Bad Girls was a hard-hitting prison drama that ran for eight series and 107 episodes between 1999 and 2006, with many of its cast going onto enjoy successful careers
The beloved ITV prison drama, Bad Girls, captivated a staggering 9.5 million viewers at its height. Debuting in June 1999, the hard-hitting show tackled issues such as bullying, rape, suicide, miscarriage and drug use. It masterfully portrayed the complex relationships between inmates and staff at Larkhall prison.
When the series concluded in 2006, many of its cast members went on to have highly successful careers, with four even reuniting in the same soap family. Here, we take a look at what became of the stars, a quarter of a century after the series first graced our screens….
Linda Henry – Yvonne Atkins
Yvonne made her debut in the second-to-last episode of the first series and quickly ascended to ‘Top Dog’ status. A force to be reckoned with, Yvonne held sway over the prison and wasn’t shy about confronting the prison guards
However, her reign was cut short when she was brutally murdered by Jim Fenner at the close of series 5. Audiences were left heartbroken as they watched Yvonne gasping for breath in a chilling old cell after being locked in by the corrupt prison officer.
Actress Linda Henry didn’t stay away from our screens for long, taking on the iconic role of Shirley Carter in EastEnders in December 2006. This wasn’t her first stint on the soap, as Linda originally played Lorraine Salter back in the 1990s.
Linda’s character bid farewell to Walford in December 2022 following the presumed death of her son Mick, reports the Mirror.
Debra Stephenson – Shell Dockley
Shell Dockley, portrayed by Debra Stephenson, was the formidable character that dominated the first three series of Bad Girls. As a lifer for the heinous crimes of kidnapping, torture, and murder of her boyfriend’s new partner, Shell was a force to be reckoned with inside the prison walls
After a daring escape, Shell managed to evade capture for several series but was eventually apprehended. She made a fleeting comeback in series five, only to be sent to a psychiatric hospital after giving birth.
Following her final bow on Bad Girls, Debra took up the role of Frankie Baldwin in Coronation Street, becoming Bradley Walsh’s on-screen spouse. Embracing her talent for mimicry once more, she teamed up with Jon Culshaw for The Impressions Show from 2009 to 2011.
Her career has since seen her return twice to Doctors, with recent appearances in Holby City and Mrs Brown’s Boys.
Claire King – Karen Betts
Karen Betts, played by Claire King, entered as the no-nonsense G-wing governor in the second series. Her tenure on the show lasted until series six when she found herself wrongfully implicated in a hit-and-run by her turbulent lover Fenner.
Reflecting on her experience, Claire shared on Loose Women: “It was such good fun, it really was,” adding, “You’d think it would be a nightmare with 30, 40 women all trapped in the same area for eight months of the year, but actually we did make it fun, because it was such a depressing place to work in.”
Claire has graced a variety of reality TV shows, including Strictly Come Dancing in 2006 and Celebrity Big Brother in 2014. She had a three-year stint on Coronation Street as Erica Holroyd, who was romantically involved with Nick and was Liz’s closest mate.
In 2018, she made a dramatic comeback to Emmerdale as the formidable Kim Tate after a 20-year hiatus – and continues to stir up trouble in the village today.
Sid Owen – Donny Kimber
EastEnders icon Sid Owen joined the Bad Girls ensemble in 2006 for the final series. Sid portrayed prison guard Donny Kimber, who embarked on a sexual relationship with inmate Janine Nebeski.
Janine was played by Nicola Stapleton, who also happened to be Sid’s on-screen lover in EastEnders as she portrayed Mandy Salter. Things wrapped up quite nicely for Donny and Janine as they welcomed a baby and got engaged.
As for Sid, he reprised his iconic role as Ricky Butcher on EastEnders in 2008 alongside Patsy Palmer as Bianca. After four years, Sid departed once more and subsequently appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and The Jump.
In 2020, Sid suffered a freak accident while on holiday, shattering his jaw and damaging his teeth when a golf ball ricocheted off a tree into his face. Last year, following reconstructive surgery, he featured on Channel 4 reality show Banged Up, a social experiment that saw celebrities put behind bars.
Joanne Froggatt – Rachel Hicks
Rachel Hicks, the original character, only appeared in four episodes but left a lasting impression with her tragic exit. The young inmate took her own life after learning that her mother had given her daughter up for adoption.
Joanne Froggatt, who portrayed Rachel, has since starred in several high-profile shows, including Robin Hood, The Street and Life on Mars. She spent five years playing Anna Bates in Downton Abbey and reprised the role for the 2019 film.
Most recently, Joanne had audiences questioning the truth in two series of ITV drama Liar, where she played the lead character Laura.
Alicya Eyo – Denny Blood
Denny Blood was a volatile inmate who was Shell’s intermittent lover while they were incarcerated together. She was one of the few characters who gained freedom, moving to an open prison before being released after five series.
Alicya Eyo, who brought the tough character to life, is best known for her role as Ruby Haswell in Emmerdale for four years. Her character met a violent end in the devastating helicopter crash that tore through the village.
Alicya has also made appearances in Doctors, Holby City, Casualty and Silent Witness.
Jack Ellis – Jim Fenner
Jim was the malevolent prison officer who would go to any lengths to torment the inmates and get his way. He lied and even committed murder to climb the ranks, eventually becoming the governor.
