Bad Girls is a British drama series showed on ITV1. It is set in the fictional women's prison of Larkhall, and features a mixture of serious and light storylines focusing on the prisoners and staff of G Wing.
Bad Girls is produced by Shed productions, the company which later produced Footballer's Wives.
Series
The first series of Bad Girls was shown in 1999, lasting 10 episodes. There have been six series in total, ranging from 10 to 16 episodes, while a seventh series is currently being aired. All series have been shown on ITV1, at 9pm: the day has varied between Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Bad Girls is currently shown at 9pm Tuesday nights on ITV1.
Storylines
Bad Girls has not been one to shy away from controversy. The first three series featured prominently the developing romantic relationship between Nikki Wade, a prisoner serving life for manslaughter, and Helen Stewart, the Wing Governor who spent much of series 1 engaged to a man. The story featured more than one kiss, and one bed scene, but never became graphic: many viewers regarded the subtlety of the portrayal of the relationship as one of its strongest assets. For this reason, Bad Girls has ammassed a significant following within the lesbian community.
Other storylines to feature prominently in early series included the pregnancy of a young drug addict, the suicide of a teenage prisoner following bullying, and the illicit relationship between Jim Fenner, the male senior officer and Shell Dockley, the resident bully and drug dealer, serving life for murder. Shell's background was later examined in some detail, with harrowing scenes describing childhood abuse. For light relief, hooch was brewed in a watering can, a stray cat was adopted into the prison, and Yvonne Atkins, the gangster's moll set up "Babes Behind Bars", a sex-hotline staffed by the prisoners, playing such characters as "Whiplash Wanda", "Saucy Sonia" and "Vicky the virgin bride".
As the drama continued through series four to six, the storylines got darker and more fast-paced. It showed domestic violence within the relationship of Di Barker and Barry Pearce and featured the upsetting storyline of teenage junkie's battle for the right to see her disabled son, Baxter. The fourth series ended with the prison library being obliterated, resulting in a fire which claimed the life of inmate Shaz.
The fifth series of Bad Girls took us to a dark, disturbing place indeed, with numerous deaths, including the very shocking demise of fan-favourite Yvonne Atkins at the hands of the evil Jim Fenner. He was sent to prison for a short period, but due to the devotedness of new wife Di, the lucky prison officer was allowed to see daylight again. Will he get his comeuppance in the seventh series of Bad Girls? Only time will tell...
Characters
Beware: This section details current and former cast correct at the end of series six to the current episode of series seven, and hence may contain spoiler information.
Current Characters
Officers
- Jim Fenner (Jack Ellis)
- Di Fenner (Tracey Wilkinson)
- Neil Grayling (James Gaddas)
- Colin Hedges (Tristian Sturrock)
- Sylvia Hollamby (Helen Fraser)
Inmates
- Natalie Buxton (Dannielle Brent)
- Darlene Cake (Antonia Okanma)
- Julie Johnston (Kika Mirylees)
- Pat Kerrigan (Liz May Price)
