The Royal
Follows the staff and patients of a Yorkshire cottage hospital in the 60s, embroiled in tangled love lives and bitter power struggles.
Episodes
First Impressions
Dr. David Cheriton arrives at St. Aidan's Royal Free Hospital in Elsinby, newly qualified and keen to impress at his job interview - only to discover they aren't even expecting him. Meanwhile, Dr. Jill Weatherill's professional competence is called into question during a home visit, and hospital porter Ken Hopkirk's efforts to put up a television aerial end in disaster.
Second Time Around
A romantic escapade goes horribly wrong when a young couple are involved in a motorbike accident, and the tragic events of the night leave the staff of St Aiden's struggling to heal more than just a broken heart. Dr. Ormerod grows suspicious when one of his patients is uneasy about returning home, but an investigation by Matron soon reveals the reasons for his reluctance. Meanwhile, Ken and Alun face trouble when a plague of rodents looks set to close down the hospital - but is local rogue Claude Greengrass really the best person to ask for advice?
Coffin Fit
Claude Greengrass causes a kerfuffle with a coffin containing the remains of his deceased sister and a mysterious phone call only serves to raise suspicions. Jill Weatherill has trouble with a patient who refuses to accept her condition, while Dr. Cheriton panics when he arrives at the scene of an accident bereft of vital medical equipment.
Sister of Mercy
Sister Bridget discovers a baby on the steps of the hospital. PC Bellamy and Dr. Alway link it to a girls disappearance for a couple of days. Dr. Alway sets out to find the girl and informs her shocked parents that their daughter has had a baby.
Immediate Care
Dr. Cheriton has the unenviable task of informing a patient she has little time to live, and the situation soon prompts the wedding of the year. Arriving at the scene of an accident at the railway station, Dr. Ormerod is forced to make a drastic decision, but an oncoming train signals disaster. Gambling fever grips the hospital when a champion jockey is admitted and, as always, Greengrass is in the thick of the furore.
Kiss and Tell
The cause of a schoolboy's illness is found too close to home, while a bit of teamwork brings Ormerod and Weatherill closer than they expect. Cheriton's flatwarming party goes with a bang, and Ventress spots an impostor on the ward.
Crash
A serious coach crash throws the Royal into chaos, and for one member of the staff, the incident proves exceptionally traumatic. Cheriton has a bombshell for Nurse Taylor.
Top Cast
Michelle Hardwick
Lizzie Kennoway
Andy Wear
Alun Morris
Denis Lill
Mr. Rose
Amy Robbins
Dr. Jill Weatherill
Linda Armstrong
Sister Brigid
Robert Daws
Dr. Gordon Ormerod
Wendy Craig
Matron
Diana May
Nurse Carol Selby
Glynis Barber
Jean McAteer
Neil McDermott
Dr. Ralph Ellis
