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FANS RALLY TO REVIVE PEAK PRACTICE
By Jonathan Donald, Annanova 27/6/02
Dismayed fans of Peak Practice have been rallying to give the axed ITV1 drama the kiss of life.
They are outraged by the executives' decision to end the series and are mustering a petition to be handed over to network chiefs.
Organiser Donna Cini, 22, said: "We accept this fantastic series is now unlikely to be revived. But they could at least give us a final episode with which to tie up loose ends and say farewell.
"It seems so unfair that they've decided to kill it off. It did really well last year and there was positive feedback among fans. We just want to say goodbye."
So far 433 signatures have been added to the petition, and the plan is to hand it to ITV this week.
Peak Practice being struck off TV has stoked the ire of fans globally. "The show's popularity stretches far beyond Britain," said Ms Cini, who runs fansite peakpracticeonline.
"People love it in Australia, Canada and America. The appeal is the escapism it offers.
"You can just go there for a while and forget your worries. They are also your ideal doctors, and you get so wrapped up in the characters."
But the petition will not change the minds of programme makers Carlton. A spokeswoman said: "There is no chance of a final episode. Many great films end leaving audiences to to make their own conclusions.
"Of course we expected a backlash, it was a very popular show. But we believe they will like replacement series Sweet Medicine." The last Peak Practice series ended in January. It aired for almost 10 years.
PAST ITS PEAK
The long-running medical drama Peak Practice has been cancelled after nine years. Despite a successful revamp which transformed it into a racy romp, ITV bosses are closing it down. But, in a bizarre step, they're replacing it with another medical drama, also based in the Peak District witha working title of Sweet Medicine.
The new show will be made by the same production team as Peak Practice and it may even have a tenuous link to the old show. ITV has been badly beaten recently in the ratings war with BBC1 and ITV's controller of drama Nick Elliot wants to freshen up its output.
The show's star, Simon Shepherd, who returned as heart-throb Dr Will Preston last year, says he understands why it's being ditched but is sorry to see it go. "ITV is in a terrible state at the moment and we're a casualty of it, no pun intended," says Simon. "Of course I'm disappointed. It's a show I love and a character I love. I'll miss the camaraderie of the crew and I will miss Derbyshire."
TV Quick 29/6-5/7
A COMPLAINT ABOUT PP
Eight viewers complained that an edition shown on November 29 was inappropriate for pre-watershed broadcast. The BSC upheld complaints about a scene in which a nurse suffocated an injured marine, which it considered too explicit for pre-watershed. (May 30 2002, source: Media Guardian)
LET THE PRACTICE PEAK AGAIN! PETITION
Calling all PP fans!
Despite rumours and even articles about new studios being converted for a new series of Peak Practice (see below), there has not yet been one commissioned. And it looks likely that it won't be unless we can persuade the powers that be otherwise.
Do you want to see more PP in the future? A new series? A one-off special? Is your head full of questions about what happened next? Please sign the ONLINE PETITION or visit Peak Practice Online for more details. Thank you! ;O)
TOP 10 BEST MALE DOCS ON TV
DERELICT BUILDING TO BE USED AS PEAK PRACTICE STUDIO
A derelict building in Belper is to be converted into a television studio to shoot interior scenes for the medical drama Peak Practice.
The planning board of Amber Valley Borough Council has approved an application from Carlton TV to use about 2,500 square yards of the former Maystock complex in Derwent Street for a studio.
Much of the site is derelict and the television company intends to convert part of one building into three sound stages.
Each of them will contain one or more interior sets to enable the actors and crews to move quickly from outdoor filming, often around Crich, to inside shots for the same storyline.
Apart from converting the building to a television studio, the company will also put up security fencing and gates around its new premises.
A report to Monday's planning board meeting says that only one objection had been received and that was from a resident in nearby Chevin View who was concerned about possible noise from the studio.
