''Reckless'' is a British television serial written by

Paul Abbott Paul Abbott (born 22 February 1960) is an English television screenwriter and producer. Abbott has become one of the most critically and commercially successful television writers working in Britain, following his work on popular series such as ...

. 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, it aired in six parts in the UK in 1997. A two-hour sequel, ''Reckless: The Sequel'', was shown in 1998.

Plot outline

Dr Owen Springer is a surgeon in his thirties, on his way from London to Manchester to move in with his ailing father. On the train journey, Owen needs to make an urgent phone call but the only person who will allow him to use her mobile phone is fellow passenger, Anna Fairley, a beautiful woman in her forties. Unbeknownst to Owen, she is also the head of the management consultancy administering his forthcoming personality assessment for a new job at a local Manchester hospital. By the time of their second meeting, Owen has already developed romantic feelings towards Anna, though she spurns all his advances. To complicate matters further, Owen discovers Anna is also the wife of his new boss at the hospital, Dr Richard Crane. However, Owen discovers Richard is having an affair himself, knowledge which he uses to bring himself and Anna closer together.

Cast

* Owen Springer -

Robson Green Robson Golightly Green (born 18 December 1964) is an English actor, angler, singer-songwriter and presenter. His first major TV role was as hospital porter Jimmy Powell in BBC drama series ''Casualty'' in 1989. He then went on to portray Fusili ...

* Anna Fairley -

Francesca Annis Francesca Annis (born 14 May 1945) is an English actress. She is known for television roles in '' Reckless'' (1998), ''Wives and Daughters'' (1999), ''Deceit'' (2000), and '' Cranford'' (2007). A six-time BAFTA TV Award nominee, she won the 1979 ...

* Richard Crane -

Michael Kitchen Michael Roy Kitchen (born 31 October 1948) is an English actor and television producer, best known for his starring role as Detective Chief Superintendent Christopher Foyle in the ITV drama ''Foyle's War'', which comprised eight series betwee ...

* Arnold Springer - David Bradley * Vivien Reid -

Daniela Nardini Daniela Nardini (born 26 April 1968, Largs) is a Scottish actress who played Anna Forbes in the BBC Two television series ''This Life''. The role earned her a BAFTA Best Actress award in 1998 and also earned her a Scottish BAFTA. She won a sec ...

* John McGinley - Conor Mullen * Danny Glassman -

Julian Rhind-Tutt Julian Alistair Rhind-Tutt (born 20 July 1967) is an English actor, best known for playing Dr "Mac" Macartney in the comedy television series ''Green Wing'' (2004–2006). Early life Rhind-Tutt was born in West Drayton, Middlesex, the youngest o ...

* Myrtle Fairley -

Margery Mason Margery Mason (27 September 1913 – 26 January 2014) was an English actress and director. She was the artistic director of the Repertory Theatre in Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland in the 1960s. Career Mason played Sarah Stevens, the ...

* Irma -

Kathryn Hunt Kathryn Hunt is a British actress best known for her roles as Angela Harris in ''Coronation Street'' and Val Lorrimer in Series 1–2 of ''Fat Friends''. She also appeared in '' Waterloo Road'' and ''The Royal''. Kathryn also starred in the B ...

* Phyllis -

Kathryn Pogson Kathryn Pogson (born 1954) is an English film and stage actress. She appeared in Terry Gilliam's 1985 cult film ''Brazil''. She won a Best Actress Drama Desk Award for her performance in the 1986 New York production of ''Aunt Dan and Lemon''. S ...

* Michelle -

Debra Stephenson Debra Stephenson (born 4 June 1972) is an English actress, comedian, impressionist and singer, best known for her roles as Diane Powell in ''Playing the Field'', Shell Dockley in '' Bad Girls'' and as Frankie Baldwin in ''Coronation Street''. ...

Awards and nominations

BAFTA Television Award The BAFTA TV Awards, or British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the BAFTA. They have been awarded annually since 1955. Background The first-ever Awards, given in 1955, consisted of six categories. Until ...

- Best Actress - Francesca Annis (nominated) *

Royal Television Society Award The Royal Television Society (RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present, and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen r ...

- Best Writer - Paul Abbott (nominated) *

- Best Actor - Robson Green (nominated) *

National Television Awards The National Television Awards (often shortened to NTAs) is a British television awards ceremony, broadcast by the ITV network and initiated in 1995. The National Television Awards are the most prominent ceremony for which the results are voted ...

- Most Popular Drama (won) *

- Most Popular Actor - Robson Green (nominated)

US Airing

The series was shown in the United States as part of

PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...

' ''

Masterpiece Theatre ''Masterpiece'' (formerly known as ''Masterpiece Theatre'') is a drama anthology television series produced by WGBH-TV, WGBH Boston. It premiered on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on January 10, 1971. The series has presented numerous acclaim ...

''. For that airing every two episodes were combined, resulting in only three episodes, each running about 90 mins without commercials (excluding PBS intros).

DVD

''Reckless'' and its sequel are available on DVD, distributed by

Acorn Media UK RLJE International Ltd, d/b/a Acorn DVD, a British company that publishes and distributes DVDs, as well as selling home-video products and streaming videos with a particular focus on British television. History Launched in 1997, Acorn Media U. ...

External links

* * {{National Television Award for Outstanding Drama Series 1990s British drama television series ITV television dramas 1997 British television series debuts 1997 British television series endings 1990s British television miniseries Television series by ITV Studios Television shows produced by Granada Television English-language television shows Television shows set in Manchester