The Afternoon Play (2003)

The Afternoon Play is a British television anthology series of standalone contemporary dramas aired during the afternoons of 2003–07 on BBC One, featuring well-known actors in one-off stories. A daytime drama strand showcasing a variety of genres, from comedy to mystery, it was part of a long tradition of afternoon plays on BBC Radio 4, which would go on to influence the television version.

The Afternoon Play

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Lucy Davis
Lucy Davis
as Laura
Ralph Ineson
Ralph Ineson
as Rob Coles
Denise Welch
Denise Welch
as Carole Haye
Tim Dantay
Tim Dantay
as Trevor Haye
Glynis Barber
Glynis Barber
as Brenda
Rae Baker
Rae Baker
as Inez
Charlie Hayes
Charlie Hayes
as Suzy Haye
Neil Newbon
Neil Newbon
as Malcolm Haye
Anatol Yusef
Anatol Yusef
as Ahmed
Jeremy Sheffield
Jeremy Sheffield
as Tom Rourke
June Whitfield
June Whitfield
as Iris Rourke
Mandana Jones
Mandana Jones
as Sarah
Isabella Melling
Isabella Melling
as Maisey Rourke
Bruno Melling
Bruno Melling
as Jack Rourke
Caroline Lee-Johnson
Caroline Lee-Johnson
as Kay
Bhasker Patel
Bhasker Patel
as Psychiatrist
Ray Burdis
Ray Burdis
as Arnie Griffin
Mark Burdis
Mark Burdis
as Liam Griffin
Paul Barnhill
Paul Barnhill
as DI Tony Conrad
Vanessa Earl
Vanessa Earl
as Maria
Lucy Benjamin
Lucy Benjamin
as Amanda
Nicky Evans
Nicky Evans
as Jonny Potter
Tracie Bennett
Tracie Bennett
as Yvonne
Jonathan Linsley
Jonathan Linsley
as Arnold
Christopher Middleton
Christopher Middleton
as Marti
Nigel Betts
Nigel Betts
as Claude
Daniela Denby-Ashe
Daniela Denby-Ashe
as Kate
Rayna Campbell
Rayna Campbell
as Jo
Cat Simmons
Cat Simmons
as Beccy
Sarah Manners
Sarah Manners
as Dawn
Jeremy Edwards
Jeremy Edwards
as Tim
Oliver James
Oliver James
as Dave
Mark Healy
Mark Healy
as Frank
Nathan Constance
Nathan Constance
as Gavin
Robson Green
Robson Green
as Oliver Barrett
Tina Hobley
Tina Hobley
as Grace Leigh
Patrick Baladi
Patrick Baladi
as Peter Hamilton
Helen Latham
Helen Latham
as Aimie Hammond
Lisa Shingler
Lisa Shingler
as Greta Martin
James Buller
James Buller
as Alex
Karen Asemper
Karen Asemper
as Janine
Michael French
Michael French
as Hardy Rose
Liam Garrigan
Liam Garrigan
as Ben Rose
Antonia Bernath
Antonia Bernath
as Kate Sullivan
Caroline Langrishe
Caroline Langrishe
as Anna Sullivan
Kwame Kwei-Armah
Kwame Kwei-Armah
as Walter Weinberg
Kaye Wragg
Kaye Wragg
as Julie Singleton
Jonathan Kerrigan
Jonathan Kerrigan
as Ian Parnell
Jamie Theakston
Jamie Theakston
as Steve
Jean Alexander
Jean Alexander
as Enid
Shaun Prendergast
Shaun Prendergast
as Jerry Parnell
James Bradshaw
James Bradshaw
as Eric
Carli Norris
Carli Norris
as Ellie Parsons
Trevor Cooper
Trevor Cooper
as Clive
Chris Bisson
Chris Bisson
as Digger
Paula Wilcox
Paula Wilcox
as Kathy Hughes
Denise Black
Denise Black
as Jill Collins
Noreen Kershaw
Noreen Kershaw
as Amanda Jones
Clive Mantle
Clive Mantle
as Steve McGrath
John McArdle
John McArdle
as Bob Collins
Sinéad Matthews
Sinéad Matthews
as Chantelle Hughes
Andy Jones
Andy Jones
as Paul Collins
Bobby Knutt
Bobby Knutt
as Mick
Alexis Conran
Alexis Conran
as Xavier
Cathy Breeze
Cathy Breeze
as Jenny
Allistair Wyndham
Allistair Wyndham
as George
John Axon
John Axon
as Keith
Jim Bowen
Jim Bowen
as MC Norman
Edith Bowman
Edith Bowman
as Miss Jo Gair
Kulvinder Ghir
Kulvinder Ghir
as Sami Asif
Clare Grogan
Clare Grogan
as Maw
Tim Matthews
Tim Matthews
as Julian Gilkes
Hajaz Akram
Hajaz Akram
as Jameel Renham
Shabana Akhtar Bakhsh
Shabana Akhtar Bakhsh
as Yasmeela Khan
Jonie Broom
Jonie Broom
as Marco
Rashid Karapiet
Rashid Karapiet
as Arob Khan
Gurdial Sira
Gurdial Sira
as Babir Renham
Samantha Womack
Samantha Womack
as Emma Priestley
Jason Merrells
Jason Merrells
as John Priestley
Nicola Stephenson
Nicola Stephenson
as Nicola Passmore
Neil Stuke
Neil Stuke
as Steve Passmore
Richard Sutton
Richard Sutton
as Priest
Duane Henry
Duane Henry
as Ryan
Louise Rose
Louise Rose
as Penny
David Hayler
David Hayler
as Marley
Lisa Faulkner
Lisa Faulkner
as Rose Lapwood
Reece Dinsdale
Reece Dinsdale
as George Lapwood
Siobhan Redmond
Siobhan Redmond
as Donna Cline
Donna Alexander
Donna Alexander
as WPC Sullivan
Joan Blackham
Joan Blackham
as Irene
Steven Meo
Steven Meo
as Finn
Hugh Quarshie
Hugh Quarshie
as Adam Clay
Claire Goose
Claire Goose
as Kate Dobie
Tony Haygarth
Tony Haygarth
as Sgt Happy Dobie
Emma Alexander
Emma Alexander