- Janine Nebeski (Nicola Stapleton)
- Tina O'Kane (Victoria Bush)
- Phyl Oswyn (Stephanie Beacham)
- Arun Parmar (Rebecca Hazlewood)
- Julie Saunders (Victoria Alcock)
- Sister Thomas (Colette O'Neil)
- Bev Tull (Amanda Barrie)
Others
- Dr Malcolm Nicholson (Phillip Mc.Gough)
Former Characters
Officers
- Karen Betts (Claire King)
- Ken Blakeson (Eugene Walker)
- Selena Geeson (Charlotte Lucas)
- Dominic McAllister (Joe Shaw)
- PO Paula Miles (Nikki Amuka Bird)
- Josh Mitchell (Nathan Constance)
- Frances Myers (Eva Pope)
- Barry Pearce (Andrew Lancel)
- Lorna Rose (Luisa Bradshaw-White)
- Gina Rossi (Lisa Turner)
- Helen Stewart (Simone Lahbib)
- Simon Stubberfield (Roland Oliver)
- Mark Waddle (Paul Opacic)
Inmates:
- Yvonne Atkins (Linda Henry)
- Noreen Biggs (Maria Charles)
- Denny Blood (Alicya Eyo)
- Laura Canning (Francesca Fowler)
- Roisin Connor (Siobhan Mc.Carthy)
- Rhiannon Dawson (Jade Williams)
- Jessie Devlin (Denise Black)
- Shell Dockley (Debra Stephenson)
- Crystal Gordon (Sharon Duncan-Brewster)
- Rachel Hicks (Joanna Froggatt)
- Barbara Hunt (Isabelle Amyes)
- Buki Lester (Kim Oliver)
- Monica Lindsey (Jane Lowe)
- Al McKenzie (Pauline Campbell)
- Snowball Merriman (Nicole Faraday)
- Charlotte Myddleton (Kate Steavenson-Payne)
- Virginia O'Kane (Kate O'Mara)
- Zandra Plackett (Lara Cazalet)
- Maxi Purvis (Kerry Norton)
- 'Mad' Tessa Spall (Helen Schlesinger)
- Tanya Turner (Zoe Lucker)
- Cassie Tyler (Kellie Bright)
- Nikki Wade (Mandana Jones)
- Renee Williams (Alison Newman)
- Shaz Wylie (Lindsey Fawcett)
- Kris Yates (Jennifer Ness)
Supporting Characters
- Charlie Atkins (Ivan Kaye)
- Lauren Atkins (Danielle King)
- Ritchie Atkins (Alex King)
- Eric Bostock (Paul Brennen)
- Rita Dockley (Julie Le Grand)
- Frank (Paul Henry)
- Marilyn Fenner (Kim Taylforth)
- Bobby Hollamby (Geoffrey Hutchings)
- Spencer Lindsay (Timmy Lang)
- Rev. Henry Mills (Michael Elwyn)
- Benjamin Phillips (Richard Mylan)
- Prison Chaplain (David Case)
- Ian Ravenscroft (Carl Brincat)
- Rick Revoir (Geff Francis)
- Meg Richards (Sian Webber)
- Robin (Gideon Turner)
- David Saunders (Rod Culbertson)
- Sean (Oliver Fox)
- Trisha (Victoria Pritchard)
- Dr Thomas Waugh (Micheal Higgs)
- Milly Yates (Holly Palmer)
Crew
Writers
- Martin Allen
- Di Burrows
- Jaime Caruana
- Maureen Chadwick
- Jaden Clark
- Phil Ford
- Tom Higgins
- Jayne Hollinson
- Tim Hyndman
- Liz Lake
- Nick Malmholt
- Ann McManus
- Paul Mousley
- Louise Page
- Guy Picot
- Mark Wadlow
- Sally Wainwright
- Miranda Wilson
Directors
- Mike Adams
- David Crean
- Nigel Douglas
- Julie Edwards
- Brett Fallis
- Jim O'Hanlon
- David Holroyd
- Julian Homes
- Jo Johnson
- Ian Knox
- Craig Lines
- Jim Loach
- Laurence Moody
- Di Patrick
- A. J. Quinn
- Ian White
Producers
- Mike Adams
- David Crean
- Claire Phillips
- Cameron Roach
Executive Producer
- Brian Park
Associate Producer
- Eileen Gallagher
Casting
- Margaret Crawford
Creator
- Ann McManus
Editor
- Colin Fair
Creators
- Maureen Chadwick
- Eileen Gallagher
Story Editor
- Ann McManus
Executive Story Editor
- Maureen Chadwick
First Assistant Director
- Chris Alexander
Costume Designer
- Sarah Arthur
Property Masters
- Alison MacMillan
- Nick Walker
Make-up Artist
- Rebekah McVitie
- Susie Munachen
- Kate Rudlin
Camera Operator
- John Piggott
Stunt Director
- Erol Mehmet