Grace (Olivia Grant) makes a dramatic return

Events reach an emotional and thrilling climax at the Hartmann Payne party as Lucy, Midge, Nicole and Sid learn the shocking truth about Grace, in the exciting finale of BBC Three’s sexy office drama.

With Crawford still holding the girls at gunpoint, Midge frantically goes in search of their captors’ focus of revenge, Rock Van Gelder, but he’s nowhere to be found. Unexpectedly, the girls’ salvation comes in the shape of Grace.

Making a dramatic return, Grace tries to persuade Jane to call off her engagement to Richard and give their relationship a proper chance. But Jane can’t deal with how people will react and grows increasingly frantic after discovering the PAs know all about their secret liaison.

In a last-ditch attempt to prove that she’s not gay, Jane makes a move on PA Robbie but, when they kiss, all she sees is Grace. Bob gatecrashes the party to try to win back the affections of his wife, Lucy, but she’s unsure that they have a future together following his infidelity. Affairs of the heart then take a back seat after Ian makes Lucy an offer she can’t refuse…

Elsewhere, Sid and Rock behave like awkward teenagers around one another following their disastrous kiss, while Avi finally faces up to his feelings for Midge. But the young PA has other things on her mind – she is convinced that her boss, Simon, is really the mysterious Adam Hartmann and has undergone extensive plastic surgery to conceal his true identity.

Simon tries to make Midge see reason – why would he change his identity, marry his twin sister, Evie, and then come to work in the family business? But Midge has made up her mind.

The truth proves to be more shocking than the girls could ever have anticipated as secrets and lies unravel. The consequences prove fatal for one Hartmann Payne employee and life will never be the same for Lucy, Midge, Nicole, Sid and Grace.

Lucy is played by Laura Aikman, Midge by Annabel Scholey, Nicole by Maimie McCoy, Sid by Ruth Negga, Grace by Olivia Grant, Crawford by Al Weaver, Rock Van Gelder by Robert Gant, Jane by Archie Panjabi, Richard by Jeremy Sheffield, Robbie by Jamie Davis, Bob by Joe Absolom, Ian by Mark Benton, Avi by Kieran Bew, Simon by Darren Boyd and Evie by Ruta Gedmintas.

Midge (Annabel Scholey) thinks

she’s uncovered Adam’s true identity

It’s the day of the Hartmann Payne birthday bash but Midge, Nicole, Lucy and Sid aren’t in a celebratory mood, as the off-beat office drama continues. Their hunt for Grace takes them ever-closer to the truth as danger calls.

Troubled by her hidden past, Midge confides in Avi about her daughter, Talya, but is annoyed by his judgemental response. Anxious to make amends, Midge goes to Talya’s house to try to speak to her adoptive mother, Esther, but unexpectedly meets the little girl herself.

Lucy, meanwhile, announces to her friends that she has split up with Bob, much to the horror of Nicole, who knows their secret affair was nothing more than a meaningless liaison. But while one relationship appears over, another seems to be blossoming with Rock and Sid’s spiritual union apparently written in the stars.

In an attempt to find out more about Grace’s secret life, the girls trick Robbie into getting the mysterious Jeeves to visit, but he is less than impressed to have been summoned unnecessarily. Anxious about getting into trouble with his boss, Jane, Robbie is grateful when Nicole offers to handle the awkward client. But Nicole has revenge as an ulterior motive – Jeeves is her estranged father.

Nicole attempts to bribe Jeeves into revealing the truth about Adam Hartmann and the role he played in Grace’s disappearance. But the usually self-assured and confident PA is unprepared for the impact her father’s home truths have on her.

Annoyed by the girls’ set-up, Robbie hints that he knows some secrets about Grace’s love life. But while the others sneer at the suggestion, Nicole has her doubts and sets about searching his desk for evidence.

Elsewhere, Simon bribes his client, record producer Andy Young, to listen to Midge sing and pretend she’s got talent. But his plan backfires and it looks as though Simon might lose Midge forever.

In a shocking turn of events, Midge thinks she’s uncovered Adam Hartmann’s true identity and the PAs’ futures hang in the balance when a vengeful figure from their past returns.

Midge is played by Annabel Scholey, Nicole by Maimie McCoy, Lucy by Laura Aikman, Sid by Ruth Negga, Avi by Kieran Bew, Talya by Romy Irving, Esther by Pauline Knowles, Rock by Robert Gant, Robbie by Jamie Davis, Jeeves by Adrian Lukis, Jane by Archie Panjabi, Simon by Darren Boyd and Andy Young by Paul Kaye.

Sid (Ruth Negga) gets carried away

Ice maiden Nicole toys with the idea of love as BBC Three’s office drama continues. The girls’ search for their missing friend, Grace, leads them to a mysterious den of desire.

Nicole continues her relationship with pompous billionaire Fitz. However, her head is turned by a mystery man called Sean.

Despite being initially guarded, Nicole opens up to Sean in a way she never normally does with men. But, when Sean and Fitz ask Nicole on a date at the same time, she is faced with a dilemma. Should she finally give romance a chance or remain cynically aloof?