The report says: "The agent has confirmed that the premises will contain three stages for filming internal scenes on no more than two occasions per week. No outdoor or night filming will take place and the building will be soundproofed to prevent external noise affecting filming."
Fiona Johnson, spokeswoman for Carlton, said: "We need local premises so that actors and crews in the area can travel to a convenient studio for interior shots.
"The latest run of Peak Practice has just ended and the next series of 13 episodes will go into production in the second half of this year."
www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk, 13th Feb 2002
A NEW SERIES
Peak Practice has gone from steady medical drama to sexy thriller in a matter of weeks, thanks to the antics of nympho psychotic nurse Claire. But viewers ain't seen nothing yet. ITV bosses have hired a writer who has worked on Channel 4's cult mafia show The Sopranos to make the drama even more compulsive viewing. The American scriptwrier will join the Peak Practice team developing storylines for the new series which starts filming later in the year. It seems that viewers got a taste of things to come when Dr Tom Deneley was shot in a dramatic conclusion to the current run. 'I don't think we'll be seeing the mafia in Cardale just yet but The Sopranos is a fantastic show and this can only be good for Peak Practice' says an insider.
Tv Quick 5/2/02
JUMPING IN A FIT OF PEAK
The Mirror , Feb 5 2002
PEAK Practice ended with psycho bunny Claire (Eva Pope) breaking into Alex's house and, to the strains of Moby, ripping up her wedding gown, dressing in her clothes, and putting on her lipstick: all very Single White Female.
It ended with one of TV's most improbable cliff-top chase scenes as Tom and Will ran to Alex's rescue: three doctors versus a (gun-toting) practice nurse.
Claire jumped, taking Alex with her, though Shelleyvision suspects she was saved by her dress - made, seemingly, out of a pair of tangerine curtains, parachuting her safely to the ground.
PEAK PRACTICE GETS A SHOT IN THE ARM
ITV1's Peak Practice cranked up the melodrama for the series finale last night, boosting its ratings at the end of a shaky run.
The series drew to a close with a 31% audience share as 6.8m viewers tuned in to see Claire Brightwell gatecrash Alex Redman's wedding to Tom Deneley.
Peak Practice was 1m viewers up on the previous week, when the show pulled in 5.8m in its Thursday 9pm slot. Jason Deans, Thursday January 31 2002
STATEMENT FROM CARLTON:
"There's a gun in the car's glove compartment - and it's loaded," says Eva Pope, describing how her character, psychotic Claire Brightwell, may have murder in mind when she shows up as an uninvited guest at the wedding of Tom (Gray O'Brien) and Alex (Maggie O'Neill).
Leanne Shackleton (the beautiful Christabel Fellowes) joins other friends and family to celebrate what should be a joyous occasion.
However, Tom is diverted from the venue by an urgent rescue call when a patient suffers a heart attack in a stricken cable car.
Meanwhile, Alex's spurned lover Claire is lurking somewhere in the background. She has a head full of malice and is in search of revenge, so anything could happen. "Claire came to Cardale for one reason only - to find Alex and make Alex love her," says Pope. "She developed that infatuation during their Army days together but upon arriving in the Peaks, it became apparent that this was only going to be a one-way relationship. She couldn't get through to Alex so instead tried to break up her relationship with Tom. That failed and made Claire a desperate woman. It was a relief for everyone at The Beeches when she was seen to leave Cardale.
But, just as the community begins to celebrate Tom and Alex's happy event, Claire returns. She is in a terribly confused state and is now a dangerous woman. I don't think Claire even knows herself what she will do when she arrives at the wedding."
One thing's for certain, this last episode in the series will grip viewers from beginning to end.
Claire's shooting Practice
THIS is the dramatic moment crazed Peak Practice nurse Claire Brightwell guns down doctor Tom to stop him marrying her lesbian love.
Obsessed Claire, played by ex-Corrie beauty Eva Pope, 33, kidnaps bride Dr Alex Redman — actress Maggie O’Neill — on her wedding day after being spurned by her.
