The Harper Family

The Harper family
Left to right: Nicholas Schofield (Ryan), Sally Dexter (Natalie), Tim Wallers (Duncan) and Georgina Walker (Jane)

Jane Harper is played by Georgina Walker


Georgina Walker plays Jane Harper

Jane is beautiful, intimidating and mysterious. When she goes missing on her sixteenth birthday, it has a profound impact on her family and serious consequences for every character of Night and Day. This is Georgina's first big acting role after a career in modelling and commercials.

“Jane is very confident and full of herself,??? says Georgina, “but the more we find out about her, the more we realise how very complex and vulnerable she is. She comes from a really dysfunctional family - a mother and father who never communicate, and brother who is incredibly mean - so there’s not much hope for her really. Jane’s disappearance affects everyone she knows – she leaves a big shadow after she goes, and a lot of secrets. I can’t really tell you what happens to Jane – the producers will kill me - you’ll just have to wait and see.???

Natalie Harper is played by Sally Dexter

Natalie is the local GP and she's always been a high-flying achiever. Trying to juggle the role of ambitions professional and home-maker, Natalie’s life is not as happy as she would like to believe and her friendship with Roxanne is one of her great comforts. Her marriage to Duncan is now a loveless affair, but it is only the sudden disappearance of her daughter Jane that forces Natalie to confront her demons.

Says Sally: “Natalie is basically a good person, but she and Duncan have lost their way a little bit – on the surface they appear to have everything – a lovely house and a perfect family, but when Jane disappears, they both begin to realise how shallow that happiness is. Natalie is a great character to play because there are real hidden depths to her???.

Duncan Harper is played by Tim Wallers

Duncan doesn't quite fit in with the local community. They think he’s a status obsessed snob, but they fail to see how well meaning and easily intimidated he really is. He hasn't been able to forge close bonds with his neighbours, and he sometimes feels isolated as a result. He is still very much in love with Natalie, but deep down, he knows that their marriage is far from perfect.

Says Tim Wallers: “Duncan is slightly out of step with the rest of the community. Terrible things happen to him and his family, but he always tries to bounce back and be positive, in a way that is quite endearing and sometimes very funny.???

Ryan Harper is played by Nick Schofield

Ryan is Duncan and Natalie's incredibly vain son. Beneath his self-confidence is a complicated ad disillusioned adolescent.

Says Nick: “I decided I was going to achieve my life-time ambition and get a big part in a drama and after three auditions, I was offered the role of Ryan. He gets all the best lines. He’s very sharp and witty and has some wonderful put down lines. He’s not a very nice person and can be really hurtful and deliberately nasty, but that’s why he’s great to play.???

The Armstrong Family

The Armstrong family
Left to right: Stuart Manning (Sam), Daniella Isaacs (Lucy), Max Anthony Foster (baby Ben) and Lesley Joseph (Rachel)

Rachel Culgrin is played by Lesley Joseph
Rachel is Sam, Lucy and Ben's meddling aunt. She moves to the area and soon becomes a supply teacher at the local school. As the keen-eyed, puritanical English teacher she is the sexual nemesis of the clueless, hormonal, eternally hopeful teenagers in whose sexual mores she has an unhealthy obsession.

Rachel Culgrin can be a pretty intimidating character, but Lesley Joseph relishes the challenge of playing her: “Rachel is a meddler, and at times a nasty piece of work, but I’ve tried to stay on the right side of caricature and make her as real as possible. Nonetheless, my friends all say they’re getting a bit scared!???

Sam Armstrong is played by Stuart Manning

Six months ago Sam had nothing in his head other than football and girls. Then his parents died in a car accident and he found himself caring for his family. But then he’s offered the footballing chance of a lifetime, and makes contact with his wicked Aunt Rachel, and asks her to help him raise the children – a decision he will live to regret.

Says Stuart: “Sam has a really difficult decision to make between his family and his dream, but if I was in his shoes, I’d work out how I could do both. I’d want to take the job so that I could provide for the family. I’m glad I don’t have an Aunt Rachel in real life – she’s so manipulative, and sometimes scares the hell out of Sam. I’m pleased to say that Lesley Joseph is nothing like Rachel and I feel very lucky to be working with her. She’s enormously helpful and encouraging and I’ve learnt an awful lot from her already.??? This is Stuart’s first break into acting after a career as a model.

