Behind The Scenes
Background
Life at the Royal London Hospital has never been busier. The new arrivals are struggling to find their feet and young probationer nurses, Ethel Bennett (Charity Wakefield), Corisande Veveers (Youkti Patel) and Laura Goodley (Lydia Leonard), start work at the hospital to the sound of gunfire outside the windows.
Gang warfare rages on the desperately poor East End streets between heavily armed English, Russian and Jewish gangs. One of the first patients through the doors is Nobby Clark (Alfie Allen), ringleader of the violent Blind Beggar Gang. Named after the Blind Beggar pub, which is still just yards from the hospital, it later became the haunt of the Kray brothers.
Unfazed by the bullet wound and standing out among the stiff English doctors, is free-thinking maverick Dr Millais Culpin (William Houston). Raised in Australia after his family emigrated, he has spent years adventuring in the outback and ably guides the less experienced Nurse Bennett through her duties.
Background
The hospital’s chairman, Sydney Holland (Nicholas Farrell), is preparing for a visit from the hospital’s patron, Queen Alexandra. Scotland Yard detectives fear that foreign ‘revolutionists’, who have been setting bombs around London, may launch an attack. Mr. Holland finds himself at odds with Dr Sequiera (Will Keen) over the Queen’s request to meet a tragic young boy whose shocking appearance is caused by a rare skin disease.
Nurse Ada Russell (Sarah Smart) now faces a painful dilemma of whether to take the job of Ward Sister, even though it threatens to ruin her engagement to Dr James Walton (Tom Riley). The rules state that engaged couples cannot work in the hospital - one of them must leave. But which will it be? Ada is torn between her love of the job and her love for Dr Walton.
Matron Eva Luckes (Cherie Lunghi), the hospital stalwart, has sacrificed her private life for the good of the hospital. She finds herself shaken to the core when an old flame, Dr Bedford Fenwick (Dominic Jephcott), returns to help with the Queen’s visit. Bedford is unhappy in his marriage and long-suppressed feelings resurface as Eva is tempted once more...