However, he finally met his downfall in the second to last series when Julie J drugged him in the same room where he had previously killed Yvonne. Since departing from the soap in 2008, Jack has made appearances in Doctors and Coronation Street, playing the role of betting shop owner Harry Mason.
More recently, Jack has taken on a variety of theatre roles, featuring in productions such as Richard III, Expectations and The Shawshank Redemption, which saw him return to a prison setting. In 2018, he portrayed a slightly altered version of a prison officer in the French drama Versailles.
Sharon Duncan – Crystal Gordon
Crystal, a religious prisoner who fell for technician Josh, was a mainstay in the first four series. After a brief release, she found herself back behind bars after being discovered harbouring escapee inmate Shell.
Post-Bad Girls, Sharon Duncan landed roles in Doctor Who, Holby City, Top Boy, Doctors, Waking The Dead and even played Senator Palmo in the Star Wars film Rogue One. However, her most notorious role was as Trina Johnson in EastEnders, where her character met a grisly end at the hands of ex-husband Lucas and a garden rake.
She went on to portray one of Jackson’s mothers in the Netflix series Sex Education and also featured in the 2021 film Dune.
Helen Fraser – Sylvia Hollamby
Sylvia Hollamby, or ‘Bodybag’ as she was known, graced both the first and last episodes of Bad Girls. As one of only three characters to endure the entire run of the show, the veteran prison officer held a deep disdain for both inmates and governors alike.
Over the years, there were numerous attempts on her life, but she managed to survive being pushed down the stairs, nearly being burnt alive, and an attack by her husband on their honeymoon. This role is undoubtedly Helen Fraser’s most recognised, which she reprised in the West End musical version in 2007.
She also bared all while touring with Calendar Girls and made a second appearance on Corrie as Doris Babbage, 15 years after portraying Magenta Savannah.
Victoria Alcock – Julie Saunders
Former sex worker Julie S, one half of the notorious ‘Two Julies’, featured in all eight series of the show. Victoria Alcock has had roles in a plethora of TV shows, including Holby City, Call The Midwife, Doctors, and Birds Of A Feather.
In an unusual turn of events, she played Mandy Salter’s mum on EastEnders in 2012. Her Bad Girls co-star Linda Henry had previously played the role before being cast as Shirley Carter.
Viewers may also recognise Victoria from her role as Miche’s mum in the BBC Three comedy series People Just Do Nothing, as well as parts in Changing Ends and Spent.
Kika Mirylees – Julie Johnston
The other half of the ‘Two Julies’, Kika portrayed Julie J in every single series of Bad Girls. After the show ended, she played Garry Hobbs’ mum Hazel in EastEnders, then made guest appearances on New Tricks, Not Going Out and Holby City.
She secured a role on Doctors in 2020 and subsequently worked as an acting coach and councillor for Waverly Borough Council.
Luisa Bradshaw-White – Lorna Rose
Lorna, a young prison officer, was featured in the first series before being dismissed. She was coerced by Shell into smuggling drugs into the prison but was eventually exposed by her superiors.
Unfortunately, Lorna was arrested and naturally lost her job – and was never seen again. However, we did see actress Luisa again when she graced our screens on Holby City and Doctors.
She then bagged the role of the endearing Tina Carter in EastEnders in 2013, becoming the on-screen sister of Bad Girls co-star Linda Henry’s character, Shirley. Tina has been at the centre of some deeply emotional storylines, including domestic violence, reliving a traumatic experience and losing both her parents.
Kellie Bright – Cassie Tyler
Kellie made her appearance in the fourth series as Cassie, who was released from jail after saving Neil Grayling in a fire incident. The actress played Ali G’s girlfriend ‘Me Julie’ and Del Boy’s mum in Only Fools prequel Rock And Chips before securing the significant role of Linda Carter on EastEnders.
Kellie became the third member of the Bad Girls cast to join the Carter family and has been involved in some compelling storylines, including Linda’s rape ordeal, struggles with alcoholism and having a baby later in life. Linda was reinstated as the Queen Vic landlady and discovered she is expecting Max Branning’s baby.
In 2015, Kellie took to the dance floor in Strictly Come Dancing, reaching the final with professional partner Kevin Clifton.
Annette Badland – Angela Robins
Angela Robbins initially seemed a gentle inmate, but she was concealing a significant secret. It was later disclosed that she was battling Dissociative Identity Disorder and had assaulted the governor in one episode of the final series.
Actress Annette Badland became the fourth Bad Girls star to join EastEnders’ Carter family. She portrayed the scheming Aunt Babe, who was always embroiled in some wicked plot and was eventually ousted from the Queen Vic when her antics were discovered.
Upon her departure, Aunt Babe cursed the Carter family, leaving EastEnders fans hopeful for her return someday. She went on to feature in numerous stage plays and television shows, including Ted Lasso, Big Boys and Midsomer Murders.
Tracey Wilkinson – Di Barker
Di Barker was arguably the kindest prison officer, although that’s not saying much. She wed Fenner but found herself the prime suspect in his murder due to their divorce, and was last seen on remand.
Actress Tracey Wilkinson appeared in Outlander in 2016 and Amazon’s Carnival Row. She even had a reunion with Bad Girls co-star James Gaddas on Casualty.
Bad Girls is available to stream on ITVX
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