as Melissa Clay
Shahnequa Duprey
Shahnequa Duprey
as Annie Clay
Daniel Hill
Daniel Hill
as Clement Bothwell
Bruce Montague
Bruce Montague
as Professor Aldous Finch
Gerard Murphy
Gerard Murphy
as Clarence Mitchell
Nina Sosanya
Nina Sosanya
as Claire Cotton
Koel Purie
Koel Purie
as Sonia Bhose
Joseph McFadden
Joseph McFadden
as Angus Doyle
Robert Mountford
Robert Mountford
as Arvind
Eilidh MacDonald
Eilidh MacDonald
as Myrtle McGinty
Surendra Kochar
Surendra Kochar
as Aunty Jamilla
Madhav Sharma
Madhav Sharma
as Yudi Bhose
Ray Quinn
Ray Quinn
as John Reilly
Melanie Hill
Melanie Hill
as Bonnie Reilly
Geff Francis
Geff Francis
as Erroll Johnson
Peter Capaldi
Peter Capaldi
as Billy Shannon
Stephen Aintree
Stephen Aintree
as Norman Blakewell
Dave Hill
Dave Hill
as Ted Roberts
Christine Hannon
Christine Hannon
as Mary Parker
Felicity Montagu
Felicity Montagu
as Marjorie Goldblum
Eunice Roberts
Eunice Roberts
as Dr Ash
Angela Lonsdale
Angela Lonsdale
as Wendy Tyler
Jordan Metcalfe
Jordan Metcalfe
as Kieran Tyler
Kieran O'Brien
Kieran O'Brien
as Sean Tyler
Rosemary Leach
Rosemary Leach
as HM The Queen
Sarah Crowden
Sarah Crowden
as Lady-in-Waiting
Jodie Whittaker
Jodie Whittaker
as Sam
James Bolam
James Bolam
as Billy
Tom Chambers
Tom Chambers
as Peter
Paul Copley
Paul Copley
as Dave
Amanda Root
Amanda Root
as Andrea
Doña Croll
Doña Croll
as Sarah
Sam Cox
Sam Cox
as Michael
Sheila Reid
Sheila Reid
as Edith
Claire Cox
Claire Cox
as Jessica
Noah Huntley
Noah Huntley
as Gary
Colin Baker
Colin Baker
as Judge
Tony Barton
Tony Barton
as Comedian
Ruth Gemmell
Ruth Gemmell
as Rachel
Roy Dotrice
Roy Dotrice
as Charlie
Jonathan Wrather
Jonathan Wrather
as Matt
Joe Sims
Joe Sims
as Terrance
Amit Shah
Amit Shah
as Nigel
Margaret Jackman
Margaret Jackman
as Edith
Laurence Saunders
Laurence Saunders
as Simon
Raymond Mason
Raymond Mason
as Thommo
David Sterne
David Sterne
as Gordon
Lynsey McCaffrey
Lynsey McCaffrey
as Debbie
Georgia Taylor
Georgia Taylor
as Molly Connolly
Jane Gurnett
Jane Gurnett
as Eleanor Connolly
Mark Bixter
Mark Bixter
as Johnny
Ian Mercer
Ian Mercer
as Eddie Connolly
Richard O'Callaghan
Richard O'Callaghan
as Harry
Stephen Rahman Hughes
Stephen Rahman Hughes
as James Khan
George Asprey
George Asprey
as Boniface
Sara Carver
Sara Carver
as Patricia Gilbert
James Cartwright
James Cartwright
as Johnny
Joanna Higson
Joanna Higson
as Tracy
Polly Hemingway
Polly Hemingway
as Gran
Adrian Hood
Adrian Hood
as Tonto
Cindy Marshall-Day
Cindy Marshall-Day
as Lolipop
Greta Scacchi
Greta Scacchi
as Diane
Lorraine Cheshire
Lorraine Cheshire
as Patty
Gemma Clarke
Gemma Clarke
as Lala
Matt Kennard
Matt Kennard
as Micky
Sam Kennard
Sam Kennard
as Ricky
Jenna Southworth
Jenna Southworth
as Tania
David Roper
David Roper
as Frank Manning
Aidan McArdle
Aidan McArdle
as Dr Max Freeman
Diana Kent
Diana Kent
as Alice Manning
Kim Medcalf
Kim Medcalf
as Laura Manning
Raad Rawi
Raad Rawi
as Professor Bryce
Nicky Ladanowski
Nicky Ladanowski
as Sarah
Phillipa Peak
Phillipa Peak
as Kathy
Paul Thornley
Paul Thornley
as Howard Harris
Brian Capron
Brian Capron
as Gerry Sullivan
Hannah Waterman
Hannah Waterman
as Kate
Kate Isitt
Kate Isitt
as Jackie
Jack Deam
Jack Deam
as Chris
Oliver Milburn
Oliver Milburn
as David
Lynne Verrall
Lynne Verrall
as Moira
Rob Swinton
Rob Swinton
as Alan
Jefferson Hall
Jefferson Hall
as Julian
Andrew Hall
Andrew Hall
as Henry
Anthony Cozens
Anthony Cozens
as Stuart
Christopher Harvey
Christopher Harvey
as Oliver
Julian Bleach
Julian Bleach
as Stefan
Keith Osborn
Keith Osborn
as Mike
Jimmy Yuill
Jimmy Yuill
as Geoffrey
Trevor Byfield
Trevor Byfield
as Reggie
David Shaw-Parker
David Shaw-Parker
as Lenny
Elizabeth Bennett
Elizabeth Bennett
as Janice
Andrew Tiernan
Andrew Tiernan
as Bennett
Niall Refoy
Niall Refoy
as Terry
Nik Howden
Nik Howden
as Niall
Emma Fildes
Emma Fildes
as Claire Fisher
James Lance
James Lance
as Tom Hunter
John Henshaw
John Henshaw
as Sir Terry Bucklethwaite
Nikki Sanderson
Nikki Sanderson
as Natalie Bucklethwaite
Alex Macqueen
Alex Macqueen
as Simon
Nitin Ganatra
Nitin Ganatra
as Samir
Simon Dutton
Simon Dutton
as Ken Hunter
Flora Spencer-Longhurst
Flora Spencer-Longhurst
as Laura Fisher
Annie Miles
Annie Miles
as Vicki Fisher
Jessica Claire
Jessica Claire
as Manda
Jane How
Jane How
as Judge
Nigel Williams
Nigel Williams
as Donal Carrington
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Seasons

