The Royal
Encyclopedia
The Royal is a British
medical drama
series produced by ITV
. The show comprises one hour episodes which were normally first aired on ITV in the Sunday early evening slot.
The title of the series refers to the fictional "St Aidan's Royal Free Hospital", located in the rural seaside town of Elsinby close to Aidensfield and the actual towns of Whitby
and Scarborough. The hospital served both the local farmers and townsfolk and visiting holidaymakers. The show was set in the 1960s and the outside scenes were filmed in the North Yorkshire
holiday resort of Scarborough. It began as a spin-off from the other popular ITV
show set in North Yorkshire, Heartbeat.
Stars of the show include Ian Carmichael
, Wendy Craig
, Robert Daws
and Amy Robbins
. The last ever episode of the show aired at 7.00pm on Sunday, 31 July 2011 on the ITV Network.
as a bed-ridden Claude Greengrass, but as the series progressed it generally dropped its character crossovers with Heartbeat to become its own entity.
The majority of the plots centred around medical emergencies and the moral dilemmas created or exposed by the emergencies. Typically there are several on-going crises, each being confronted by one or more staff members. The show tends to avoid political topics on the whole although the Vietnam War
was touched upon in one episode, the conflict between progressive and conservative social ideals is central to the show and these issues were addressed in greater detail in series 5 following the arrival of the black woman Doctor Joan Makori, who joined The Royal in episode 49. She later departed for Cameroon
in episode 55 with Nkeshi the Biafra
n refugee. The ethical challenges and social changes faced by the hospital staff and their patients mirror those faced by the world in the 1960s.
The Royal appears to be set primarily in 1969 and includes references to events such as the coming of colour television and the Vietnam War
. Like Heartbeat, all road tax discs bear the expiry date "31 DEC 69". However anachronism
s sometimes appear, such as characters in the series 7 episode "To Love & To Lose" referring to "the new Beatles film" (there was no new Beatles film that year). Some such anachronisms are likely to be accidental, such as a reference in the same episode to a career "glass ceiling", a phrase not coined until some years later.
There is one on-going and as yet unsolved mystery in The Royal: Matron's real name. She has never used a name throughout the series, nor has she ever been referred to by one (even her niece Susie Dixon only refers to her as "Auntie"). All that is known is that her nickname during the Second World War, when she served as a nurse, was "Toffee".
Filming often took place at Scarborough South Cliff by Holbeck Clock Tower during the summer months. Many of the old cars used in the filming can be seen residing at the Motor Museum at Thornton-le-Dale
just outside Scarborough. Interior scenes were filmed in the former Maternity Wing of St. Luke's Hospital, Bradford and The Leeds Studios
. St Luke's was chosen because it had not been updated in many years, and was very similar to how a 1960s hospital would have appeared.
on 21 June 2009. Subsequent episodes are expected to be shown in high definition on ITV HD as well as being shown in standard definition.
, comprising fifty thirty-minute episodes featuring the staff of The Royal set in the present day aired in January 2008.
This is a list of media releases of the television series Heartbeat, which includes DVD & VHS .
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
medical drama
Medical drama
A medical drama is a television program, in which events center upon a hospital, an ambulance staff, or any medical environment.In the United States, most medical episodes are one hour long and, more often than not, are set in a hospital. Most current medical Dramatic programming go beyond the...
series produced by ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
. The show comprises one hour episodes which were normally first aired on ITV in the Sunday early evening slot.
The title of the series refers to the fictional "St Aidan's Royal Free Hospital", located in the rural seaside town of Elsinby close to Aidensfield and the actual towns of Whitby
Whitby
Whitby is a seaside town, port and civil parish in the Scarborough borough of North Yorkshire, England. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, Whitby has a combined maritime, mineral and tourist heritage, and is home to the ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the...
and Scarborough. The hospital served both the local farmers and townsfolk and visiting holidaymakers. The show was set in the 1960s and the outside scenes were filmed in the North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
holiday resort of Scarborough. It began as a spin-off from the other popular ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
show set in North Yorkshire, Heartbeat.