Lucy Armstrong is played by Daniella Isaacs

Lucy is a mini All Saint, who has assumed an exterior maturity beyond her age due to the loss of her parents. But at heart, she is still a vulnerable little girl. She doesn’t appreciate being squabbled over by Sam and Rachel, but she soon learns the advantages of playing one against the other.

“Lucy’s very bubbly and she thinks she’s as old as everyone else??? says eleven years old Daniella Isaacs, who’s had ambitions to be an actress since she was five years old. “She’s only nine, but she acts like she’s 40!???

Ben Armstrong is played by Max Anthony Foster

Ben is Sam and Lucy's baby brother. Sam is determined to keep the family together since the death of his parents, just after Ben was born, but Aunt Rachel has other plans.

The Wells Family

The Wells family
Left to right: (Twins) Keya & Jai Wilson (Laura and Becky), Lysette Anthony (Roxanne), Joe McGann (Alex), Stephanie Leonidas (Della) and Kevin Sacre (Dennis)

Roxanne Doyle is played by Lysette Anthony

Roxanne Doyle is at the centre of life in Thornton Street. She's a housewife and a hairdresser and believes herself to be the street’s matriarch. Her best friend is Natalie (Harper) and she has four children. Alex is her long-term partner and their relationship is passionate and stormy.

Says Lysette: “I couldn’t believe how intelligent the writing was when I read the scripts for Night and Day and what enormous possibilities there were for Roxanne. She’s the most extraordinary person; she’s a very passionate, sexy, vibrant woman and she’s also extremely mouthy. Equally, she’s very loving and is a fantastic mother.???.

Alex Wells is played by Joe McGann

Alex is Roxanne's partner. He's a builder who's never done quite as well as he should have. He doesn't get on with his step-son Dennis and has had an affair in the past despite his love for Roxanne. When Jane goes missing, Alex is terrified that his dark secret may be discovered at any moment.

“Alex is a man approaching his mid life,??? says Joe McGann, “and even though he’s strong, he’s very flawed. He has his weaknesses, but he loves Roxy and his children very much and he’s trying to do well by them – not always by honest means though.???

Dennis Doyle is played by Kevin sacre

Dennis is Roxanne's son from a previous marriage. He doesn't get on with Alex, and is fiercely protective of his mother. Kevin was working with the RSC when he was offered the part.

Says Kevin: “Dennis is a loveable fool who wears his heart on his sleeve. He’s not afraid to show his emotions and he gets muddled and confused about things, but on the whole he’s a nice bloke.???

Della Wells is played by Stephanie Leonidas

Della feels an enormous loss after her best friend Jane disappears. She struggles to define who she is, and comes very close to going off the rails. Stephanie left behind her A levels when she won the role of Della.

Says Stephanie: “I knew if I got the role it would change my life and it certainly did. Della is very interesting because she comes across as innocent and naïve, but there’s a lot more to her that she hides. She’s used to living in Jane’s shadow, but after Jane disappears Della is forced to grow up fast.

Laura and Becky Wells are played by Keya and Jai Wilson

The twins are always turning up when you least expect them to. Some would say there’s something rather mysterious about them...

The Brake Family

The Brake family
Left to right: Dominic Rickhards (Mike), Glynis Barber (Fiona) and Adam Paul Harvey (Tom)

Fiona Brake is played by Glynis Barber

Fiona is undoubtedly the nicest woman in Thornton Street. She's also the most generous and the scattiest. As a science teacher, she moves easily between the worlds of adults and teenagers. When we first meet her, she has been on a secret weekend away...

Says Glynis: “I love the concept of Night and Day, it’s just so different from anything that’s around at the moment. The writing is quite innovative and new and fresh and it takes chances and does things that aren’t normally done.

“I thought the ideas were quite wacky and off the wall, and I was really drawn to my character, Fiona, who sounded a lot of fun to play. She’s messy, much more into enjoying herself rather than tidying! I have some fairly challenging scenes, especially the fantasy scenes which I particularly enjoy filming. They’re just so crazy! There’s one where I get to play one of Charlie’s Angels. We’ve had great laughs filming those scenes and I’m actually looking forward to being part of a big show again.???.

