''The Grand'' is a British television drama series produced by

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire but only on weekdays as ABC Weekend Television was it ...

for the

ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...

network, broadcast between 4 April 1997 and 3 April 1998. It was written by

Russell T Davies Stephen Russell Davies (born 27 April 1963), better known as Russell T Davies, is a Welsh screenwriter and television producer whose works include '' Queer as Folk'', '' The Second Coming'', ''Casanova'', the 2005 revival of the BBC One scie ...

and set in a grand hotel in

Manchester Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...

in the 1920s. There are two series: eight episodes in the first series were broadcast from 4 April 1997 to 23 May 1997 and ten in the second series from 30 January 1998 to 3 April 1998. All 18 episodes were written by Russell T Davies. The cast included

Susan Hampshire Susan Hampshire, Lady Kulukundis, (born 12 May 1937) is an English actress known for her many television and film roles. A three-time Emmy Award winner, she won for ''The Forsyte Saga'' in 1970, ''The First Churchills'' in 1969, and for '' Vani ...

Julia St. John Julia St John is an England, English actress. Her television credits include ''A Touch of Frost'', ''The Brittas Empire'', ''Agatha Christie's Poirot'', ''Lovejoy'', ''Minder (TV series), Minder'', ''Harry Enfield's Television Programme, Harry E ...

, Tim Healy,

Michael Siberry Michael Siberry (born 1956) is an Australian stage and screen actor. Life and career Siberry was born in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia and began his career in Adel ...

Stephen Moyer Stephen Moyer (born Stephen John Emery; 11 October 1969) is an English film and television actor who is best known as vampire Bill Compton in the HBO series ''True Blood''. His first television role was in 1993 as Philip Masefield in the TV ad ...

and

Mark McGann Mark Anthony McGann (born 12 July 1961) is an English actor. Early life He attended the De La Salle Grammar School, Liverpool. Mark's father Joe was a Royal Naval Commando who died in 1984, and his mother Clare was a teacher. His three bro ...

. The two series were novelised by

Catrin Collier Karen Watkins (née Jones, born 1948), writing as Catrin Collier, is a Welsh novelist known for her historical works, especially those in the ''Hearts of Gold'' series, set in her home town of Pontypridd between 1930 and 1950, the first of whic ...

, under the

pen name A pen name, also called a ''nom de plume'' or a literary double, is a pseudonym (or, in some cases, a variant form of a real name) adopted by an author and printed on the title page or by-line of their works in place of their real name. A pen na ...

Katherine Hardy.

Characters

The series featured the Bannerman family that owned and ran the hotel, the staff that lived in the basement and occasional guests. At the series opening, the very upright John Bannerman (

) has just reopened the Grand, which he inherited from his overbearing father and which he now owns and operates with his staid and steady wife, Sarah (

). On opening night of the new, refurbished Grand, their son, Stephen (

in the first series, Ifan Meredith in the second) returns from service in World War I. Initially a happy occasion, it soon becomes apparent that Stephen is a damaged young man who hides his pain in alcohol. Their daughter, Adele (

Camilla Power Camilla Joy Cynthia Power (born 13 November 1976) is an Irish-born English actress. She is best known for her appearances in the television series ''Emmerdale'' and '' Waterloo Road''. Early life and education Power was born in Cork, Ireland, a ...

), a young teenager, feels ignored and finds more in common with the staff than she does her own family. After an unfortunate series of events puts the Grand in financial jeopardy, John's younger brother, Marcus (

), a very intelligent but seemingly heartless businessman with shady connections to the underworld, offers to save the day by becoming a partner in the hotel—but are his motivations genuine, or does he have an ulterior motive? Also featured are John's stuffy mother, Mary, and Marcus' "lady friend," the beautiful Ruth Manning ( Amanda Mealing in the first series, Victoria Scarborough in the second) who appears to be every bit Marcus' equal when it comes to cold-hearted calculation. Jacob Collins ( Tim Healy) is the all-seeing hall porter, seemingly in total control, yet plagued by demons of his own. Mrs Harvey (Christine Mackie) is the housekeeper who rules over the chambermaids with the iron hand of a prison guard. The most level headed of the chambermaids is the lovely Kate Morris (

Rebecca Callard Rebecca Jayne Callard (born 3 June 1975) is an English actress and writer. Early life Callard was born Rebecca Jayne Atkinson, the only surviving child from her mother Beverley Callard's first marriage to Paul Atkinson. Her parents divorced i ...

), who fights to convince herself and others that everyone has their place. Another chambermaid, the lively, likable, but unsatisfied and eternally in trouble Monica Jones (

Jane Danson Jane Danson (born Jane Elizabeth Dawson, 8 November 1978) is an English actress. She is known for her portrayal of Leanne Battersby in the ITV soap opera, '' Coronation Street'', between 1997 and 2000, and from 2004 onwards. Her other television ...

) is Kate's polar opposite. Lynn Milligan, Brenda Potter, Monica Jones play the other chambermaids. The ready-steady footman/bartender is Clive (Paul Warriner). Guests that featured in the series were Miss Esme Harkness (

), a madame and semi-retired prostitute, who takes Monica under her wing; James Cornell (

Daniel Casey Daniel Casey (born 1 June 1972) is an English actor. He is best known for playing DS Gavin Troy, the original sidekick of DCI Tom Barnaby, for the first six seasons of the long-running television series ''Midsomer Murders''. Early life ...

); Maggie Rigby (

Lucy Davis Lucy Clare Davis (born 17 February 1973) is an English actress best known for playing Dawn Tinsley in the BBC comedy ''The Office'' (2001–2003). She is also known for her roles as Hilda Spellman in the Netflix series '' The Chilling Adven ...

); a troublemaking school friend of Adele's, and her father, Lawrence, John Middleton.

Books

* *

References

External links

The Grand
at the

British Film Institute The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery to encourage film production, ...

Film & TV database (includes full cast and credits, and episode synopses) * {{DEFAULTSORT:Grand, The 1997 British television series debuts 1998 British television series endings 1990s British drama television series Television series set in the 1920s ITV television dramas Television series by ITV Studios Television shows written by Russell T Davies Television shows set in Manchester Television shows produced by Granada Television English-language television shows Television series created by Russell T Davies