Stars of the show include Ian Carmichael
Ian Carmichael
Ian Gillett Carmichael, OBE was an English film, stage, television and radio actor.-Early life:Carmichael was born in Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The son of an optician, he was educated at Scarborough College and Bromsgrove School, before training as an actor at RADA...
, Wendy Craig
Wendy Craig
Wendy Craig is a BAFTA Award winning English actress who is best known for her appearances in the sitcoms Butterflies, ...And Mother Makes Three and ...And Mother Makes Five...
, Robert Daws
Robert Daws
Robert Daws is an English actor. He is most notable for a variety of roles he has played in television dramas.-Career:Daws played Tuppy Glossop in the early 1990s version of Jeeves and Wooster...
and Amy Robbins
Amy Robbins
Amy Robbins is an English actress best known for her role as Dr. Jill Weatherill in the British television series The Royal. Prior to her current role she played Police Sergeant Rachel James in the BBC One hospital drama Casualty for one series...
. The last ever episode of the show aired at 7.00pm on Sunday, 31 July 2011 on the ITV Network.
Overview
The Royal was introduced in the 14th episode of the 12th series of Heartbeat entitled 'Out Of The Blue' and The Royal benefited from this connection to the extremely popular parent series; several Heartbeat characters appeared in the first couple of series of The Royal, most notably Bill MaynardBill Maynard
Walter Frederick George Williams , better known by the stage name Bill Maynard, is an English comedian and actor.-Early life and career:...
as a bed-ridden Claude Greengrass, but as the series progressed it generally dropped its character crossovers with Heartbeat to become its own entity.
The majority of the plots centred around medical emergencies and the moral dilemmas created or exposed by the emergencies. Typically there are several on-going crises, each being confronted by one or more staff members. The show tends to avoid political topics on the whole although the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
was touched upon in one episode, the conflict between progressive and conservative social ideals is central to the show and these issues were addressed in greater detail in series 5 following the arrival of the black woman Doctor Joan Makori, who joined The Royal in episode 49. She later departed for Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
in episode 55 with Nkeshi the Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
n refugee. The ethical challenges and social changes faced by the hospital staff and their patients mirror those faced by the world in the 1960s.
The Royal appears to be set primarily in 1969 and includes references to events such as the coming of colour television and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. Like Heartbeat, all road tax discs bear the expiry date "31 DEC 69". However anachronism
Anachronism
An anachronism—from the Greek ανά and χρόνος — is an inconsistency in some chronological arrangement, especially a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other...
s sometimes appear, such as characters in the series 7 episode "To Love & To Lose" referring to "the new Beatles film" (there was no new Beatles film that year). Some such anachronisms are likely to be accidental, such as a reference in the same episode to a career "glass ceiling", a phrase not coined until some years later.
There is one on-going and as yet unsolved mystery in The Royal: Matron's real name. She has never used a name throughout the series, nor has she ever been referred to by one (even her niece Susie Dixon only refers to her as "Auntie"). All that is known is that her nickname during the Second World War, when she served as a nurse, was "Toffee".
Filming often took place at Scarborough South Cliff by Holbeck Clock Tower during the summer months. Many of the old cars used in the filming can be seen residing at the Motor Museum at Thornton-le-Dale
Thornton-le-Dale
Thornton-le-Dale is a village and civil parish in the Ryedale district of North Yorkshire, England, about two miles east of Pickering. A thatched cottage in the village has appeared on countless calendars and chocolate boxes over the years...
just outside Scarborough. Interior scenes were filmed in the former Maternity Wing of St. Luke's Hospital, Bradford and The Leeds Studios
The Leeds Studios
The Leeds Studios also known as the Yorkshire Television Studios or YTV Studios is a television production complex on Kirkstall Road in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
. St Luke's was chosen because it had not been updated in many years, and was very similar to how a 1960s hospital would have appeared.
