List of Heartbeat Characters - Medical Staff - Aidensfield Doctors

Aidensfield Doctors

• Frank Middlemass as Dr Alex Ferrenby (1992–1993). A kindly, traditional, old-fashioned country doctor. At the beginning of the series, Ferrenby had promised to allow Kate Rowan to become his assistant, but when she actually arrived in Aidensfield he changed his mind because of doubts that the villagers would accept a female doctor. However, when Ferrenby got injured in episode 1.5 "Nowt but a Prank", he relented and decided to make Kate his junior partner, giving her a brass plaque with her name on. He began to suffer from confusion and loss of memory after sustaining a head injury in an attack during a burglary at his surgery and then being a casualty in a train crash. He suffered a brain haemorrhage (possibly brought on by the injuries) which led to him becoming disorientated, falling into a river and drowning while fishing. The village was shocked by his tragic death, especially Kate who had considered him more as a father figure rather than a senior colleague.

• Niamh Cusack as Dr Kate Rowan (1992–1995). Married to PC Nick Rowan, she moved with him from London to Aidensfield when he was made Police Constable for the area (Kate had a previous connection with the area, having been born nearby). A kind and caring person, tempered with occasional streaks of coyness and obstinacy, Kate expected to find a position practising medicine alongside Aidensfield's resident doctor, Dr Ferrenby. Dr Ferrenby was not initially encouraging to Kate because he doubted that the locals would accept a female doctor. However, he later took her on as his junior partner, and gave her a brass plaque with her name on it (to be added beneath the plaque bearing Dr Ferrenby's name at the medical practice). Kate took over the practice completely following Dr Ferrenby's death. She later joined forces with Whitby doctor James Radcliffe, and the two ran joint practices in Whitby and Aidensfield, an arrangement that placed strains on Kate's and Nick's marriage. Kate's discovery that she was pregnant was initially unwelcome to her, further straining her relationship with her husband, but dissatisfaction soon turned to delight as the couple looked forward to the prospect of starting a family. Tragedy struck when Kate discovered, during the pregnancy, that she was suffering from leukaemia. She kept the information about her illness a secret from Nick and the villagers, and failed to seek treatment because she was worried about its possible adverse effect on her unborn baby. Due to her sacrifice, she died, from related complications, shortly after giving birth to her and Nick's daughter Katie.

• David Michaels as Dr Neil Bolton (1997–1999). He originally worked as a ship's doctor, making a short appearance in an episode with Nick Rowan. He later came back to the area from overseas, initially to work at the local hospital, having four years earlier walked out on his wife Maggie after they had lost a baby to cot death. He initially met with a frosty reception from Maggie, but the two later resurrected their marriage. He died trying to save a child from a house fire (the child had in fact already been brought out through the back door, unseen by the crowd of observers). He left the pregnant Maggie to bring up their son.

• Clare Calbraith as Dr Tricia Summerbee (2000–2002). A very caring and compassionate doctor who had suffered from a heart condition since childhood. She was introduced to the series as a doctor at Ashfordly Hospital but she soon moved to take up practice in Aidensfield. Her relationship with PC Mike Bradley began when she showed sympathy over the break-up of his marriage. She and PC Bradley were about to become engaged when her accidental involvement in one of the cases that he was working on as a DC led her to attempt to assist him and the police on horseback. She fell off the horse and died from her injuries in Series 12.

• Francis Matthews as Dr James Alway (2002–2003). An elderly doctor at the Royal Free Hospital in Elsinby who briefly stood in as an Aidensfield locum after the death of Dr Summerbee. He appeared in only four episodes of Heartbeat and two episodes of The Royal. The character is now retired.

• Aislín McGuckin as Dr Liz Merrick (2003–2004). Auburn-haired doctor of Irish origin. Moved to the Aidensfield practice from a London hospital in order to escape from an affair with a married man. Of Aidensfield's seven doctors to date, she is one of only two to survive her time in the district. She married Lord Ashfordly's estate manager Ben Norton and moved with him to Kenya.

• Sophie Ward as Dr Helen Walker, formerly Helen Trent (2004–2006). Another in the long line of caring medical characters. Classy Helen is noted for her flowing golden tresses and her soft, posh voice. Helen moved to the area with her oily husband Matthew (Trent), but they soon separated and she embarked upon an affair with PC Rob Walker while awaiting a divorce but still in fact married. Subsequently Helen's divorce was finalised and the two were married. She was killed in an explosion at the Aidensfield police house at the end of the 15th series (2 July 2006). The explosion resulted from a homemade bomb planted by a disturbed schoolboy as revenge for the death of his dog during a police chase accident.

It is somewhat of a tradition that Aidensfield doctors should die in the series. To date, only two of the seven serving doctors has exited the series without meeting his or her maker. Dr Alex Ferrenby (Frank Middlemass) died by drowning; Dr Kate Rowan (Niamh Cusack) died of leukaemia-related pneumonia; Dr Neil Bolton (David Michaels) died rescuing a baby from a house fire; Dr Tricia Summerbee (Clare Calbraith) died in a horse riding accident; and Dr Helen Walker (Sophie Ward) died in a bomb explosion that ruined the Police house. This leaves Dr Liz Merrick (Aislín McGuckin) and the very short-serving Dr James Alway (Francis Matthews) as the only characters to date to serve as the doctor in Aidensfield and make it out alive.