Reggie's comment about pilots shooting at the Luftwaffe with their service revolvers is actually based in fact. During a daylight raid against Bergen in January 1945, Flight Lieutenant Ray Harris, flying Lancaster Willing Willie with 9 Squadron, drew his service revolver and fired at White 11, the FW-190A-8 of Unteroffizier Heinz Orlowski, who had flown alongside the Lancaster to salute the pilot, in the belief that the damage that had been inflicted would prevent the aircraft from returning home. (Chapter 1 of 'Lancaster: The Biography' by Sqd Ldr Tony Iveson, DFC and Brian Milton. ISBN 978-0-233-00270-5)
A rarity in the series, if not the only one, there is no pathologist called in on any murder. However, there is a visiting pathologist, Clare Holman, the pathologist for Inspector Morse and Inspector Lewis, appears as one of the cast members.
Gemma Jones and John Nettles played the lovers Portia and Bassanio in the RSC production of "The Merchant of Venice".
Clare Holman plays Sue Tutt in this episode. She returns in episode 9.6, Country Matters (2006), in the role of Rose Southerly.
Adrian Scarborough plays Peter Fogden in this episode. He will play the role of Eddie Carfax in episode 10.6, Picture of Innocence (2007)