Euphoric after her sexual awakening – and thrilled to be free of her controlling ex-boyfriend – Sid gets carried away with the delight of having finally lost her virginity to Simon. But her uncharacteristic flirting and grinning proves unnerving for Simon, who delivers some harsh home truths.

Elsewhere, the search for Grace leads the girls to an exclusive club called Divalia – a decadent playground where every desire is catered for.

It’s the first day at work for Avi Gellman, Hartmann Payne’s newest Associate and Midge’s first love. There’s clearly a romantic spark between the high-school sweethearts but his devout religious beliefs aren’t shared by Midge.

Nicole is played by Maimie McCoy, Fitz by Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Sean by Jamie Belman, Sid by Ruth Negga, Simon by Darren Boyd and Midge by Annabel Scholey.

It’s D-Day for Sid and Crawford’s scam to defraud millions from Sid’s employer, Hartmann Payne, as BBC Three’s sexy, witty and offbeat drama about four fabulous personal assistants in the City continues. However, Sid’s new-found friendship with Midge, Lucy and Nicole casts serious doubt over whether she can see it through.

Desperate to back out of the scam, Sid is distressed after discovering controlling boyfriend Crawford’s plans to frame the PAs for the crime. Despite Sid’s pleas, Crawford won’t listen to reason – he wants revenge on Read the rest of this entry »

Tuesday 16 June

9.00-10.00pm BBC THREE

Set against an emotional backdrop of friendship, ambition, sex and filing, Personal Affairs is an offbeat new drama series for BBC Three following the fortunes of four fabulous personal assistants in the City.

It’s 8.30am on Monday morning and all is quiet – for the time being, at least. But an extraordinary event is about to unfold, leaving the girls questioning what happened, who is responsible and what dark secrets lurk beneath the bright lights of the City.

In the opening episode, perfect PA Grace Darling is shocked and horrified when her larger-than-life boss, Rock Van Gelder, makes a surprise marriage proposal. In an attempt to put Rock off the idea of matrimony, Grace enlists the help of her PA pals, Midge, Lucy and Nicole, who apply their own unique form of persuasion. But, when Grace mysteriously disappears from the office, it seems that all her problems may not be solved after all – leaving the others to question what has happened and where Grace has gone.

Celebrity-obsessed Midge, meanwhile, is a bag of nerves as she waits for news on her latest TV talent show application. But just as her dream of fame looks set to become a reality, Midge’s bubble is burst and, unbeknown to her, her boss, Simon, is responsible.

Elsewhere, Lucy has issues of her own. Her ever-absent boss, Iain Ebelthite, has gone AWOL to his French chateau – once again leaving her in the lurch. And, to make matters worse, Lucy clashes with the new temp, Sid, after she makes it known she believes office work is beneath her. However, Sid’s arrival is not quite what it seems and secrets and lies abound.

Later, Nicole enjoys a steamy encounter in the office lift with a mysterious man, but she quickly discovers that this particular sexual rendezvous has serious consequences.

Grace Darling is played by Olivia Grant, Rock Van Gelder by Robert Gant, Midge by Annabel Scholey, Lucy by Laura Aikman, Nicole by Maimie McCoy, Simon by Darren Boyd, Iain Ebelthite by Mark Benton and Sid by Ruth Negga.

BBC Press Release

Set against an emotional backdrop of friendship, ambition, sex and filing, Personal Affairs is a fun new offbeat drama for BBC Three following the fortunes of four fabulous personal assistants in the City.

Bringing together many of the elements which make up everyday office life, Personal Affairs takes a sexy peek at office life through the characters of Lucy, Midge, Sid, Nicole plus Grace – the seemingly perfect, but utterly mysterious, girl at the centre of it all.

On the surface, the show explores the secrets and lies the women hold, the men they date and work for, and the balance of power between them and their highly paid, hugely-privileged bosses.

But an extraordinary event in the opening episode is just the starting point for a mystery that reverberates across the series and promises to have viewers questioning what happened, who is responsible and what the dark secrets are that lurk beneath the bright lights of the City.

Personal Affairs creator Gabbie Asher, a former PA turned scriptwriter, says: “For me, Personal Affairs truly captures the unique experience of working in an office with a group of girls – the fun, the friendship, the bickering, the hopes and dreams, the tears and the personal dilemmas that arise every day.

“Friendship is at the heart of this drama as the girls help one another navigate through a myriad of life choices, with varying success!

“There is nothing more glorious than being in the company of friends who you know will support you and tell you the truth, whether you want to hear it or not.

“For me, the Personal Affairs workplace in this drama is the dream office. You’ll want to work alongside Midge, Lucy, Nicole, Sid and Grace, share stories with them and be friends with them because these girls genuinely care about one another, even though their personalities are poles apart.”

As a former PA herself, Gabbie had a wealth of experience to draw upon and, like the girls, had to deal with her fair share of unusual work duties.

“I once had to buy sexy knickers for a boss,” recalls Gabbie. “She would talk endlessly about her sex life in graphic detail but was too busy to buy underwear for her dates.”