Mike Brake is played by Dominic Rickhards

Mike is a real family man and he loves his wife Fiona more than life itself. He's the most solid of the men who live in Thornton Street and he and Natalie (Harper) are brother and sister. However, Mike has a secret that threatens to destroy the life he’s built up for himself.

Dominic is the first to admit that it was Mike’s hidden depths that attracted him to the role: “One of the first things that I was told was that Mike had a big secret and I thought that would be really good fun to play. He seems like a very regular guy, and he’s a nice bloke, but nothing is quite what it seems and I enjoy that.

“My favourite moment during filming so far has been a scene between myself and Adam, who plays my son Tom. We were filming a dream sequence where we played two insane surgeons operating on Fiona, played by Glynis Barber – what a surreal moment. That just doesn’t usually happen in soap!???

Tom Brake is played by Adam Paul Harvey

Tom is a regular complicated teenager who is too introspective for his own good. While his contemporaries see him as odd, he carries this badge with ease. He is naturally intelligent, sensitive, thoughtful but desperately self-conscious. His best friend is Jimmy and he’s madly in love with Frankie.

“I’d be friends with Tom, he’s a really nice guy,??? admits Adam Paul Harvey, who joined the cast just as he was about to take his A level exams. “He’s dark and weird in his own intelligent way, but then I think most intelligent people are quite peculiar. I think as he grows up and discovers girls, he’ll become quite cool.???

The Radcliffe Family

The Radcliffe family
Left to right: Sean Francis (Will) and Debbie Korley (Frankie)

Will Radcliffe is played by Sean Francis

Emotionally scarred after his wife left, Will’s convinced himself that his role of father is too time consuming to have a private life. However, his 15 year old daughter Frankie is growing up fast, and he can't hide behind this for much longer…

Says Sean: “Will is very confused, which makes ideal fodder for any drama serial! Emotionally he’s quite diverse and his dedication to his daughter drives him a lot – he tries to make sure that she’s brought up correctly in this strange world. That’s his driving force. He’s always trying to be a better person.

“What I like best about Sean is his commitment. I think that in some respects he’s far too open for his own good to survive in the real world! I think I’ve got a got a bit more savvy than he has, and I think he definitely needs to sort the relationship side out – at the moment he’s a bit lonely. He needs to work hard on that. The differences between us in that respect are pretty stark!???

Frankie Radcliffe is played by Debbie Korley

Frankie is hard working and very mature for her age, but also emotionally naïve – especially when it comes to boys. Her relationship with Will is more one of equals than father and daughter. Frankie may effectively run their household, but she's about to discover the delights of teenage life.

Says Debbie: “I really like Frankie. She means well most of the time, but she can come across as opinionated and a bit stuck up. I don’t think she’s really grown up yet, but she’s very determined and it’s her ambition to become a marine biologist. She takes care of her father – looking after bills, direct debits, cooking and cleaning – and her best friend is Tom Brake. She’s a very headstrong teenager and I think she’ll reach her goals, but I suspect there’ll be trials and tribulations along the way.

"There is just one thing I really dislike about Frankie and that’s her dreadful taste in clothes. She and I are very different – I would never wear wide, bright pink pedal pushers... yuk!???

The Doyle Family

The Doyle family
Left to right: Joe Jacobs (Jimmy), Gareth Hunt (Charlie) and Christianne Gadd (Dona)

Charlie Doyle is played by Gareth Hunt

Charlie is Roxanne's father and loves his life as a publican at The Nautilus. He's an instinctive, straightforward man and can't understand why everyone around him finds life so difficult. Maybe it's his marriage to the beautiful Dona that keeps him so happy...

Says Gareth: “Charlie can always see the funny side of life, he tries to give advice, not always wisely, and he realises he made a few mistakes in his time. He’s had an interesting and sometimes difficult life, and lost various wives. There’s nothing devious about Charlie and although he’s made some incredible mistakes he always tries to help. He doesn’t mean to put his foot in it, but he knows how to says the wrong thing at the wrong time???.

Dona Doyle is played by Christianne Gadd

Dona is Brazilian and comes from a strong, traditional, Catholic family. She's Charlie's fourth wife and there's a 30-year age gap between them, but there's no doubting their love for one another. She has a fiery temper and is desperate to have children. She gets on well with her step-son Jimmy, but not so well with her step-daughter Roxanne.

