows up and matches MacDougall's shots. As the men all shoot, it is finally a draw with Chester the next to shoot. Chester misses a shot and Paul tries to call the whole thing off, insisting that Chester is in a better position to help Isobel. Chester refuses and tells Paul to take his shot. Paul does perfectly and wins the match.

Episode 6.09

Chester has purchased a new Porsche Cayenne, hoping it will impress Isobel. Lucy tells him she doesn't think Isobel will care much. Chester tries to find out if Isobel has ever talked to Lucy about him and Lucy says she hasn't in any significant way. Lucy is distracted because her parents are coming for a visit but Chester insists. Lucy finally tells him she doesn't think he's Isobel's type: earthy, uncomplicated and in touch with nature. He assures Lucy that he can do those things. Later, Chester is driving his new Porsche around the estate driveway with Lucy in the back. He insists that he hears a rattle but Lucy cannot hear it.

Chester has picked up Lucy's parents, the Fords, and is bringing them to Glenbogle, which Chester dismisses as 'mostly mountain'. Lucy's father, the Colonel, is hard of hearing but he can hear the rattle Chester heard earlier. They arrive at Glenbogle and Mrs. Ford is impressed with the estate and the laird. Colonel Ford isn't quite as impressed, acting dismissive of Paul and Glenbogle, much to Chester's delight.

Over drinks, Mrs. Ford comments that she always had high hopes for Lucy and Chester, an idea that neither Lucy or Chester greet with much enthusiasm. Paul's Uncle Donald comments that he thinks Lucy got lucky in avoiding that, and Mrs. Ford has to admit she rather agrees. Chester tells Lucy her father heard the rattle so he's bringing the car into the garage the next day. When Mrs. Ford chides them for whispering, Chester teases Lucy by calling her the pet name her father uses, "funny bunny". Lucy escapes the room to find Paul. Donald entertains the Fords and Chester with reenactments from his days as a racecar driver. When Donald breaks a glass in the process, Paul decides it's time for dinner. Glenbogle's cook, Ewan, is missing because he just found out his parents are divorcing. So it was up to Donald to pull together a meal out of whatever was on hand. Fortunately, Colonel Ford is impressed by the down to earth food while Chester is simply amused.

After dinner, the gentlemen adjourn to the billiards room where Paul and the Colonel play a game while Chester and Donald observe and bet on the outcome. The Colonel pumps Paul for information about himself and in the process, makes it clear he has done some research on Paul's past. The Colonel is in overprotective father mode and wants to make sure Paul is suitable for his youngest daughter. Paul wins the game and Chester has to pay up to Donald.

The next day, Chester brings the Porsche into the garage. The mechanics are awestruck by the car and offer Chester a courtesy car in the meantime - an old beat-up truck. Chester is actually pleased to see this and immediately drives it over to Isobel's. He claims to her that he likes it for being earthy and uncomplicated. He offers to help her feed the cattle. He asks Isobel if she ever gets lonely and she says no. He mentions that he doesn't know what he would do without Lucy, but that's not the sort of companionship he was thinking of. Isobel asks what Lucy does exactly and Chester tells her it was Lucy's idea to move out there. He admits that he had surgery for a heart condition a while back. Isobel offers her sympathy but is clearly not interested in pursuing matters. Chester tries again by telling her he nearly died on the table and now his values have changed. He invites Isobel to join him for a drink that evening. She declines and he mentions that Lucy is having Paul around with her parents and he feels like he's out of place in his own house. Isobel finally agrees, although it appears to be more out of jealousy at the mention of Paul and Lucy than anything.

Chester then sets up an elaborate setting for drinks outside on his estate, complete with a canopy, candles and champagne. However, Isobel never shows up as she is with Paul, tending to a sick horse. Chester is left alone tossing grapes into a bowl.

Meanwhile, the Glenbogle cook, Ewan, still upset over his parents, has joined the mechanics from the garage in a joyride in Chester's Porsche. Pulled over by the police, Ewan calls Donald for help. However, Donald has his own legal troubles and is not supposed to be driving, so they both end up in trouble. When Chester goes to claim his vehicle, he finds out the rattle was one of Lucy's hairgrips. He declines to press any charges against Ewan. Paul offers an insincere apology for ruining things with Isobel the night before and Chester brushes it off as unimportant, but is bothered underneath.

Episode 6.10

Chester once again attempts to interfere in Isobel's relish business, telling her he has a friend who runs a chain of supermarkets and is interested in some relish. The friend wanted 10,000 jars but Chester claims he talked him down to 1,000 jars and tells Isobel that having it being harder to find may increase the demand. Isobel declines because she doesn't want to deal with a large operator because there are too many strings attached.

Meanwhile, the time has come for Paul to be formally declared the laird of Glenbogle. However, when a clan elder, Sheila MacDonald, arrives, she determines that Donald, not Paul, is the rightful laird, since Paul is illegitimate. When Chester tells Lucy this news, they realize that this means Lucy might be able to convince Paul to leave Glenbogle with her, leaving Isobel behind with Chester.

Later, Isobel receives a visit from a representative of a store that she'd sent a sample to. He tells her that their interest is due mainly to Chester's recommendation. Isobel angrily confronts Chester (in the middle of a croquet game) and complains that he went to his friend even after she said no. She says that she and Paul wanted to build up the business themselves. Chester points out that if Paul doesn't become laird, he'll probably be gone. He adds that she can make her dreams come true, but only if she does this.

After Donald makes a mess of his attempts to be laird, Paul challenges him to series of tests in an effort to retain the title. Chester offers to allow Sheila MacDonald to stay at his place, so she can be on neutral territory while judging the tests. At least that's what he tells her. When she tells him and Lucy that one of the tests is about clan history, Lucy takes it, claiming she wants to put it someplace safe. Later, Chester, realizing that Lucy is doubting whether or not to go through with stealing the test, tells her that sometimes even nice girls have to play dirty to get what they want.

The first test is one of strength involving the carrying of weights around a track. Paul is surprised, but pleased to see how many people show up to support him. This includes Isobel who kisses him on the cheek for luck, an action seen by a jealous Lucy. Donald brings in a ringer who beats Paul in the race. Chester seems to be the big winner when it comes to the bets placed on the race. Lucy decides to give Donald the answers to the test of clan history, thus guaranteeing him victory.

Isobel shows up at Chester's telling him to call his friend. Chester assumes this means she's ready to make a deal but she informs him she isn't interested. Chester questions why some people think failure is a sign of integrity. She tells him she knows he is trying to drive Paul out and points out, that in her eyes, comparing himself to Paul is not a good idea. Chester seems to finally realize that he and Isobel are never going to happen.

In the end, Donald's cheating is discovered and Paul is declared the laird. Donald claims he was only trying to make Paul truly believe that he deserved to be the laird. A ceremony is held, which Chester attends (in a kilt which we never get a good look at, damn them). Lucy, whose role in the cheating was discovered, is not there. Neither is Isobel as she is still giving Paul the run-around. Paul and Chester talk after the ceremony and Chester thanks Paul for inviting him. Paul points out that Chester would have shown up anyway, to which Chester has to agree. Chester then takes the blame for Lucy's actions saying he's a bad influence. They then see Isobel jogging by after she claimed she was too busy to attend. Chester tells Paul that Isobel is all wrong for Paul, for once meaning it sincerely. But Paul decides to run off after her anyway.

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