From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Royal is a British medical drama. The serial television show features one hour episodes aired by ITV1. The title refers to the fictional "St Aidan's Royal Free Hospital", which is located in the rural seaside town of Elsinby close to Whitby, Scarborough and Aidensfield. The town serves both the local farmers and townsfolk and visiting holidaymakers. The show is set in the 1960s and is filmed in the Yorkshire holiday resort of Scarborough. It is a spin-off show from the popular ITV show Heartbeat. Current stars include Wendy Craig, Paul Fox and Amy Robbins.
The majority of the plots centre 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 will be addressed in greater detail in season 5 following the new black Doctor Joan Makori joining The Royal in episode 49. The ethical challenges and social changes faced by the hospital staff and their patients mirror those faced by the world in the 1960s.
Series 6 is currently screening in the UK.
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. All that is known is that her nickname during the Second World War, when she served as a nurse, was "Toffee".
You can often see the filming taking place on Scarborough South Cliff by Holbeck Clock Tower during the summer months. Incidently you can see many of the old cars used in the filming residing at the Motor Museum at Thornton-le-Dale (Just outside Scarborough).
[edit] Interesting and little-known facts about The Royal
- The telephone number for The Royal is Elsinby 3323, and there's no Tuesday Evening Surgery.
- The code to the safe in Mr. Middleditch's office (which is now under the command of Adam Carnegie) is 1886, which is the same year The Royal was founded.
- Episode 05.09 in the Series 5 Presspack is clearly entitled "Winners & Losers". However, in the opening credits, the episode title that appears on screen is "Winners & Loser".
- The series was introduced in the Heartbeat 12th series episode 'Out Of The Blue'. Several Heartbeat characters appeared in the first couple of series of The Royal, most notably Bill Maynard as a bed-ridden Claude Greengrass. However, as the series has progressed, it has generally dropped its character crossovers with Heartbeat to become its own entity.
- An up to date version of the Royal entitled THE ROYAL TODAY, set in 2007, is to begin shooting (date to be confirmed).
- An illustrated booklet by Dr Edward Black giving a full history of "The Royal", Red Court, its owner Alfred Shuttleworth, and a history of Scarborough is available from the Clock Cafe, Scarborough Information Centres, Scarborough Library, Stephen Joseph Theatre - and the ice cream man outside Redcourt @ f4.
- The interior scenes are filmed at St Luke's Hospital Bradford, in the now disused Maternity Wing. It was chosen because it had not been updated in many years, and was very similar to how a 1960's hospital would have appeared.
- St Luke's Hospital Bradford was the Bradford Workhouse, and was a military hospital during and after WW1.
[edit] Current cast
[edit] Departing cast
[edit] Previous cast members
- Ian Carmichael - Hospital secretary T.J. Middleditch (2003 – 2006)
- Julian Ovenden - Dr. David Cheriton (2003)
- Anna Madeley - Nurse Samantha Beaumont
- Polly Maberly - Dr. Lucy Klein
- Zoie Kennedy - Staff Nurse Meryl Taylor (2003 – 2006)
- Sophie Foster - Katie Ormerod #1 (2003 – 2006) (Series 1 – 5) - Daughter of Dr Gordon Ormerod and late wife Caroline
- Daniel Feltham - Tom Ormerod #1 (2003 – 2006) (Series 1 – 5) - Son of Dr Gordon Ormerod and late wife Caroline
[edit] Upcoming guest stars
[edit] Series guide
[edit] External links
This article relating to a TV programme originating from the UK is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