She then turns the gun on bridegroom Tom Deneley — actor Gray O’Brien — when he rushes to the rescue.
Tomorrow night’s end-of-series episode will leave fans of the ITV1 show guessing if Tom can be saved by Dr Will Preston.
A TV source said: “Claire is determined to ruin Dr Alex’s happiness. This is the biggest cliffhanger ever on the show.”
By EMILY SMITH, The Sun Newspaper 29th Jan 2002
REVENGE!
A vindictive Claire threatens to ruin Alex and Tom's wedding day...
As the current series draws to a close this fortnight, there is cause for celebration in Cardale when Alex and Tom announce their engagement. The couple have suffered planty of ups and downs - including Alex's cancer scare - but it was the arrival of unhinged nurse, Claire that almost destroyed the pair. However, will Claire really allow the couple to live happily ever after?
"Now that Alex has fully recovered from her surgery, she has been able to concentrate on her life with Tom, and they are very happy and very much an item," says Maggie O'Neill, who plays Alex. "Claire has tried everything to try and split up Alex and Tom but none of it has worked."
But that could all be about to change. Following her rape accusation and suicide attempt, Claire vanished from Cardale and Alex and Tom have been able to plan their wedding in peace. Predictably though, things don't go according to plan on the big day. The wedding is delayed when Tom is called to rescue a patient who has suffered a heart attack in a stricken cable car. And as the wedding guests await his arrival, little does Alex know that a deranged Claire is lurking in the background, intent on revenge...
Also, Will has to decide if his marriage to Kate is worth fighting for... Shaun is battling the bulge in a bid to woo Kerri - but his fight has serious health implications.
Inside Soap, Fortnight ending 1/2/02
TOGETHER AGAIN
Former Peak Practice star John Bowler, pub landlord MIke Pullen in the ITV1 drama, is set to arrive in Weatherfield next month. And if he drops in at the Rovers, he might just recognise the landlady! Melanie Kilburn - who plays Eve Elliot - used to co-star with John in Peak Practice as Mike's wife, Liz. John joins Corrie as John Wilding, husband of Hazel - the woman who seduces Vikram Desai after he picks her up in his taxi!
Inside Soap, Fortnight ending 1st Feb 2002
EVA SO SEDUCTIVE
Ex-coronation Street actress Eva Pope is used to playing man-eaters - this time she's causing a stir as Peak Practice's new nurse...
OK! Magazine 17.1.02
EVEN MUM HATES ME AS THE PEAK PRACTICE PSYCHO
Peak Practice fans will be shocked this week to see Dr Will Preston accused of rape after Claire Brightwell forces herself on him. Eva Pope, who plays the psychotic nurse, tells us how nice it is being naughty...(More)
Peak Practice's Will to be charged with rape in 150th episode
Dr Will Preston is to be charged with rape in Peak Practice.
Simon Shepherd's character will be stitched up by psychotic nurse Claire Brightwell, played by Eva Pope.
The 150th episode will be broadcast on January 17 at 9pm.
Recent episodes have seen Will getting increasingly depressed.
He will have a drink with Claire and then find himself waking up in a bed with her and being accused of rape.
Shepherd said: "This is a very strong episode, certainly dramatic, and a fitting way to celebrate our 150th episode.
"Peak Practice has constantly been changing and it has moved into a new era this series with emotionally strong storylines and challenging drama.
"This episode is traumatic for Will and is the culmination of a terrible time in his life. He has been on anti-depressants for a while and has been left numbed by Kate's affair. He has begun to lean socially and psychologically on Claire but she misreads his feelings.
"Claire has become a psychotic individual who sees Will in a difficult position and takes advantage."
Elsewhere, Dr Alex Redman (Maggie O'Neill) will oversee the exhumation of a Marine whom she believes was murdered by Claire after an Army helicopter crashed in the Peaks.
Ananova.com 3.1.02
NEWS AND ARTICLES - 2001
NEWS AND ARTICLES - 2000