Cast
| Name | |Occupation | '03 | |'05 | |'07 | |'09 | Julian Ovenden Julian Ovenden Julian Ovenden is an English stage, television and film actor and singer. He is one of three children of Canon John Ovenden, chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II.... | Consultant | Main | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meryl Taylor | Zoie Kennedy Zoie Kennedy Zoie Kennedy is an English television and theatre actress. Her first known TV appearance was as a WPC in The Hunt for the Yorkshire Ripper. Shortly after this followed the role of news reporter Polly Grantham in Emmerdale and Staff Nurse Meryl Taylor in ITV's The Royal from 2002-2006... |
Senior Staff Nurse | Main | |||||||
| Dr. Gordon Ormerod | Robert Daws Robert Daws Robert Daws is an English actor. He is most notable for a variety of roles he has played in television dramas.-Career:Daws played Tuppy Glossop in the early 1990s version of Jeeves and Wooster... |
Consultant | Main | |||||||
| Dr. Jill Weatherill | Amy Robbins Amy Robbins Amy Robbins is an English actress best known for her role as Dr. Jill Weatherill in the British television series The Royal. Prior to her current role she played Police Sergeant Rachel James in the BBC One hospital drama Casualty for one series... |
Consultant, General Surgeon | Main | |||||||
| T.J. Middleditch | Ian Carmichael Ian Carmichael Ian Gillett Carmichael, OBE was an English film, stage, television and radio actor.-Early life:Carmichael was born in Hull, in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The son of an optician, he was educated at Scarborough College and Bromsgrove School, before training as an actor at RADA... |
CEO | Main | Special Guest Star | ||||||
| Sister Brigid/Aisling O'Donaghue | Linda Armstrong Linda Armstrong Linda Armstrong is an English actress, perhaps best known for her current role as Sister Brigid in The Royal.- Background :Armstrong was born in Nottingham, England. She is of Irish ancestry-Waterford & Sligo].- Career :... |
Ward Sister | Main | |||||||
| Mr. Rose | Denis Lill Denis Lill Denis Lill is a New Zealand-born British actor.Some of his many film and television roles include Fall of Eagles , Edward the Seventh , Survivors , The Scarlet Pimpernel , as William Knox d-Arcy, the Australian oil pioneer in Persia, in Reilly: Ace of Spies , Rumpole of the Bailey , Mapp &... |
Consultant, General Surgeon | Main | |||||||
| Lizzie Hopkirk | Michelle Hardwick Michelle Hardwick Michelle Hardwick is an English actress.She is best known for her role as hospital receptionist Lizzie Hopkirk in the ITV1 drama series The Royal.... |
Receptionist | Main | |||||||
| Alun Morris | Andy Wear Andy Wear Andy Wear is an English actor born in Lancaster, Lancashire, England.Wear appeared as Fire Officer Wayne in Coronation Street live and was seen discovering Rita in the Kabin during the week of the tram disaster.... |
Porter, Theatre Technician | Main | |||||||
| Matron | Wendy Craig Wendy Craig Wendy Craig is a BAFTA Award winning English actress who is best known for her appearances in the sitcoms Butterflies, ...And Mother Makes Three and ...And Mother Makes Five... |
Clinical Matron | Main | |||||||
| Susie Dixon | Sarah Beck Mather | Staff Nurse | Main | |||||||
| Jack Bell | Gareth Hale Gareth Hale Gareth Hale is an English comedian and actor, born 15 January 1953, in Hedon, Yorkshire, who is best known as one half of the comedy duo Hale and Pace with his friend and comic partner Norman Pace.... |
Head Porter | Main | |||||||
| Jean McAteer | Glynis Barber Glynis Barber Glynis Barber is a South African actress of Afrikaner descent, born and brought up in South Africa. She was born Glynis van der Riet. When she was five years old, her parents divorced, and she and her mother moved to Johannesburg. She is best known for her portrayal as Sgt... |
CEO | Main | |||||||
| Carol Selby | Diana May | Staff Nurse | Main | |||||||
| Dr. Ralph Ellis | Neil McDermott Neil McDermott Neil McDermott is a British stage and television actor who is best known for portraying Ryan Malloy in the BBC television soap opera EastEnders from April 2009 until 2011.-Career:... |