Says Christianne, who recently appeared in the sensual film Chocolat with Juliette Binoche: “Dona and I are very similar characters. We both have short tempers and are what you would call fiery! She’s a sweet girl, but she can be very direct and that can get her into trouble. What I love about Night and Day are the wonderfully creative scripts that I get to work on and yet there is so much simplicity in the show. A little look or gesture can say so much and I enjoy the challenge of that.???

Jimmy Hamilton-Doyle is played by Joe Jacobs

Charlie's son from a previous marriage, Jimmy is the happiest and most well adjusted of the teenagers, despite being the most irresponsible. Best friends with Tom Brake, Jimmy is completely uncoordinated and has a memory that last for about two weeks before things get fuzzy. Joe won the part of Jimmy when he turned up at an open audition with 2000 other young hopefuls.

Says Joe: “I didn’t have any expectations when I came to the audition and throughout the day I saw lots of people come and go. When I was asked to stay behind I was quite surprised, but delighted. Jimmy is a cheeky boy who’d never hurt a soul. He’s the type of person who would always get found out if he did something naughty just like me when I was his age.??? Joe is following in his actor father’s footsteps, (Clark Peters, currently starring in The Witches of Eastwick) and his grandfather is the veteran broadcaster David Jacobs.

The Halfway House

The Halfway House
Picture shows: Seb Castang (Josh), Cathy Tyson (Steph) and Phoebe Thomas (Holly)

Steph McKenzie is played by Cathy Tyson

Two troubled teenagers live at the halfway house under the care of Steph McKenzie. Steph is a vicar and she's just returned to the area after a long absence, but it soon becomes clear that she's not very welcome. What is it about her mysterious past that has upset the residents of Thornton Street?

Steph finds that returning to the area is no easy ride, and Cathy is not sure that she would have Steph’s patience in real life:

Says Cathy: “Steph has to put up with a lot, because no-one is really welcoming on her return. There are quite a few scenes where other characters have a real go at her, and whereas some might choose to walk away in real life, Steph stoically stands her ground. She is very understanding of other people’s situations, she’s not a victim and nor does she victimise herself. I think she must have a great sense of humour to be able to put up with what she does!???.

Josh Alexander is played by Seb Castang

Josh is intense, dark and broody. He does little to discourage his bad boy image with a life shrouded in mystery. As Jane’s boyfriend, he might well hold the key to her disappearance...

Says former model Seb: “Sometimes I think Josh is misunderstood – and sometimes I’m scared by him – it’s hard to figure out if I’m a good guy or not – I don’t think even Josh knows himself. He’s actually got a good heart, but he’s not very easy to get to know. We’re similar in some respects, particularly the way we dress, but I usually have a smile on my face – unlike Josh. I was very nervous on my first day of filming, having only ever done modelling and commercials before, but I’m relishing the challenge and it’s just about sinking in how fortunate I am to be in a full time acting job working with a great bunch of people.???

Holly Curran is played by Phoebe Thomas

Holly looks like no one else and is very different from your average teenager. She reveals little of herself and keeps her distance from the other teenagers. Although they respect her independence, they're never quite sure where they stand with her. And that's the way she likes it.

Says Phoebe: “I was working on Teachers with Andrew Lincoln from This Life when I went for the audition for Night and Day. I absolutely loved the part of Holly and was ecstatic when I got the call to say they were offering me the role. She’s such a colourful character with lots of layers and intricate sides to her personality. Nothing would be too shocking for Holly. I’ve christened her ‘cyber goth’ because she dresses in bright, gothic style clothes.???

Kate Ellis is played by Julie Smith

Kate is gorgeous, but has an ego the same size as Ryan’s! So not surprisingly, they get on well. It’s not that they’re in love with one another, more that they have a shared love of themselves.

“Kate is a complete bitch,??? says Julie who’s been acting since she was a child. “She comes to the show pretending to be a sophisticated 18 year old, but she’s really just 15. And that’s just the start! When she gets together with Ryan, she’s unstoppable and she causes a lot of trouble in Thornton Street. I don’t think we’re going to see a nice side to Kate, not just yet anyway.???

(Kate is not a resident of The Halfway House, but lives near Thornton Street)

Note: Some parts of this article copyright Granada Media (c) 2001. All rights reserved.