Determined to move office drama away from the traditional “Take dictation Miss Jones”-style, Gabbie has created a sexy, soap-like series: “When I’ve watched secretaries portrayed on TV before, I’ve always felt that the writers had probably never worked in an office themselves.

“Life as a PA can be fascinating – full of challenges, intrigue, ambition, gossip and laughing till your insides ache – as well as mind-numbingly dull some days!”

Gabbie, who worked on EastEnders storylines including Tiffany’s demise, the Steve Owen/Saskia ashtray murder and Bianca’s sensational departure, believes that Personal Affairs has an almost soapy appeal:

“What I love about the series is its combination of intriguing characters and powerful, emotional stories. Personal Affairs is big on passion, romance, fun and friendship – a potent mix for a drama!”

Personal Affairs is an exciting multiplatform offering for BBC Three with the office fun continuing online. As well as all the series information on the cast and characters, features include “overheard in” and “email the boss” and a widget which lets users keep up-to-date with the latest Personal Affairs news.

The five female leads are played by some of the hottest young talent from the UK and Ireland – Laura Aikman, Annabel Scholey, Ruth Negga, Maimie McCoy and Olivia Grant. Also starring Mark Benton,Robert Gant, Archie Panjabi, Darren Boyd, Joe Absolom, Emily Bruni and Jamie Davis, among others. Read the rest of this entry »

She has a real crush on Tom Cogswell

PA to… Simon Turner (Darren Boyd)
Take Note… Fame v Real-life responsibilities
Most likely to… Belt out a show-tune whilst doing the filing
Strengths… She’s the best friend you can ever have
Weaknesses… Reality often comes second place to celebrity

On the whole, Midge thinks everyone’s brilliant. She’s a bouncy, emotionally intelligent space cadet who dropped out of hairdressing college and is now desperate to be famous, at any price.

So she can’t believe her luck when she finds out she’s made it into the final 12 of a TV reality talent show: Wizard Of Oz: Dare To Dream. At last it looks like fame is beckoning for the Scouser wannabe and on top of that she has finally pulled loverboy Robbie – the office totty.

“She’s such an open person who wears her heart on her sleeve and tries to see the best in everyone,” says Annabel. “I’ve really fallen in love with her as a character and there’s so much more to Midge than the fame thing.

“Ultimately she’d be Read the rest of this entry »

PA to… Iain Ebelthite (Mark Benton)
Take Note… Beauty and brains
Most likely to… Make you a millionaire
Strengths… Making rich people even richer
Weaknesses… Crippling lack of self-belief

Freakishly gifted at making rich people even richer, Lucy has no formal education but possesses a phenomenal talent with figures and a natural instinct for wise investments. But, despite her knack for financial wizardry, Lucy has a crippling lack of self-belief and is convinced she’s not good enough to be the boss.

Confident in every other aspect of her life, as soon as a manager walks into the office all Lucy’s business brilliance gets buried beneath a facade of “Miss Friendly Bubbly Efficient PA of the Year”.

But her friends know she’s got what it takes to move up the career ladder, trouble is so does her incompetent (and often drunk) boss Iain (Mark Benton) and he doesn’t want to lose her.

So while Lucy spends her days making millions for Iain’s clients, he spends his days taking credit for all of her hard work.

“It’s frustrating for Read the rest of this entry »

PA to… Rachel Klein (Emily Bruni)
Take Note… Love, Sex or Money?
Most likely to… Bag herself a rich man
Strengths… Calm and collected under pressure
Weaknesses… Can be colder than the office air-conditioning

Born into an extremely wealthy family, Nicole’s world fell apart when her father not only abandoned her mother but left the family penniless. The loss of her father nailed her view of the world – that over and above everything else she’d never be poor again.

Nicole is the embodiment of cynical pessimism. A confident and controlling character who never gets emotionally involved with blokes, instead Nicole uses poor men for thrills and rich men for their wallets.

“Initially people can think Nicole’s a bit of an ice queen because she doesn’t give a lot away and is fiercely independent,” says Maimie.

“But actually she’s Read the rest of this entry »

PA to… Rock van Gelder (Robert Gant)
Take Note… The outsider trying to fit in
Most likely to… Tell you where to stick your filing
Strengths… So intelligent it hurts
Weaknesses… Her mind is most definitely not on the job

A shell-shocked Sid can’t believe she’s working as a PA. in an office where, gallingly, she knows she’s the most intelligent person by a mile. She should be running her own company, not making tea for someone else and, gasp, photocopying.

A repressed intellectual snob, gothic Sid is damaged goods and her own worst enemy.

A super achiever throughout school and university, she’s an uptight genius who doesn’t know how to communicate with people. For Sid, simple things like chatting about the weather are far harder than solving The Times crossword.

But her arrival at Hartmann Payne might not be quite what it seems…

“She’s a complete snob and can’t bear the fact she’s temping for these people, it almost pains her to say the word,” explains Dublin-born Ruth.

“Sid thinks it’s below her and isn’t Read the rest of this entry »