Locum Doctor | Main | |||||||
| Faye Clark | Lauren Drummond Lauren Drummond -Background:Drummond was born and brought up in Cheadle Hulme in Stockport and attended Bramhall High School before completing a Performing Arts Course at Mid Cheshire College... |
Student Nurse | Main | |||||||
| Actor | Character | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Robert Cavanah Robert Cavanah Robert Cavanah is a Scottish actor/writer/director/producer.Cavanah was born in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is a fluent Spanish speaker. He is a father of two... |
Adam Carnegie | 2006 – 2009 |
| Lisa Hogg Lisa Hogg -Career:Hogg voiced the character of Ellen in Folklore, a video game from PlayStation 3.She has appeared in various film and television productions including as Molly , in the film Across the Universe .-External links:... |
Moira O'Donaghue | 2008 – 2009 |
| Natalie Anderson Natalie Anderson -Personal life:Anderson was born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. She married fiancé James Shepherd at a ceremony in Harrogate on 6 June 2008.-Biography:... |
Nurse Stella Davenport | 2005 – 2008 |
| Scott Taylor Scott Taylor (actor) Scott Anthony Taylor is an English actor.-Acting career:Taylor's acting career started at the age of 17 with a role in the 2000 Christmas special of ITV1's Heartbeat of which The Royal is a spin-off... |
Frankie Robinson | 2003 – 2008 |
| Michael Starke Michael Starke (actor) Michael Starke , is a British actor best known for his role as Thomas 'Sinbad' Sweeney which he played for 16 years in the soap opera Brookside... |
Ken Hopkirk | 2003 – 2008 |
| Sam Callis Sam Callis Samuel 'Sam' Callis is an English actor and film director, best known for his role as Sergeant Callum Stone in The Bill.-Biography:... |
Dr. Mike Banner | 2007 |
| Kananu Kirimi Kananu Kirimi Kananu Kirimi is a Scottish actor born in the Kyle of Lochalsh, Scotland of a Kenyan father and Scottish mother.Kirimi is currently appearing as locum Dr... |
Dr. Joan Makori | 2006 – 2007 |
| Paul Fox Paul Fox (actor) Paul Fox is an English actor, known for portraying Mark Redman in Coronation Street and Dr Jeff Goodwin in The Royal.-Background:Born in Truro, Cornwall, Fox moved to Birkenhead whilst still a baby. He has one older brother, Christian... |
Dr. Jeff Goodwin | 2003 – 2007 |
| Amelia Curtis Amelia Curtis Amelia A Curtis is a British actress born in Stockholm, Sweden. She is notable for having played the role of Viki Lovejoy in the final series of Lovejoy, a role that she took over from Amelia Shankley.... |
Nurse Catherine Deane | 2006 – 2007 |
| Rachel Leskovac Rachel Leskovac Rachel Leskovac is an Olivier award-nominated British actress best known for playing hairdresser Natasha Blakeman in the British soap opera Coronation Street.-Early life:... |
Marie Beattie | 2007 |
| Lauren Leake-Smith | Cassie Beattie | 2007 |
| Harvey Leake-Smith | Alfie Beattie | 2007 |
| Isabella Eades-Jones | Stephanie Beattie | 2007 |
| David Busfield | Ben Beattie | 2007 |
| Sophie Foster | Katie Ormerod #1 | 2003 – 2006 |
| Daniel Feltham | Tom Ormerod #1 | 2003 – 2006 |
| Helena Blair | Angela Deane | 2006 |
| Anna Madeley Anna Madeley Anna Madeley is a British actress. She has been described by the British Theatre Guide's Philip Fisher as one of the United Kingdom's "brightest and most versatile young actresses".-Biography:... |
Nurse Samantha Beaumont | 2003 – 2005 |
| John Axon John Axon (actor) John Axon was an English television and stage actor. He was perhaps best known for his role as the hospital administrator, Nigel Harper, on the ITV1 television series The Royal... |
Mr Nigel Harper | 2003 – 2005 |
| Polly Maberly Polly Maberly Polly Lucinda Maberly is an English actress who graduated from RADA in 1998. She is the older sister of the film and television actress Kate Maberly; she also has a two younger brothers, Jack and Thomas and one older brother Guy.Maberly is best known for her portrayal of the role of Kitty Bennet... |
