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Tumbledown was shown for the first time on 31 May 1988. The play, by Charles Wood, was based on the experiences of Lt. Robert Lawrence, recounted in the book When the Fighting is Over. It was one of several dramatic responses to the Falklands War of 1982 and examined the wider issue of the effect of combat on the participants.

The play attracted 10 million viewers, helped in part by the controversy it generated, as its perceived bias was questioned in parliament.

Tumbledown tells of Lawrence's part in the Falklands War, for which he was awarded the Military Cross. However, after he is shot in the head during the battle for Mount Tumbledown, he struggles with his rehabilitation back home and is forgotten by the army. Lawrence was played by Colin Firth with Lawrence himself acting as a consultant on the production. The producer was Richard Broke and the director Richard Eyre.

Despite the criticism from the MOD and government, Tumbledown achieved great critical acclaim. It won BAFTA and Royal Television Society awards for best single drama, and Firth won the RTS award for best actor.