Season 1

Series 1

Season 2

Series 2

Season 3

Series 3

Season 4

Series 4

Season 5

Series 5

Episodes season 0

  • 0x1

    The trial of walter raleigh

  • 0x2

    Small acts of kindness

  • 0x3

    Between the lines

Episodes season 1

  • 1x1

    Turkish delight

  • 1x2

    Coming up for air

  • 1x3

    The real arnie griffin

  • 1x4

    Heroes and villains

  • 1x5

    Girls' weekend

Episodes season 2

  • 2x1

    Venus and mars

  • 2x2

    Sons, daughters and lovers

  • 2x3

    Drive

  • 2x4

    Viva las blackpool

  • 2x5

    Glasgow dreams

Episodes season 3

  • 3x1

    The hitch

  • 3x2

    The trouble with george

  • 3x3

    The good citizen

  • 3x4

    Reverse psychology

  • 3x5

    The singing cactus

Episodes season 4

  • 4x1

    Tea with betty

  • 4x2

    The last will and testament of billy two-sheds

  • 4x3

    Your mother should know

  • 4x4

    Are you jim's wife?

  • 4x5

    Molly

Episodes season 5

  • 5x1

    Johnny shakespeare

  • 5x2

    Death becomes him

  • 5x3

    Come fly with me

  • 5x4

    Pieces of a silver lining

  • 5x5

    The real deal

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