LeeAnn Kriegh interviews Maureen Chadwick here

It is a little painful to read about the the ways they had intended the N&H storyline to continue after S3...

But very pleased to hear she'd like to do a reprisal too...!!

Yeah. how great would that have been? I had always thought that, if the actresses had wanted to stay past S3, that they would have kept Nikki in prison. But now it sounds like they were always planning for Nikki to win her appeal at the end of S3 and then continue in a different capacity (the prisoner advocate idea). I really love that idea, and getting to see their relationship in a different context. I mean, they still would have butted heads, because Nikki would have been on the side of the cons, and Helen on the side of The System, but at least Helen's moral dilemma would have been resolved. (Although the relationship still would have had to be secret, because if I am not mistaken it's illegal for a prison service employee to have a relationship with a former prisoner as well.)

I'm glad to see the musical is still planned for the West End in the fall. Gotta start saving my pennies for another trip to the UK!

PS Did anyone else think LeeAnn Kriegh was American? I had just assumed she was British, because of that article in The Sun. But this interview makes her sound American ("we" in reference to American television).

I think the interviewer has sounded American in every article/Q&A except the one for the Sun ... where she would've had to try to sound British and where (as I think Richard said) the editors probably changed the article to add the sensational tone in the beginning.

Chadwick's interview seems safe and a little stiffer than the others ... which I suppose makes sense given that, unlike Mandana and Simone, she has millions of dollars at stake.

Agreed. I was actually a bit surprised at that, since I had assumed that her interview would actually be MORE articulate about the show, and it wound up being less.

Yeah, though I thought she actually was pretty articulate ... I just wanted MORE, which is getting to be a theme for me with AE. They give lots more space to the "big stars" like Simone and the actress from ER. I just don't see why (given that in theory they have an unlimited number of pages to work with) they don't allow for longer interviews with other people. They must realize they're just about the only outlet for a lot of these stories, so why limit the words, in effect giving only enough space to cover the same or similar ground to what's been covered before?

[QUOTE]
that got me thinking. do the actors get residuals every time episodes in which they appear are shown?

It varies according to the contract, but yes. There are a lot of hands in the pot (ITV, SHED, etc..) so it's not a large amount. It does add up though.

When I found out how much a L&O guest star makes for a days work and a looping session, I nearly fell off my chair. And that was before syndication money. There is a lot of money to be had in television.

Yes and no..... You are right, there is some residual amounts for people after they leave the show. A lot depends on how well an agent negotiated a contract. And more recently Equity (Like SAG in America) negotiated far better deals for repeats on Digital/Sat stations (when BG first started these were appalling bad but a large number of repeats were coming from digital TV).

However, don't be fooled - in the UK, the amount given to most even well established names for even a lead part in TV isn't usually great unless they are in a staring role on one of the major soaps.
For example, a guest star on EastEnders or Coronation Street who has a recurring but smaller guest role is likely to only be earning somewhere between £8,000 and £12,000 per annum!

So while some roles are better paid than others, often it isn't much different to basic rates for other people in work. To quote another well known Bad Girl actor (no not Simone or Mandana) - They are always getting asked why travel on the tube? Surely they can afford taxi's or car? The answer - because over the years I can earn less than the average wage if I get a lean period in between jobs. The face might be known, but the money isn't reflective of the level of recognition.

The best work in terms of money for actors in the UK is from Voice overs (usually adverts/commercials).
Now that is generally exceptionally well paid against the time involved (usually no more than 30 minutes to an hour) and something if you can get, will often help pay the bills just about more than anything else you can get and is really popular with actors if they can get regular contracts doing these.

What's really interesting to me is that the interviewer has built up a reputation of being totally trustworthy so that Simone and Mandana have been able and willing to give such positive and vivid remiscinces of Bad Girls in a way that it comes over as 'here and now' feelings. Finally Shed has given an interview in short order although, once the Mandana nterview went so well, the other interviews have followed on fairly naturally. For the first time, it shows what alternative plans Shed had in mind for the characters which I'd never known before.

