On the Box Born and Bred Cast Profiles

James was born and grew up in Sunderland and he studied at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. He is married to actress Susan Jameson and they have starred together in several productions, including When The Boat Comes In. James is best known for playing lovable rogue Terry in The Likely Lads, Jack Ford in When The Boat Comes In and Trevor in The Beiderbecke Affair. More recently James has appeared in New Tricks on BBC One.

Arthur Gilder

Arthur has been running the surgery for years but, recently widowed, he missed having his family around him and is delighted that they have now returned to Ormston. Arthur and his son, Tom, now work together. When he’s not working he enjoys a tipple with the other villagers in The Signalman’s Arms. Arthur is as stubborn as his son and is afraid of change.

Michael French

Michael comes from Epping in Essex and he studied at the Mountview Theatre School in North London. He is best known for his roles as David Wicks in EastEnders and Nick Jordan in Holby City.

Tom Gilder

Tom is married to Deborah (Jenna Russell) and in the first series they moved from Manchester, with their four children, so that Tom could take on the running of the surgery with his father. Tom’s best friend is Len (Peter Gunn), who recently married Tom’s childhood sweetheart, Linda.Tom is forward-thinking, stubborn and a family man at heart.

Clive Swift

Formerly married to writer Margaret Drabble, with whom he has three children – one of whom, Joe, is a presenter on Gardener’s World. Born in Liverpool, Clive now lives in London. He has a degree in English Literature from Cambridge University and is best known for his role as Richard Bucket in Keeping Up Appearances.

Rev Brewer

Despite having lived in the village of Ormston for around 15 years, Brewer has never married, although he certainly likes the girls! He gets on particularly well with Phyllis, Arthur and Mr Boynton but not the Bishop. He’s learning to drive but with little success and has a passion for gambling and Armagnac.

Tracey Childs

Tracey was born in Chiswick, London, studied at The Guildhall and still lives in West London. She was previously married to actor Tony Anholt, who sadly died last year. Tracey is best known for her role as Lynne in Howards’Way and also appeared in the Eighties adaptations of Jane Eyre and Sense And Sensibility. When she’s working,Tracey never sits down in her costume:"All your energy gets left in the chair," she laughs.

Linda Cosgrove

Linda has lived in Ormston all her life and recently married Len Cosgrove (Peter Gunn), the village policeman. She works as a nurse at the Gilders’ surgery. Linda’s patience is tested when she has to deal with the constant bickering between the doctors.Tom was Linda’s first love and it caught her by surprise when he decided to move back to Ormston.

Naomi Radcliffe

Naomi was born in Oldham and now lives in Manchester with her partner of nine years, Carl Cieka. She trained at the Welsh College of Music and Drama where she met her boyfriend. Naomi is best known for playing Alison Webster in Coronation Street and has also appeared in Queer As Folk and BBC One’s Sunburn with Michelle Collins. More recently she played Twitchy in Michael Winterbottom’s 24 Hour Party People and alongside Ricky Tomlinson in Nice Guy Eddie.

Jean Bradshaw

Jean lives in Ormston with her father Wilf (John Henshaw) who is the station-master at the village station. Jean runs her own scrap yard but wants something more out of life, and in episode two takes over running the dray cart from Eddie’s uncle. She’s in love with Eddie but, despite her best efforts, he just doesn’t seem to notice her.

Sam Hudson

Sam was born in Derby, grew up in Birkenhead and now lives on The Wirral with his fiancée, Natasha Symms, who starred in Hollyoaks. He studied at the Birmingham School of Speech and Drama and is best known for playing Ryan Musgrove in Brookside.

Eddie Mills

Eddie is the mechanic who runs his own garage in Ormston and knows everything there is to know about cars. He’s dating Helen Gilder (Charlotte Salt) but is also being chased by Jean Bradshaw (Naomi Radcliffe). Both his parents died when he was younger and Eddie’s closest surviving relative is his Uncle Fred (David Troughton).

Denise Welch

Born in Ebchester in County Durham, Denise now lives in Cheshire with her husband, actor Tim Healy, and their two children. She attended schools in Whitley Bay, Newcastle and Consett before studying at the Mountview Theatre School in London. She is perhaps best known for playing Frances, the wife of Spender (Jimmy Nail), Marsha Stubbs in three series of Soldier, Soldier and Natalie Barnes in Coronation Street.

Edie McClure

Edie is married to Don (Paul Bown) and together they have six children, all girls. She lost her seventh child in the first series and this series it is Edie’s eldest daughter, Joanne, who is pregnant. Edie’s sister is Phyllis (Maggie Steed), landlady at The Signalman’s Arms, and Edie works as a cleaner in the pub and the doctors’ surgery.

An indepth guide to the series is here.