Angels

1 9 7 5 – 1 9 8 3 (UK)
97 x 30 minute episodes
58 x 50 minute episodes

Angels was the BBC’s twice-weekly story of six student nurses at (the fictitious) St Angela’s Hospital, Battersea – and later, the brand new Heath Green Hospital in Birmingham.

St James’ Hospital in Balham (demolished in 1992) was used in filming.

The stories centred on the difficulties faced by nurse trainees in adjusting to the nursing profession, along with their relationships with the opposite sex, and character clashes between the various members of the staff, as well as the stress of working shifts in the National Health Service.

Unlike Coronation Street, against which it was scheduled, there was a documentary-like style and the nurses’ work was shown as thankless – a long way from the romance of Emergency – Ward 10.

From 1975 to 1978, Angels was originally broadcast in 50-minute episodes, moving to two 30-minute episodes per week from 1979 onwards.

Many of the cast and production team went on to EastEnders when Angels finished in 1983.

Jean MacEwen
Carol Holmes
Patricia Rutherford
Fiona Fullerton
Rose Butchins
Kathryn Apanowicz
Jo Longhurst
Julie Dawn Cole
Sita Patel
Karan David
Tracey Willoughby/Carr
Julia Williams
Ruth Fullman
Lesley Dunlop
Vicky Smith
Pauline Quirke
Alison Streeter
Juliet Waley
Anna Newcross
Joanna Monro
Katy Betts/Smart
Shirley Cheriton
Fleur Barratt
Sharon Rosita
Janet Dickens
Michelle Martin
Sarah Regan
Debbie Ash
Dave Nowell
Neil West
Ron Frost
Martin Barrass
Sandra Ling
Angela Bruce
Beverley Slater
Judith Jacob
Linda Mo
Sarah Lam
Dick Willoughby
Stacy Davies
Susan Willoughby
Jill Meers
Kathy Stone
Lynda Bellingham
Ayo Lapido
Joy Lemoine

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