Playing the Field
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2013) |
Playing the Field | |
---|---|
Created by | Kay Mellor |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 5 |
No. of episodes | 32 |
Production | |
Executive producers | Charles Brand Tessa Ross Kay Mellor |
Producers | Kathleen Hutchison Hugh Warren Greg Brenman Lis Steele |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Production company | Tiger Aspect Productions |
Original release | |
Network | BBC One |
Release | 8 March 1998 10 February 2002 | –
Playing the Field is a BBC television drama series following the lives of the Castlefield Blues, a fictitious female football team from South Yorkshire.
Outline
Inspired by
Doncaster Belles – Playing the Field ran for five series, from 8 March 1998 to 10 February 2002, with scripts by, amongst others, Kay Mellor, Sally Wainwright and Gaynor Faye
.
Despite being set in South Yorkshire, much of the location filming took place in
Southend United FC. A young Marsha Thomason – who has since appeared in U.S. shows Las Vegas and Lost – featured in the first three series of Playing the Field. The first four series have been released on DVD in the UK, but the fifth has yet[as of?
] to be made available.
Main cast
- Lorraine Ashbourne ... Geraldine Powell
- Melanie Hill ... Rita Dolan
- Jo McInnes ... Jo Mullen
- Lesley Sharp ... Theresa Mullen
- Marsha Thomason ... Sharon 'Shazza' Pearce
- Saira Todd ... Gabrielle 'Gabby' Holmes
- Debra Stephenson ... Diane Powell
- Tracy Whitwell ... Angie Gill
- Emma Rydall ... Mikey
- Olivia Caffrey ... Kate Howard
- Gaynor Faye ... Holly Quinn
- Claudie Blakley ... Kelly Powell
- James Nesbitt ... James Dolan
- Tim Dantay ... Dave Powell
- Nicholas Gleaves ... Rick Powell
- Ralph Ineson ... Luke Mullen
- Chris Walker ... Matthew Mullen
- John Thomson ... Eddie Ryan
- James Thornton ... Scott
- Lee Ross ... Ryan Pratt
- James Ellis ... Mr. Mullen
- Brigit Forsyth ... Francine Pratt
- Elizabeth Spriggs ... Mrs. Mullen
- Ricky Tomlinson ... Jim Pratt
- Jason O'Mara ... Lee Quinn
- Tom Moore ... Martin Dolan
- Stephanie Putson ... Heidi
Episodes
Series overview
Series | Episodes | Originally aired | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
First aired | Last aired | |||
1 | 6 | 8 March 1998 | 12 April 1998 | |
2 | 7 | 18 February 1999 | 1 April 1999 | |
3 | 6 | 1 February 2000 | 9 March 2000 | |
4 | 7 | 13 July 2000 | 24 August 2000 | |
5 | 6 | 6 January 2002 | 10 February 2002 |
Series 1 (1998)
Episode | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | "Episode 1" | Paul Seed | Kay Mellor | 8 March 1998 |
2 | "Episode 2" | Paul Seed | Kay Mellor | 15 March 1998 |
3 | "Episode 3" | Paul Seed | Kay Mellor | 22 March 1998 |
4 | "Episode 4" | Catherine Morshead | Kay Mellor | 29 March 1998 |
5 | "Episode 5" | Catherine Morshead | Kay Mellor | 5 April 1998 |
6 | "Episode 6" | Catherine Morshead | Kay Mellor | 12 April 1998 |
Series 2 (1999)
Episode | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
7 | "Episode 1" | Nicholas Laughland | Kay Mellor | 18 February 1999 |
8 | "Episode 2" | Nicholas Laughland | Kay Mellor | 25 February 1999 |
9 | "Episode 3" | Nicholas Laughland | Kay Mellor | 4 March 1999 |
10 | "Episode 4" | Nicholas Laughland | Sally Wainwright | 11 March 1999 |
11 | "Episode 5" | Robin Sheppard | Valerie Windsor | 18 March 1999 |
12 | "Episode 6" | Robin Sheppard | Valerie Windsor | 25 March 1999 |
13 | "Episode 7" | Robin Sheppard | Sally Wainwright | 1 April 1999 |
