Dorothy Wainwright
Encyclopedia
Dorothy Wainwright is a fictional character in the 1980s British sitcom
, Yes, Prime Minister. She was portrayed by Deborah Norton
.
During the time that James Hacker
served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, Wainwright served as his Chief Political Advisor. She had already served his predecessor in a similar role. She continuously tries to foil Sir Humphrey Appleby's
plans to deceive the Prime Minister, so Humphrey begins to hate her, calling her "that impossible woman" and "that Wainwright female". Whenever they met however, he would smile and address her as "dear lady."
Sir Humphrey did not underestimate her. He tried to have her office moved as far away from the Prime Minister as possible — from next to the gents' loo, which Dorothy found convenient since she was able to listen in to cabinet ministers plotting against their colleagues whenever they answered a call of nature. She insisted on returning to next to the gents' loo and, when Sir Humphrey tried to block this, advised Hacker on how to "clip his wings" in order to get the Cabinet Secretary to be more cooperative and Hacker to assert some authority over him.
When Sir Humphrey and Sir Frank Gordon, the head of the Treasury, tried to trick the cabinet into approving a massive pay rise for the civil service, they submitted a massive report of several hundred pages in order to support their claim — and which the ministers were hardly likely to read through thoroughly. Dorothy read through it however and warned Hacker of their scheme. Although Gordon's attempt was blocked, Sir Humphrey did manage to persuade Hacker to approve what seemed to be a more sensible pay increase (but designed in such a way that it was the actual increase without appearing to be) and suggested that they keep it secret, even from political advisors.
In the stage version of Yes Prime Minister (2010) a new special advisor appeared: Claire Sutton, played by Emily Joyce
, who, with her bobbed hair
and sharp clothing displayed some of the features of the youngish, high-flying women who had been part of the New Labour "inner circle" at Downing Street between 1997 and 2010.
British sitcom
A British sitcom tends, as it does in most other countries, to be based on a family, workplace or other institution, where the same group of contrasting characters is brought together in each episode. Unlike American sitcoms, where twenty or more episodes in a season is the norm, British sitcoms...
, Yes, Prime Minister. She was portrayed by Deborah Norton
Deborah Norton
Deborah Norton is an English actress best known for her appearances in Yes, Prime Minister and A Bit of Fry and Laurie.- Personal life :...
.
During the time that James Hacker
James Hacker
James George Hacker, Baron Hacker of Islington, KG, PC, B. Sc. , Hon. D. C. L. was a fictional British politician. He was the Minister of the fictional Department of Administrative Affairs, and later the Prime Minister, in the 1980s British sitcom Yes Minister and its sequel, Yes, Prime Minister...
served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Wainwright served as his Chief Political Advisor. She had already served his predecessor in a similar role. She continuously tries to foil Sir Humphrey Appleby's
Humphrey Appleby
Sir Humphrey Appleby, GCB, KBE, MVO, MA , is a fictional character from the British television series Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He was played by Sir Nigel Hawthorne. In Yes Minister, he is the Permanent Secretary for the Department of Administrative Affairs...
plans to deceive the Prime Minister, so Humphrey begins to hate her, calling her "that impossible woman" and "that Wainwright female". Whenever they met however, he would smile and address her as "dear lady."
Sir Humphrey did not underestimate her. He tried to have her office moved as far away from the Prime Minister as possible — from next to the gents' loo, which Dorothy found convenient since she was able to listen in to cabinet ministers plotting against their colleagues whenever they answered a call of nature. She insisted on returning to next to the gents' loo and, when Sir Humphrey tried to block this, advised Hacker on how to "clip his wings" in order to get the Cabinet Secretary to be more cooperative and Hacker to assert some authority over him.
When Sir Humphrey and Sir Frank Gordon, the head of the Treasury, tried to trick the cabinet into approving a massive pay rise for the civil service, they submitted a massive report of several hundred pages in order to support their claim — and which the ministers were hardly likely to read through thoroughly. Dorothy read through it however and warned Hacker of their scheme. Although Gordon's attempt was blocked, Sir Humphrey did manage to persuade Hacker to approve what seemed to be a more sensible pay increase (but designed in such a way that it was the actual increase without appearing to be) and suggested that they keep it secret, even from political advisors.
In the stage version of Yes Prime Minister (2010) a new special advisor appeared: Claire Sutton, played by Emily Joyce
Emily Joyce
Emily Sian Joyce is an English stage and television actress.-Early life:Joyce is the youngest of three sisters, all of whom are in the entertainment business in the UK. Their mother loved the theatre and took the three girls to shows constantly...
, who, with her bobbed hair
Bob cut
A "bob cut" is a short haircut for women in which the hair is typically cut straight around the head at about jaw-level, often with a fringe at the front.-The beginning:...
and sharp clothing displayed some of the features of the youngish, high-flying women who had been part of the New Labour "inner circle" at Downing Street between 1997 and 2010.