Maria Kendall
Encyclopedia
Maria Kendall was a fictional character
on the BBC television series Holby City
, portrayed by actress Phoebe Thomas
. The character first appeared on-screen on 28 November 2006 in the episode It's Been A Long Day - Series 9, Episode 7 of the programme. Her role in the show was originally that of a naive and inexperienced Student Nurse, with a slightly naughty side and a penchant for spreading hospital gossip. She later held the position of Staff Nurse. The character last appeared on-screen on 19 May 2010 in the episode Time and Tide: Part Two - Series 12, Episode 34 of the programme.
Maria's surname is actually misspelt 'Kendal' on her nameplate, as can be clearly seen in photographs which have been published in magazines such as Inside Soap
.
, in Series 8, Episode 17. The creation of the character Maria - deliberately introduced an episode after the death of Tricia Williams, helped redress this balance to some extent, while also adding to the cast a Student Nurse for the first time since Jess Griffin's career change in Series 4, Episode 50.
and Maddy Young
and they were responsible for spreading the news of Connie Beauchamp
's pregnancy around the hospital. She had a brief flirtation with Matt Parker for a bet but was disappointed to learn he already had a girlfriend.
On her first day as a qualified nurse, Maria was attacked by a psychotic patient and had to stab him with a pair of scissors to fend him off. She had to take two weeks' compassionate leave. Shortly after her return, Maria was promoted to Staff Nurse.
It had previously been revealed that Maria was adopted at the age of three, after she was found abandoned as a baby in a ladies' washroom at Kew Gardens. Even when she was old enough to do so, Maria never tried to trace her birth parents; as far as she was concerned, her adoptive parents were – and always would be – her mum and dad. However, fate took the decision out of Maria's hands in May 2008, when her biological mother, Alex Deacon, was admitted to Holby City Hospital. Although Maria did not tell Alex who she was, she did convince Alex to have a life-saving operation. Alex told Maria about the baby she abandoned.
In the episode "We Serve All Who Come To Us", it became clear Maria had developed a crush on Sam Strachan
. However, the feeling was not mutual, so their relationship did not develop past friendship for quite some time. Sam changed his mind about his feelings for Maria in December 2008. Unfortunately Sam's newly-arrived long-lost son, Kieron Patel, a talented violinist, also developed feelings for Maria. While she liked him, she preferred Sam. Not wanting to come between them, she stayed in Holby when they left for New York
.
In the episode "Maria's Christmas Carol", it was revealed that Maria was born on 15 October 1987, the day before the Great Storm
, when the Ghost of Christmas Past showed her the events surrounding her birth.
The Ghost of Christmas Present showed a patient dying because she forgot to meet him for Christmas lunch. This was to show her how important she is to other people.
The Ghost of Christmas Future showed her, Sam and Kieron three years from now. Maria and Sam were married, and living and working in a hospital in New York. Maria was also expecting a baby, but Kieron was devastated that Maria had married Sam. He was so hurt that Maria and Sam had lied to him about their relationship that he refused to play the violin again, smashing the instrument to pieces in front of her. When Maria told Kieron that she had only ever loved him as a son, he deliberately stepped out in front of a truck. Kieron was rushed into hospital, but died on the operating table before the eyes of his father and stepmother.
When Maria returned to the present day and arrived at the Christmas party at Holby City Hospital to which she had been preparing to go before the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future had shown up, she made her peace with Donna (with whom she had argued earlier in the day), telling her that she was the best mate she had ever had, and told Sam that she wouldn't be going to live in New York with him and Kieron – thus ensuring that the events of 2011 that she had seen would never happen.
In the episode "Just a Perfect Day", Maria goes into the ladies' washroom to find Maddy bleeding out on the floor, having been stabbed in the back by the evil Chantelle, a convict whom Maddy had treated. She does the resuscitation procedure on Maddy, but at the end of the episode it is shown that Maddy has actually died and Maria blames herself for her friend's death. In the following week's episode, "What will Survive of Us?", Maria struggles to come to terms with Maddy's death, blaming herself for not moving the OUT OF ORDER sign from outside the washroom which, if she had, Maddy would have been found sooner and probably still be alive now. Not even the news that Chantelle has been arrested is enough to reassure her. Maria is asked by Linden to write a speech for Maddy's memorial service, which she does, but she can't read it because she is too upset. Donna steps in and reads the speech on Maria's behalf.
In September 2009 Maria ended up being hit by a car outside the hospital. Following Maria's accident, Ric
tried to save her life. A fracture was discovered in Maria's spine. When she woke up she had no feeling in the lower part of her body. Donna
tried to lift Maria's spirits and tried to get her to make friends with another patient on the ward. Maria learns she could be paralysed for life and her only chance is an operation which could cost her everything. Ric and Henry Miller operate on Maria. Maria is determined to stay positive about her future.
Maria left Holby in May 2010 when she got a new job.
