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.

Tuesday 7 July

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.

Tuesday 30 June

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 financial investor Rock Van Gelder for his mother’s loss of fortune.

As Sid’s unease about the scam grows, Crawford’s behaviour becomes increasingly unhinged. To make matters worse, Rock recalls how terrible he felt after the financial loss – he’s obviously not the monster he’s been made out to be.

Meanwhile, Dominic Fitzwallace, the ninth richest man in England and Rock’s newest client, makes an impression when he arrogantly strides into the offices, oozing wealth. Rude and obnoxious, Fitz meets his match in Nicole, who puts him in his place.

Initially angry, Fitz demands that Rock fire the PAs but changes his mind after Nicole agrees to meet him alone. Bored of his usual sexual conquests, Fitz offers Nicole £1m to sleep with him.

Downbeat about losing the Associate job, Lucy turns her attentions to finding Grace along with Nicole and Midge. However, she’s furious and insulted when Jane tactlessly offers the job to Sid in front of everyone.

Lucy’s husband, Bob, can’t fight his fatal attraction to Nicole. Appalled at her actions, Nicole confides in Rachel about the fling but she has little sympathy and urges Nicole to seek a loving, monogamous relationship instead of meaningless sex. Not every man is her father, after all.

Elsewhere, Midge asks her dad to help find her daughter; Simon sets his sights on seducing the virginal Sid; and the girls uncover a nasty surprise in their quest to find Grace.

Sid is played by Ruth Negga, Crawford by Al Weaver, Midge by Annabel Scholey, Lucy by Laura Aikman, Nicole by Maimie McCoy, Rock Van Gelder by Robert Gant, Dominic Fitzwallace by Ben Lloyd-Hughes, Jane by Archie Panjabi, Bob by Joe Absolom, Rachel by Emily Bruni and Simon by Darren Boyd.

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.

Created by Gabbie Asher, Personal Affairs is a 2AM TV production for BBC Scotland.

BBC Press Release

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 your ideal work mate because, even if she’s feeling depressed or down, she’ll do anything for anyone and will always try and snap herself out of it for the sake of everyone else.”

And, more often than not, Midge does have to paint on that smile as life for the PAs doesn’t exactly run smoothly at investment bank Hartmann Payne.

Unfortunately, her excitement at having the chance to follow the yellow brick road is short-lived after the TV company find out about her secret past. And, as soon as he hears Midge isn’t going to be famous, Robbie (Jamie Davis) dumps her as well.

Thankfully she’s got the full support of her boss Simon (Darren Boyd) – only what Midge doesn’t realise is that her married boss is in love with his PA and he orchestrated her being kicked off the TV show so she wouldn’t leave the company, or more importantly, leave him.

“Midge has no idea about Simon’s feelings but if she did I don’t think she would reciprocate. I’m not sure office romances are a good thing anyway. I’ve had romances on acting jobs and they don’t tend to work out,” she adds, laughing. “Plus, if you split up with someone, you have to keep working with them. That has happened to me before and it’s very, very awkward.”

Meanwhile, Midge is extremely close to Lucy (Laura Aikman), can’t quite comprehend Nicole’s (Maimie McCoy) pessimism and has a bizarre connection with Sid (Ruth Negga) even though, on the surface, they couldn’t be more different.

Clearly something of a fantasist, Midge has been let down by the real world at an early age but still desperately wants to believe that everything is as good as the movies promise it will be. She’s not going to allow one setback to get in the way of her quest for celebrity and continues to try anything to make her dream of fame come true.

But the past is coming back to haunt her.

“Everything she fantasises about she does genuinely believe can happen. That’s something I love about her because I agree that if you set your mind on something then you really can do it,” suggests Annabel.

“Maybe because of things that happened to her when she was younger she feels she has something to prove. She is an optimist and she’s always looking forward, but the poor thing does take a real battering as the series goes on.”

Annabel, recently seen on screen as bloodthirsty vampire Lauren in BBC Three’s Being Human, has also notched up appearances in Jane Eyre and Holby City, as well as playing a lesbian mortgage broker in EastEnders.

And Annabel hopes that her lead role in Personal Affairs will prove to be her big TV break:

“I’m loving Personal Affairs because it’s my first big television job. I didn’t really know what to expect at all and I’ve learnt so much since we started.

“Plus, I had to perfect a Liverpool accent for my second audition which was very nerve-wracking, so I sat down one afternoon and watched Educating Rita on a loop and thankfully I found out I could do it.

“When I first got the part I didn’t quite understand why I’d got it because I’m not Scouse, I’m not ditzy. But further down the line I realise now I am so like Midge and I don’t know why I didn’t see it before.”

Something else Annabel shares with her Personal Affairs persona is a lack of secretarial strengths.

She says: “I’m so bad on computers. It’s unbelievable how bad I am so I’ve done everything I can to avoid them. The only time I worked in an office was on work experience at a theatre and they had me photocopying stuff as well and I couldn’t do that either.

