''No Angels'' is a British

comedy-drama Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

television series, produced by the independent production company

World Productions World Productions is a British television production company, founded on 20 March 1990 by acclaimed producer Tony Garnett, and owned by ITV plc following a takeover in 2017. History The company's first major series was the police drama '' Betwe ...

for

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

, which ran for three series from 2004 to 2006. It was devised by

Toby Whithouse Toby Lawrence Whithouse (; born 5 July 1970) is an English actor, screenwriter and playwright. His highest-profile work has been the creation of the BBC Three supernatural television series '' Being Human''. He also created the Channel 4 telev ...

Premise

The programme centres on the lives of three nurses and a healthcare assistant in the city of

Leeds Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populati ...

. The four main characters are Kate Oakley (played by

Kaye Wragg Kaye Michelle Wragg (born 15 December 1972) is an English actress best known for her television roles as Sergeant Diane Noble in ''The Bill'', Kate Oakley in ''No Angels'', Essie Harrison (now known as Essie di Lucca) in ''Holby City'' from 20 ...

), Lia Costoya (

Louise Delamere Louise Alexandra Delamere (born 17 June 1969) is an English actress, best known for her roles as Lia in the Channel 4 comedy drama ''No Angels'' and Colette Sheward in the BBC medical drama '' Holby City''. Career Delamere appeared in ''Agatha ...

), Anji Mittel (

Sunetra Sarker Sunetra Sarker (born 25 June 1973) is an English actress and presenter, known for her roles as Nisha Batra in '' Brookside'', Anji Mittel in ''No Angels'', Zoe Hanna in '' Casualty'' and Kaneez Paracha in ''Ackley Bridge''. In 2014, she took p ...

), and Beth Nicholls (

Jo Joyner Joanne Mary Joyner (born 24 May 1977) is an English actress. She is known for her roles as Tanya Branning in the BBC soap opera ''EastEnders'' and Mandy Carter in Channel 4 drama ''Ackley Bridge''. Since 2018, she has starred as Luella Shakesp ...

). Additional main characters were played by Derek Riddell, James Frost, Francis Magee and

Matt Bardock Matthew Arthur Bardock was born in 1969 in Croydon. He is an English actor who is known for playing Jeff Collier in ''Casualty'', DS Clive Barnard in ''A Touch of Frost'', DS Davey Higgins in '' The Coroner'', Albie in '' The Lakes'', Mark Craig ...

. The show deals with the women's lives both in and out of the hospital.

Cast

as Lia Costoya - A nurse (and acting ward sister in Series One) at the hospital. She is a single mother; her daughter Emma lives with her father. Lia lives in hospital accommodation with Anji, Kate and Beth and attended college with Kate Oakley. The two subsequently became best friends. Lia has a sharp attitude and is often described as being a "great nurse, but a terrible mother." At the end of Series 3, Emma asks to move in with Lia and they begin to search for a flat. Shortly afterwards, Jamie, with whom Lia was in a relationship until he relocated to Australia, returns to Leeds and they get back together. *

as Katherine 'Kate' Oakley - A nurse and, later, ward sister at the hospital. Kate has several relationships throughout the programmes, including one with Dr Jamie Patterson. She later accepts Peter Compton's proposal in Series 3, but after he makes numerous attempts to control her, she eventually leaves him at the altar in the show's final episode. Kate went to an all-girls school and had a horse called Treacle and it is therefore assumed that she was relatively well off. However, she craves attention from her mother. *

as Anji Mittel - A health care assistant (HCA) at the hospital. She is known for her numerous relationships and one night stands. In the first series, she is engaged (by an arranged marriage) to Adjesh, but he later rejects her after he falls in love. After declining a nursing course and being rejected by Callum, Anji decides to go travelling, returning in Series 3 heavily pregnant. She later gives birth to a baby girl and begins dating Callum after he declares his love for her. At Kate's wedding she decides to name her baby girl Mia. Anji is Beth's best friend. She has two sisters who are both married dentists, but she doesn't really get on with her family. *

as Beverly Elizabeth 'Beth' Nicholls - A nurse at the hospital. She openly admits that she'd rather have money than love in the first series and begins an affair with one of the hospital's senior management. However, after he leaves his wife, Beth dumps him, admitting that she needs something more than "I will love you". She continues to date men for their money, but clearly doesn't like being treated like a "trophy wife". In the final series she begins dating a plumber (ironically as for 3 seasons she stated that she 'didn't do' plumbers). Beth, like Kate and Lia, has also slept with Jamie. Beth was raised by her aunt and it is implied that she left home for an unknown reason, although it is hinted in the same episode that she was molested/raped by her male cousin in the fourth episode of series one - something that by the end of the episode is suspected by her Aunt. *

Francis Magee Francis Magee (born 7 June 1959) is an Irish actor. He portrayed Liam Tyler in British soap opera ''EastEnders'' from 1993 to 1995. He has also appeared in numerous television shows and feature films, including ''Sahara'' (2005), ''Layer Cake'' ...

as Mr. Leslie McManus - The senior consultant on the ward. He has a fierce temper. *

Derek Riddell Derek Riddell (born 11 January 1967) is a Scottish television and theatre actor. He is best known for the portrayal of Dr. Jamie Patterson in the Channel 4 television series ''No Angels''. He has also guest starred in '' Doctor Who'', ''Ugly B ...

as Dr. Jamie Patterson - McManus' golden boy. He has had both a short term relationship and a fling with Kate, and has slept with Beth. At the end of series three he reconciles with long term girlfriend Lia after his return from Australia, where he admits that he loves her. * James Frost as Dr. Callum Parker - McManus' House Officer in the series. He is a reluctant doctor, having trained just to appease his parents. His true passion is golf, at which he is excellent - a passion he leaves medicine to pursue in series 2, but he later returns to the hospital. He is very shy and unassertive, something Anji tries to help him with, however it is revealed when he begins a relationship with physiotherapist Daisy that he is extremely sexually talented. In series 3 he declares his love for Anji, and they begin a relationship. * Charlotte Leach as Emma - Lia's daughter. She lives with her father and step-mother, Sally. At the end of series 3 she asks to live with Lia, as she finds Sally too controlling and would prefer to be with her mum. *

Lynn Ferguson Lynn Ferguson Tweddle (born 11 April 1965) is a Scottish writer, actress, and story coach. She is the younger sister of comedian Craig Ferguson and is known for voicing the character of Mac in the animated film, ''Chicken Run''. Early life Fergus ...

as Stella

Decommission

On 19 August 2005, Channel 4 announced that the show was to end after a third and final series. Newly appointed drama commissioner at the station Francis Hopkinson decided to cancel the show after the eight episodes of Series 3 had aired. He stated "All the characters have moved on..I didn't like the idea of starting again with new characters so we're ending it while it's on top." Channel 4 said that by ending the series they were able to focus more on issue-based dramas.

Filming

The filming for all three series of the show took place mainly at the disused

High Royds Hospital High Royds Hospital is a former psychiatric hospital south of the village of Menston, West Yorkshire, England. The hospital, which opened in 1888, closed in 2003 and the site has since been developed for residential use. History The estate on ...

site in nearby

Menston Menston is a village and civil parish in the City of Bradford in the county of West Yorkshire, England. Along with Burley in Wharfedale, most of Menston is within Wharfedale Ward in the metropolitan borough of Bradford. The remainder of Men ...

. Most other filming took place in

Leeds city centre Leeds city centre is the central business district of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. It is roughly bounded by the Leeds Inner Ring Road, Inner Ring Road to the north and the River Aire to the south and can be divided into several quarters. C ...

and

Bradford Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...

References

External links