Today Maria plays sister when Faye Byrne can't be there.
charity telethon included a segment featuring the Holby City
cast performing a version of Hung Up
by Madonna
. Although the character had not yet made her on-screen debut in the programme, Phoebe Thomas as Maria Kendall appeared in the sketch - as did fellow newcomers Peter Wingfield
(Dan Clifford) and Nadine Lewington
(Maddy Young
) who also had yet to arrive in the show itself.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
on the BBC television series Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
, portrayed by actress Phoebe Thomas
Phoebe Thomas
Phoebe Thomas is a British actress.Thomas made a name for herself playing Holly Curran on Night and Day from 2001 to 2003. In 2005 she went on to star in the Five soap, Family Affairs, as homeless Jane Hughes...
. The character first appeared on-screen on 28 November 2006 in the episode It's Been A Long Day - Series 9, Episode 7 of the programme. Her role in the show was originally that of a naive and inexperienced Student Nurse, with a slightly naughty side and a penchant for spreading hospital gossip. She later held the position of Staff Nurse. The character last appeared on-screen on 19 May 2010 in the episode Time and Tide: Part Two - Series 12, Episode 34 of the programme.
Maria's surname is actually misspelt 'Kendal' on her nameplate, as can be clearly seen in photographs which have been published in magazines such as Inside Soap
Inside Soap
Inside Soap is a weekly UK magazine, released every Tuesday. It covers current and future storylines in soap operas shown in the United Kingdom....
.
Background
Prior to the introduction of the character Maria, Holby City had lost three regular nursing characters over the course of Series 8 and the beginning of Series 9 - Staff Nurses Jess Griffin, Mickie Hendrie, and Tricia Williams. Despite this outflow of nursing staff, the only recurring nursing character introduced in the show during this period had been Acting Sister Kyla TysonKyla Tyson
Kyla Tyson is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Rakie Ayola. She appeared from 7 February 2006 to 9 December 2008, from the series eight episode "I'll Be Back" to the series eleven episode "Sweet Bitter Love"...
, in Series 8, Episode 17. The creation of the character Maria - deliberately introduced an episode after the death of Tricia Williams, helped redress this balance to some extent, while also adding to the cast a Student Nurse for the first time since Jess Griffin's career change in Series 4, Episode 50.
Storylines
Maria arrived in Holby as a relatively inexperienced student nurse. From her entrance in the episode "It's Been A Long Day", she was visibly shaken by the experience of patients' deaths and also to be somewhat gullible in believing patients' stories. Maria made friends with Donna JacksonDonna Jackson
Donna Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actress Jaye Jacobs. She appeared in the programme from its sixth series in 2004, to its thirteenth in 2011. Donna entered the series as a staff nurse, characterised as a wild-child with a chaotic personal life...
and Maddy Young
Maddy Young
Madeleine "Maddy" Young is a fictional character in the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Nadine Lewington. The character first appeared on-screen on 16 January 2007, in episode "Face Value" - series 9, episode 15 of the programme. Her final appearance in the show was in the Series...
and they were responsible for spreading the news of Connie Beauchamp
Connie Beauchamp
Constance "Connie" Beauchamp is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Amanda Mealing. She first appeared in the series six episode "In at the Deep End", broadcast on 1 June 2004, and remained in the programme until its thirteenth series, departing in the...
's pregnancy around the hospital. She had a brief flirtation with Matt Parker for a bet but was disappointed to learn he already had a girlfriend.
On her first day as a qualified nurse, Maria was attacked by a psychotic patient and had to stab him with a pair of scissors to fend him off. She had to take two weeks' compassionate leave. Shortly after her return, Maria was promoted to Staff Nurse.
It had previously been revealed that Maria was adopted at the age of three, after she was found abandoned as a baby in a ladies' washroom at Kew Gardens. Even when she was old enough to do so, Maria never tried to trace her birth parents; as far as she was concerned, her adoptive parents were – and always would be – her mum and dad. However, fate took the decision out of Maria's hands in May 2008, when her biological mother, Alex Deacon, was admitted to Holby City Hospital. Although Maria did not tell Alex who she was, she did convince Alex to have a life-saving operation. Alex told Maria about the baby she abandoned.
In the episode "We Serve All Who Come To Us", it became clear Maria had developed a crush on Sam Strachan
Sam Strachan
Samuel Noel "Sam" Strachan is a fictional character in the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actor Tom Chambers. The character first appeared on-screen on 3 January 2006, in episode "Mother Love" - series 8, episode 12 of the programme...
. However, the feeling was not mutual, so their relationship did not develop past friendship for quite some time. Sam changed his mind about his feelings for Maria in December 2008. Unfortunately Sam's newly-arrived long-lost son, Kieron Patel, a talented violinist, also developed feelings for Maria. While she liked him, she preferred Sam. Not wanting to come between them, she stayed in Holby when they left for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In the episode "Maria's Christmas Carol", it was revealed that Maria was born on 15 October 1987, the day before the Great Storm
Great Storm
Great Storm may refer to:* Great Storm of 1703* Great Lakes Storm of 1913* North Sea flood of 1953, also known as The Great Storm of 1953* Ash Wednesday Storm of 1962, also known as The Great Atlantic Storm of 1962...