“I literally can’t make anything work in an office and so problematic for me was the fact that Midge is supposed be very good at typing and brilliant on the internet and everything. Thank God we were allowed to air-type during filming so no-one can actually see that my fingers aren’t even touching the keyboard!”

BBC Press Release

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 Lucy that she’s not getting on because she wants it desperately. But unfortunately she’s her own worst enemy as she’s the one who isn’t pushing herself forward,” explains Laura.

“She essentially already does her boss’s job for him but never gets any recognition because he’s always p***ed or out of the office on a jolly.

“In many ways Iain is the boss from hell but at the same time his incompetence has allowed Lucy to learn so much, which would never have happened if he was actually doing his job properly. So in a way it has been a blessing in disguise.”

Lucy mothers Midge (Annabel Scholey) even though she’s a year older than her. She’s incredibly fond of her PA pal but it’s Nicole (Maimie McCoy) who is her best friend at work.

Nicole loves Lucy’s openness and warmth while Lucy admires Nicole’s confidence and control.

Initially there’s a real tension between Lucy and Sid (Ruth Negga) who represents all the things Lucy hates – arrogant snobs.

However off-screen all the young Personal Affairs actresses have formed firm friendships, which Laura admits is a huge relief.

“You do worry beforehand about whether you will get on, especially when you’re playing a group of friends. I think the first time we all had a proper chat was at the read through and then we had a week’s rehearsal so we tried to get to know each other a little bit there and told each other far too much in-depth information about ourselves.

“Lots of artificial bonding went on but it worked. It’s great to be part of such a young cast and we get on brilliantly even though, like our characters, we are all so different.”

Lucy is married to her childhood sweetheart Bob (Joe Absolom), an unambitious builder.

What started off as true love teenage-style has become bumpy in adult life. Lucy is Bob’s trophy wife but lately she’s not fitting into that mould and he blames her burgeoning career.

Laura says: “I was really excited when I saw Joe Absolom was playing my husband but we didn’t meet properly until we had our first day on set. Obviously someone you are married to you are very physical with very naturally so I had to say, ‘I may touch you a little bit in this scene, don’t be offended and I’ll try not to be inappropriate’.

“Obviously I tried to hold myself back from touching Joe Absolom, but sometimes it’s difficult. I think it got to day two before I had to cop a quick feel!”

When an opportunity for promotion at work unexpectedly comes along for Lucy, things start to look up.

But there’s shock in store for the ambitious personal assistant…

“By the end of the first couple of episodes Lucy’s head is all over the place – she’s utterly confused,” admits Laura.

“I can’t wait to see how it all comes across on screen and everyone else I know is really looking forward to seeing it, especially my girlfriends, because I haven’t done anything that’s been highly girly in the past.

“This has got that Sex And The City and Friends vibe about it and the costumes are fab too – especially the shoes!”

The actress, who starred in Teenage Kicks and BBC Three drama Dis/Connected, will also be a familiar face to younger viewers having starred in the title role of the hugely popular BBC children’s drama The Mysti Show, playing a half-human/half-fairy who is torn between her two worlds.

Laura rolls her eyes and laughs at the mention of Mysti.

“I still get recognised a lot by children. Kids are amazing – whereas adults are more likely to be discreet or can’t quite place you, kids know exactly who you are and they think you really are that person.

“I did Mysti four years ago but it must be on CBBC now because I still get mobs of kids shouting ‘Oi Mysti!’ at me. I just run in the opposite direction!”

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 damaged goods and she’s got a very fragile heart which, of course, she keeps well locked up.

“When her dad walked out, her life was completely shattered, so now in all Nicole’s relationships with men – and I use the term relationship in the loosest sense, maybe liaisons is a better word – it always comes down to the father figure. That primary figure that so shattered her as a child and has made her very wary as an adult.”

Recently, Nicole had mind-blowing random sex with a mysterious guy but has absolutely no interest in seeing him again. But unbeknown to them both, there’s a hidden connection there that could have serious repercussions if they were ever revealed.

Maimie explains what it was like filming the steamy clinch: “What seems like a spot of harmless fun soon gets horribly out of hand. I can tell you I was so nervous before we filmed that scene because it’s technically difficult to get right and such a strange thing to be filmed doing!

“More than that we had to do it first thing in the morning, so you are up at half-five not feeling or looking your best and you think, ‘I don’t want to have sex in the lift! That’s the last thing I want to do’… ,” admits Maimie, with a rueful grin.

“So I would say that Nicole’s attitude to men and sex and relationships is very Samantha from Sex And The City. When I watch the repeats on TV I see Samantha and I go, ‘I must be playing her long-lost daughter or something!’”

Nicole’s best friend at work is Lucy (Laura Aikman). She loves her openness and warmth and sees her as a true friend.

In contrast, Midge (Annabel Scholey) infuriates her and sometimes (against her better judgement) she’s impatient with her PA pal, often poking fun at Midge’s many fanciful obsessions.

