List of Hotel Babylon Characters - Cast and Characters - Main Cast - Anna Thornton-Wilton

Anna Edwards (née Thornton-Wilton) is played by actress Emma Pierson. She has been a main character since the series began. She is a comical character who isn't very intellectual, and she often follows her heart instead of her head, which provides humour in the show. She wears high heels and a very glossy 'Scarlet Rose' shade of lipstick as part of her receptionist uniform, but this adds to her 'ditzy' demeanour, increasing the comedic aspects of her character.

Anna arrived in episode 1 from 'The Chesterton' hotel to interview for the position of Deputy Manager at Hotel Babylon. Although a likely candidate for the job, she was beaten to the post by Charlie Edwards. Rebecca asked her to stay at Hotel Babylon as Head Receptionist, the post which Charlie gave up for Deputy Manager.

Anna is aspirational. She works in the luxury hotel business because not only does she feel completely at home - it's the only way she can afford to be a part of it. She's gorgeous but knows it, and as far as she's concerned it's only a matter of time before she bags a wealthy and eligible man. Her sole ambition is to marry into the lifestyle she believes she deserves. But her plans become unstuck when Anna finds herself head over heels in love and not with the wealthy entrepreneur she's always dreamed of. Anna's posh persona is as fake as her hyphenated family name, as Season 2 reveals.

In Season 2 Episode 3, it is revealed that Anna's family are not so grand after all. A grand ball is organized for guest Lady Catherine Stanwood (played by Kelly Brook). Lady Catherine was once a former work-colleague of Anna's at 'The Chesterton' hotel before Catherine married Lord Stanwood. Anna is shocked and deeply envious of Catherine's new status which forces Anna to lie and self-promote herself to "Hotel Deputy Manager In-Waiting" to boost her perceived status in the hotel. Later, during the ball, Anna's actual role in the hotel is revealed to Catherine which prompts Catherine to accuse Anna of being a 'fake'. Anna's father is publicly revealed by Catherine, to be a council clerk and her mother, a school dinner lady. In a separate scene in the same episode, Anna also privately reveals to Charlie that her real family name is only 'Thornton', not 'Thornton-Wilton', which Anna has used throughout her career to elevate her social standing. Later, Lady Catherine and Anna are friends again. Catherine also confirms a rumour to Anna that 'The Chesterton' hotel had a staff party after Anna left the Chesterton, to celebrate Anna's departure because she was so unpopular.

Before the events of the first series, it was revealed that Anna had slept with Charlie Edwards when they worked together at 'The Chesterton' hotel, prior to Season 1. They are friends until Series 3 when they start dating. However they broke up later in Series 3.

Anna is close friends with the rest of the staff in the hotel. At the end of series 3 she begins dating a surgeon; however, she rejected his proposal of marriage when she found he was using her to have children.

Emma Pierson said about Anna, "She has grown up a bit and changed a little but she is still naughty and irreverent underneath." "Having had two years of getting to know each other Anna and Jackie have very much settled their differences and now get on, despite having a new female colleague on the floor (Emily)."

In the first episode of Series 4, Anna seems to be very, very pregnant but who is the father? Anna finds that her colleagues are taking bets on who they think the father is and this leads to a small fall out. Just to keep them quiet Anna asks Darren, one of the waiters to pretend to be the father. The waiter gets slightly carried away and thinks that Anna is really in love with him. A book is published giving clues about where some emeralds are hidden in the hotel. Anna finds them and gives one of them to Tony on her departure. Later in the series, Anna goes into labour during the day. Charlie returns and is the father of her baby. Charlie proposes to her. Anna gives birth to a healthy baby girl named Scarlett Rose - named after her lipstick. Anna and Charlie leave with Scarlett with the rest of the jewels hidden under her sleeve.