Dr. Lucy Klein | 2003 – 2004 |
| Damian O'Hare Damian O'Hare Damian O'Hare is an Irish film actor. He is best known for his role as Lt. Gillette in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.-Film:... |
Dr. Nick Burnett | 2008 – 2009 |
| Kari Corbett Kari Corbett Kari Corbett is an actor, artist and film-maker who lives and works between the USA and Europe.As an actor, Corbett is best known for her roles as Nurse Marian McKaig in ITV's The Royal, Zoe in Monarch Of The Glen, Kirsty Henderson in River City and Sarah in the BAFTA award winning Jeopardy... |
Nurse Marian McKaig | 2007 – 2009 |
| Chris Coghill Chris Coghill Christopher "Chris" Coghill is an actor and writer from Prestwich, Greater Manchester, England. Coghill is best known for his deep voice and has a history of portraying criminals.-Career:... |
Bobby Sheridan | 2008 – 2009 |
| Matthew Hall (actor) Matthew Hall (actor) Matthew Hall is an English television and stage actor from Bradford. He trained with Stage 84 from a young age and studied at Leeds College of Music on a two-year musical theatre course.-Work:... |
Sam Myerson | 2009 – 2009 |
Ratings
| Series | width="20" > Year | Rank # | Average Audience Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2003 | 10th | 10.12 m |
| 2 | 2003 | 11th | 7.16 m |
| 3 | 2003–2004 | 13th | 9.17 m |
| 4 | 2004–2005 | 12th | 8.49 m |
| 5 | 2006 | 10th | 7.93 m |
| 6 | 2007 | 11th | 7.24 m |
| 7 | 2008–2009 | 15th | 4.91 m |
| 8 | 2009–2011 | 15th | 4.13 m |
| Overall Rating 2003 - 2011 | Rank # | Average Audience Share |
|---|---|---|
| 12th | 7.43 m |
Future of the show
The production of both Heartbeat and The Royal has been suspended. It was announced on 4 March 2009 because of job losses for ITV Yorkshire Studios, that the future of The Royal and Heartbeat are in doubt. ITV have now confirmed production of The Royal has ended. ITV1 plan to show the very final episode on 31 July 2011. As a result of the show's final episode ending on a cliffhanger never to be resolved; several petitions have been started online, as well as people emailing and tweeting ITV, in hope that they will bring back the programme in the future.HD availability
Episode 73 entitled "In The Air" was the first episode of The Royal to be shown in HD format. The episode was transmitted on ITV HDITV HD
ITV1 HD is a British free-to-air high-definition television channel operated by ITV plc, the company which is contracted to provide 11 ITV services across the UK. ITV1 HD is available to view in England, Wales and the Scottish Borders on Freesat via channel 119, Freeview channel 51, Sky channel...
on 21 June 2009. Subsequent episodes are expected to be shown in high definition on ITV HD as well as being shown in standard definition.
The Royal Today
A daytime spin-off, The Royal TodayThe Royal Today
The Royal Today was a British medical soap opera, a spin-off of the similarly themed drama, The Royal. The concept is that whilst The Royal is set in the late 1960s, The Royal Today featured the same hospital in the present day, with a new set of characters working in the same location...
, comprising fifty thirty-minute episodes featuring the staff of The Royal set in the present day aired in January 2008.
This is a list of media releases of the television series Heartbeat, which includes DVD & VHS .
DVD release
DVDs of the series are finally coming out in the UK. All released by ITV Studios Home Entertainment. See table below for release dates. So far, the First series of The Royal has been released. Some music has been partly changed or removed due to copyright grounds.| DVD Series | Ep # | Region 2 (UK) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Royal series 1 | 7 | 3 October 2011 | |
| The Royal series 2 | 6 | TBA 2012 | |
| The Royal series 3 | 14 | TBA | |
| The Royal series 4 | 12 | TBA | |
| The Royal series 5 | 12 | TBA | |
| The Royal series 6 | 12 | TBA | |
| The Royal series 7 | 12 | TBA | |
| The Royal series 8 | 12 | TBA |