Angels (TV series)

Angels is a British television seasonal drama series about student nurses. It was broadcast by the BBC between 1975 and 1983. It was described as the "Z-Cars of nursing".

From 1979 the show changed to a seasonal twice-weekly soap opera format.

Background and creators
The show's title came from the name of the hospital where the first series was set. This was St. Angela's in Battersea. In the 1980s this was changed to Heath Green Hospital in Birmingham. The series was devised by Paula Milne.BFI Screenonline: Angels (1975-83) Early producers included Morris Barry and Ron Craddock. The first episode was directed by Julia Smith. She became the show's producer in 1979. Her script editor on the later series was Tony Holland.BFI Screenonline: Smith, Julia (1927-1997) Biography Filming took place at St James' Hospital in Balham, London. This has since been demolished. Location filming for the fictional Heath Green Hospital took place at Walsgrave Hospital in Coventry. This has since been demolished and replaced by University Hospital Coventry.

Julia Smith enlisted Tony Holland as the Angels script editor after the show became a twice-weekly soap. In the 1980s Smith and Holland created EastEnders. Writers on its first series included Jill Hyem, Anne Valery and Adele Rose. Hyem and Valery later co-wrote Tenko.

Actors
The series included some young actors who would later become better known. These include Fiona Fullerton, Érin Geraghty, Lesley Dunlop, Julie Dawn Cole, Angela Bruce, Clare Clifford and Pauline Quirke. Additionally, Kathryn Apanowicz, Shirley Cheriton and Judith Jacob all later appeared in EastEnders. Mamta Kaash played a key role in the hospital drama Casualty.

Theme music
The guitar-driven theme tune, similar to American police dramas of the time, was called Motivation. It was composed and performed by Alan Parker.Alan Parker - Motivation (Theme from Angels) , BBC

 Critical reception
Angels, tackled issues such as contraception, alcoholism and promiscuity as part of the nurses' lives. Angels received criticism for its unglamorous depiction of the nursing profession. Angels tried to be realistic and authentic. Each actress was required to work on a real hospital ward to gain experience.

Cast

 Actor Character Series Duration  Fiona Fullerton Patricia Rutherford  Series 1-3 Julie Dawn Cole Jo Longhurst  Series 1-3 Lesley Dunlop Ruth Fullman  Series 1 Clare Clifford Shirley Brent  Series 1-4 Karan David Sita Patel  Series 1-3 Érin Geraghty Maureen Morahan  Series 1-3 Angela Bruce Sandra Ling  Series 1-5 Joanna Monro Anna Newcross  Series 4-7 Shirley Cheriton Katy Betts  Series 4-7 Carol Holmes Jean MacEwen  Series 4-6, 8-9 Shelley King  Jay Harper  Series 4-5 Kate Saunders Brenda Cotteral  Series 4 Clare Walker Sarah Lloyd-Smith #1  Series 4 Kate Lock Sarah Lloyd-Smith #2  Series 5 Kathryn Apanowicz Rose Butchins  Series 5-7 Sharon Rosita Fleur Barrett  Series 5-7 Judith Jacob Beverley Slater  Series 5-7 Susan Gilmore  Elizabeth Fitt  Series 6-7 Fay Howard Adrienne O'Shea  Series 6 Julia Williams Tracey Willoughby  Series 7-9 Sarah Lam Linda Mo  Series 7-8 Pauline Quirke Vicky Smith  Series 8-9 Mamta Kaash Nargis Khan  Series 8 Al Ashton  Mike Hathaway  Series 8 Michelle Martin Janet Dickens  Series 8-9  Juliet Waley Alison Streeter  Series 8-9 Joy Lemoine Ayo Lapido  Series 9

 Books 
Some TV tie-in novels were published to coincide with the series.
 Angels by Paula Milne & Leslie Duxbury, Pan Books/BBC Books, 1975.
 Flights of Angels by Paula Milne, Pan Books/BBC Books, 1976. Includes novelisations of the Season 2 episodes Vocation and Walkabout.
 New Angels by Paul Milne, BBC Books, 1978.
 Angel Katy by Leah Harrow, Dragon Books, 1979.

DVD Release

On 18 March 2013 Simply Media released the Series 1 (fifteen episodes) of Angels on DVD. Series 2 was released in September 2014.

 References 

Other websites

 British Film Institute Screen Online
Category:1970s British soap operas
Category:20th-century British workplace television series
Category:1975 British television series debuts
Category:1980s medical television series
Category:1980s British soap operas
Category:1980s British workplace television series
Category:1983 British television series endings
Category:BBC One television series
Category:BBC television dramas
Category:British English-language television shows
Category:Television series set in England
Category:Television series set in London