, when the Ghost of Christmas Past showed her the events surrounding her birth.
The Ghost of Christmas Present showed a patient dying because she forgot to meet him for Christmas lunch. This was to show her how important she is to other people.
The Ghost of Christmas Future showed her, Sam and Kieron three years from now. Maria and Sam were married, and living and working in a hospital in New York. Maria was also expecting a baby, but Kieron was devastated that Maria had married Sam. He was so hurt that Maria and Sam had lied to him about their relationship that he refused to play the violin again, smashing the instrument to pieces in front of her. When Maria told Kieron that she had only ever loved him as a son, he deliberately stepped out in front of a truck. Kieron was rushed into hospital, but died on the operating table before the eyes of his father and stepmother.
When Maria returned to the present day and arrived at the Christmas party at Holby City Hospital to which she had been preparing to go before the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future had shown up, she made her peace with Donna (with whom she had argued earlier in the day), telling her that she was the best mate she had ever had, and told Sam that she wouldn't be going to live in New York with him and Kieron – thus ensuring that the events of 2011 that she had seen would never happen.
In the episode "Just a Perfect Day", Maria goes into the ladies' washroom to find Maddy bleeding out on the floor, having been stabbed in the back by the evil Chantelle, a convict whom Maddy had treated. She does the resuscitation procedure on Maddy, but at the end of the episode it is shown that Maddy has actually died and Maria blames herself for her friend's death. In the following week's episode, "What will Survive of Us?", Maria struggles to come to terms with Maddy's death, blaming herself for not moving the OUT OF ORDER sign from outside the washroom which, if she had, Maddy would have been found sooner and probably still be alive now. Not even the news that Chantelle has been arrested is enough to reassure her. Maria is asked by Linden to write a speech for Maddy's memorial service, which she does, but she can't read it because she is too upset. Donna steps in and reads the speech on Maria's behalf.
In September 2009 Maria ended up being hit by a car outside the hospital. Following Maria's accident, Ric
Ric Griffin
Kobina Eric "Ric" Griffin MBBS MD PhD FRCS FRCS is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actor Hugh Quarshie. The character first appeared on-screen on 9 October 2001 in episode "Rogue Males" - series 4, episode 1 of the programme...
tried to save her life. A fracture was discovered in Maria's spine. When she woke up she had no feeling in the lower part of her body. Donna
Donna Jackson
Donna Jackson is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actress Jaye Jacobs. She appeared in the programme from its sixth series in 2004, to its thirteenth in 2011. Donna entered the series as a staff nurse, characterised as a wild-child with a chaotic personal life...
tried to lift Maria's spirits and tried to get her to make friends with another patient on the ward. Maria learns she could be paralysed for life and her only chance is an operation which could cost her everything. Ric and Henry Miller operate on Maria. Maria is determined to stay positive about her future.
Maria left Holby in May 2010 when she got a new job.
Today Maria plays sister when Faye Byrne can't be there.
Departure
On 17 February 2010, it was announced on the official Holby City website that Phoebe Thomas had just shot her final scenes as Maria which will be on screen in May.In popular culture
The 17 November 2006 Children in NeedChildren in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
charity telethon included a segment featuring the Holby City
Holby City
Holby City, stylised as Holby Ci+y, is a British medical drama television series that airs weekly on BBC One.The series was created by Tony McHale and Mal Young as a spin-off from the established BBC medical drama Casualty, and premiered on 12 January 1999...
cast performing a version of Hung Up
Hung Up
"Hung Up" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was written and produced in collaboration with Stuart Price, and released as the first single from her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Initially used in a number of television advertisements and serials, the song was...
by Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Although the character had not yet made her on-screen debut in the programme, Phoebe Thomas as Maria Kendall appeared in the sketch - as did fellow newcomers Peter Wingfield
Peter Wingfield
Peter Wingfield is a Welsh born television actor, well known for his television roles as Dan Clifford in Holby City, Dr. Robert Helm in Queen of Swords and Inspector Simon Ross in Cold Squad...
(Dan Clifford) and Nadine Lewington
Nadine Lewington
Nadine Lewington is a British actress, most notable for her role as Dr Young on Holby City. Raised in Witham, Essex, Nadine is the eldest daughter of Tony and Sonia Lewington. She attended the Anglo European School, Ingatestone. She has one sister, Vania....
(Maddy Young
Maddy Young
Madeleine "Maddy" Young is a fictional character in the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Nadine Lewington. The character first appeared on-screen on 16 January 2007, in episode "Face Value" - series 9, episode 15 of the programme. Her final appearance in the show was in the Series...
) who also had yet to arrive in the show itself.