Series 3 (2000)
Episode | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
14 | "Episode 1" | Dermot Boyd | Kay Mellor | 1 February 2000 |
15 | "Episode 2" | Dermot Boyd | Katie Baxendale | 8 February 2000 |
16 | "Episode 3" | Dermot Boyd | Jan McVerry | 15 February 2000 |
17 | "Episode 4" | David Innes Edwards | Kay Mellor | 24 February 2000 |
18 | "Episode 5" | David Innes Edwards | Kay Mellor | 2 March 2000 |
19 | "Episode 6" | David Innes Edwards | Katie Baxendale | 9 March 2000 |
Series 4 (2000)
Episode | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
20 | "Episode 1" | Alrick Riley | Sally Wainwright | 13 July 2000 |
21 | "Episode 2" | Alrick Riley | Katie Baxendale | 20 July 2000 |
22 | "Episode 3" | Alrick Riley | Greg Snow | 27 July 2000 |
23 | "Episode 4" | Dermot Boyd | Sally Wainwright | 3 August 2000 |
24 | "Episode 5" | Dermot Boyd | Katie Baxendale | 10 August 2000 |
25 | "Episode 6" | Dermot Boyd | Russell Lewis | 17 August 2000 |
26 | "Episode 7" | Dermot Boyd | Greg Snow | 24 August 2000 |
Series 5 (2002)
Episode | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original air date |
---|---|---|---|---|
27 | "Episode 1" | Robert Knights | Gaynor Faye[1] | 6 January 2002 |
28 | "Episode 2" | Robert Knights | Gaynor Faye[1] | 13 January 2002 |
29 | "Episode 3" | Andrew Margetson | Sarah-Louise Hawkins | 20 January 2002 |
30 | "Episode 4" | Andrew Margetson | Sarah-Louise Hawkins | 27 January 2002 |
31 | "Episode 5" | Rob Bailey | Katie Baxendale | 3 February 2002 |
32 | "Episode 6" | Rob Bailey | Katie Baxendale | 10 February 2002 |
Ratings
Episode No. | Airdate | Total Viewers | BBC Weekly Rank |
---|---|---|---|
2.1 | 18 February 1999 | 8,160,000 | 18 |
2.2 | 25 February 1999 | 7,490,000 | 22 |
2.3 | 4 March 1999 | 7.200,000 | 22 |
2.4 | 11 March 1999 | Under 6,050,000 | N/A |
2.5 | 18 March 1999 | 7,090,000 | 24 |
2.6 | 25 March 1999 | 7,710,000 | 18 |
2.7 | 1 April 1999 | 7,770,000 | 17 |
Episode No. | Airdate | Total Viewers | BBC Weekly Rank |
---|---|---|---|
3.1 | 1 February 2000 | Under 6,490,000 | N/A |
3.2 | 8 February 2000 | 7,430,000 | 18 |
3.3 | 15 February 2000 | 7,730,000 | 17 |
3.4 | 24 February 2000 | 6,010,000 | 30 |
3.5 | 2 March 2000 | 6,930,000 | 22 |
3.6 | 9 March 2000 | 6,290,000 | 27 |
Episode No. | Airdate | Total Viewers | BBC Weekly Rank |
---|---|---|---|
4.1 | 13 July 2000 | 6,440,000 | 12 |
4.2 | 20 July 2000 | 5,310,000 | 25 |
4.3 | 27 July 2000 | 5,670,000 | 24 |
4.4 | 3 August 2000 | 5,760,000 | 19 |
4.5 | 10 August 2000 | 5,450,000 | 26 |
4.6 | 17 August 2000 | 5,650,000 | 27 |
4.7 | 24 August 2000 | 6,020,000 | 18 |
Episode No. | Airdate | Total Viewers | BBC Weekly Rank |
---|---|---|---|
5.1 | 6 January 2002 | 6,160,000 | 17 |
5.2 | 13 January 2002 | 5,250,000 | 25 |
5.3 | 20 January 2002 | 5,290,000 | 25 |
5.4 | 27 January 2002 | Under 4,700,000 | N/A |
5.5 | 3 February 2002 | Under 4,430,000 | N/A |
5.6 | 10 February 2002 | Under 4,490,000 | N/A |
Home media
The first four series of Playing the Field have been made available via Universal Playback.
- Playing the Field: Series 1 & 2 (VHS) – 23 October 2000
- Playing the Field: Series 3 & 4 (VHS) – 23 October 2000
- Playing the Field: Series 1 & 2 (DVD) – 29 January 2007 (released as "Seasons 1 & 2")
- Playing the Field: Series 3 & 4 (DVD) – 23 April 2007 (released as "Seasons 3 & 4")
Series 5, which was broadcast in 2002 has not received a VHS release, nor has it been released on DVD.
References
External links
- Playing the Field at IMDb