When he hears that his working-class father, Arnold (David Bradley), has been taken ill, young single surgical registrar Owen Springer (former Soldier, Soldier star Robson Green) rushes from London to Manchester to be with him.
On the train journey north, he borrows a phone from an attractive and well-spoken older woman named Anna Fairley (Francesca Annis), and when he joins a Manchester hospital, they meet again. She happens to be married to his new – and ruthless – boss, Richard Crane (Michael Kitchen) – a man with a tongue as sharp as his scalpel.
Despite warnings from his new colleagues (Julian Rhind-Tutt and Conor Mullen), Owen becomes obsessed with Anna, which begins to dominate his life – even when she says she is uninterested.
When Anna discovers her husband is having an affair with the hospital administrator, Viv Reid (Daniela Nardini) – thanks to some devious manoeuvres from young Dr Springer – she rushes into Owen’s arms and realises that she has feelings for him, too, resulting in an adulterous fling.
As the couple realise they love rather than just lust after each other, Anna’s husband hires a private detective, and Viv becomes the archetypal woman scorned.
After Richard and Owen are involved in a fistfight, they get hauled in front of the police and hospital executives. Meanwhile, Anna starts to make some tough decisions about the rest of their lives.
The series from Granada Television aired over six weeks in February and March 1997. One TV critic called it “Second-rate Mills & Boon tosh for those who think Peak Practiceis slice-of-life viewing”. But viewers did get to see Robson Green’s bare bum.
A made-for-TV movie in 1998 provided an unnecessary sequel – inventively titled Reckless: The Sequel.
Anna Fairley
Francesca Annis Richard Crane
Michael Kitchen Owen Springer
Robson Green John McGinley
Conor Mullen Danny Glassman
Julian Rhind-Tutt Arnold Springer
David Bradley Viv Reid
Daniela Nardini Michelle
Debra Stephenson Irma
Kathryn Hunt Myrtle Fairley
Margery Mason Phyllis
Kathryn Pogson Gillies
John Langford Dr Pall
David Boyce Mr Penman
Malcolm Raeburn Brian
Jeremy Turner-Welch Rodney Ferris
Nicholas Blane Corrine
Verity Hewlett Malcolm Crossley
Peter Martin Sergeant Sefton
Michael Wardle Melvin
Ken Bradshaw
Despite warnings from his new colleagues (Julian Rhind-Tutt and Conor Mullen), Owen becomes obsessed with Anna, which begins to dominate his life – even when she says she is uninterested.