Meanwhile, Nicole’s relationship with her boss Rachel (Emily Bruni) is one of mutual respect.

It seems Nicole has made her decision that she will be fiercely independent and never require a man to make her happy. But could it be that this is one ice maiden just waiting to be melted?

For Yorkshire-born actress Maimie – who has also popped up in Doctors, Waking The Dead and was found murdered on a car bonnet in Taggart – one of the many appeals of a lead role in Personal Affairs was the chance to glam up.

“I’m a total scruffbag so the costumes have been quite a revelation to me because Nicole is so groomed and stylish. It’s kind of what I’d wear to go out in the evening for a special occasion, not to work.

“The heels took more getting used to but they are fun and really help with the way you strut and how you present yourself as the character.

“Saying that, it’s all a bit high maintenance. I think I’d rather wear overalls than have to get dressed up to the nines like this every day.”

Maimie was able to draw on her brief experience as a receptionist in the City to play Nicole. But she admits her stint as a temp wasn’t exactly her finest hour.

She says: “I was on reception for a day in a department doing hedge funds and I didn’t even know what hedge funds were, which wasn’t exactly the best of starts.

“So I was just sitting there slightly bewildered thinking, ‘I haven’t got a clue what’s going on’. I couldn’t really understand what anyone was talking about either.

“I think my mind works differently. Like when the art department on Personal Affairs give us props like spreadsheets and figure sheets, it’s all real and I’ll sit and look at them between takes and think, ‘What the hell is that?’ My brain just doesn’t compute those things very well.

“So, unlike Nicole at Hartmann Payne, on a business level I don’t think I’d last a second.”

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 afraid to let them know it, which is great fun for me to play.

“She’s quite bumbling as well and not very good at forming sentences out loud because she’s had her head stuck in books for years. Writing reams and reams for a thesis would be easy for her, interacting with other human beings isn’t.”

A child prodigy destined for greatness, Sid’s life has gone horribly wrong. Having suffered from severe depression and attempted suicide, she spent a short spell in an institution but now, hopefully, she’s on the road to recovery.

Emotionally damaged, she met her boyfriend Crawford (Al Weaver) when they were both institutionalised. It’s not a match made in heaven – he’s impotent and bipolar for starters.

“Sid credits Crawford with her rehabilitation, but as time goes on she becomes less sure of that and suddenly it’s like a spell has been broken. She’d been looking for a sense of belonging with Crawford because she’s always felt like an outsider, but I think the kind of belonging she eventually finds with the girls is much more sane and healthy,” says Ruth.

Much to her surprise, she finds a connection with her boss Rock Van Gelder (Robert Gant) through their mutual interest in astronomy: “They are both nerdy and he’s quite bemused that someone like her would be working as a temp. He doesn’t dislike her, but he’s not sure how much he likes her either.”

She also develops an unlikely friendship with Midge (Annabel Scholey). Even though personality-wise they are poles apart, the pair are connected by their shared fantasist approach to life.

In contrast, Sid dislikes Lucy (Laura Aikman) – dismissing her as nothing more than a chavvy moron.

“At first she doesn’t get on with anyone and says categorically that she isn’t there to make friends. So when friendship is extended from Midge it takes her a while to get her head around it because it’s totally strange to her,” explains Ruth, who starred in the critically-acclaimed Criminal Justice.

“I don’t think Sid is ever going to be like one of the Sex And The City girls and start talking about shoes or who she took home last night. But it’s a start in the right direction.

“In the beginning the girls don’t know what to make of her with her gruff manner, big black boots and goth outfits. But when Sid finds herself in big trouble they all rally together to help and she appreciates that.”

Despite Sid’s top-notch education, she can’t see that her arrogance and total lack of social skills deter people and have prevented her succeeding her whole life.

But, inside, there’s a romantic, darkly funny, sexy, virgin struggling to get out and desperate to connect.

She comes into the Hartmann Payne environment complete with chips on her shoulder and unexpectedly finds them being knocked off one at a time as she’s included and made to feel like part of the gang.

For Sid, Hartmann Payne and the relationships she forges there allow her to start her life anew. She may always be the geeky freaky girl but at least she belongs.

“She’s exceptional intellectually, but she’s one of those people who are super-intelligent but have absolutely no common sense or people skills. I’ve been to school with people like that and I probably was a little bit like that myself at one point,” admits Ruth, who graduated from the Samuel Beckett Centre drama school at Trinity College, Dublin and was chosen as the 2006 Irish Shooting Star at the Berlin International Film Festival, for her work in Neil Jordan’s Breakfast On Pluto.

“Like Sid, I don’t think I’d cope especially well in an office situation because I hated school and that’s the nearest experience I’ve had to an office I can imagine. I think I’d find it difficult to be with the same people everyday.

“I’m not particularly girly so I suppose that’s a similarity too. But other than that I’m not snobby, intellectually nerdy or socially inept – I hope not anyway!”

BBC Press Release