Hero of the Hour is a single British television thriller film, written by Bill Gallagher and directed by David Richards, that broadcast on ITV on 12 March 2000.

[2] The film, produced by London Weekend Television's Joshua St. Johnston, focuses on security guard Richie Liddle (Ross Kemp), who foils an armed robbery and becomes a national hero, but finds his new-found fame cannot appease his guilty conscience.

The film was the first project commissioned as part of a "Golden Handcuffs" deal for Kemp, following his departure from EastEnders and the BBC for ITV.

[3] The BBC later reported in 2002 that the film had been Kemp's most successful project for the channel, following a poor start for his action drama series Ultimate Force, which suffered badly in direct competition with Waking the Dead.

Money is tight and tension is high as his wife Alison (Maggie O'Neill) constantly nags him to get a better job and move them away from their troubled estate.