It's interesting when you look at the AfterEllen Q&As as a group, the differences that emerge. Three very different women, all fascinating in their own way, and their words as well as their interactions with the interviewer seem revealing ... although it's just a tiny glimpse.

Besides her greater financial stake, the other thing I'd say about Chadwick is I don't think she likes to give interviews (believe I read that somewhere), so her shyness or whatever it is may be part of what comes across.

you have to admire the financial risk they took with bad girls. i think i read somewhere the set alone was the most expensive set for any tv show. i too am glad to think they would have got nikki out of jail if the series had continued, but still having to keep their relationship secret would have been a bit disappointing. just think of bodybag's reaction! now everyone has acknowledged they would consider bringing nikki and helen back and maureen even has some ideas, you never know. i'm not british, so i didn't know any of the actors in bad girls season 1 and didn't know who claire king was. karen betts wasn't a bad character (except when it came to her relationship with fenner), but to have lost helen - it does't bear thinking about!

You know the whole..."didn't think Helen Stewart could carry the show" thing from the network, just shows how unimaginative (read: interested in money only) tv execs are whether in the US or UK.

Of course Chadwick at this time has the answer that N&H would have/could have continued if the girls didn't want off the boat...with a whole new batch of fans (that would be like me) arriving on the scene with LOGO screening the show, Chadwick loses nothing by throwing S4 fuel on the fire....The girls are popular, she can stir up anything she wants...

I read an old interview with Chadwick linked from one of the Shed sites which actually has her saying they wouldn't have followed the N&H story because they were just concerned with stories centered around Larkhall...that said with the presumption that (spoiler alert) 1) Helen resigns and 2) Nikki gets out.

What Chadwick and gang have now is called a "franchise".. Bad Girls sells itself. Even tho I have heard about Bad Girls and Nikki and Helen for years...it's all happening for the first time for me....

I know the interview you're talking about, and I think that Chadwick's statement in that interview assumes, as you point out, that Helen resigns. From this most recent interview, I'm understanding that if Simone and Mandana hadn't wanted to leave the show, then they would have kept the characters into S4, but they wouldn't have tortured their audience by maintaining the status quo of S3 (ie Nikki in jail, Helen calling off the relationship until Nikki is out). Had the characters not been leaving, they wouldn't have had to build S3 as they did, towards a will-they-won't-they-get-together climax.

So, Helen wouldn't have tried to force Fenner to resign, and therefore Fenner wouldn't have forced Helen to resign. Helen would have stayed on as Governing Gov, the suspense at the end of S3 would have been solely about whether Nikki would win her appeal. Actually, now that I think about it, they could have still had Helen together with Thomas and then being dumped by Thomas and realizing she wants to be with Nikki. The only thing that would have been different is that she wouldn't have resigned to save Nikki's appeal. Which is an important sacrifice on Helen's part, so it would have been sad if she didn't at some point put Nikki before her career. But, if you're carrying these two into season 4, then the Nikki vs Larkhall conflict within Helen is still there, and so it's best if she hasn't sacrificed her career yet for Nikki.

So, then, at the start of S4, you've got Helen either as governing gov, and Nikki starting some prisoner's rights organization (Like Women in Prison for example), and then showing back up at Larkhall in some role in opposition to Helen. I can just see them at some meeting, pretending they're not lovers, getting into some huge argument on prison policy. Absolutely delicious!

My point being (sorry for being so long-winded, I got carried away), in the Q&A you mentioned, Ann & Chad are saying they would never carry on the Helen and Nikki storyline away from Larkhall. Which is true. But in this interview, she's hinting at the way they planned the Helen and Nikki storyline to continue into S4 before the actresses said they didn't want to continue. And for the first time I believe that the storyline could have been compelling into S4, because they were planning to change the circumstances of Helen and Nikki's relationship once again.

Absolutely delicious! is right. Glad you got carried away.
Can agree with you abzug re the S4 NK story line. Just wish you had been a itv exec way back when with purse string power enough to convince the girls to renew their contract...

Well ... who knows how much money played into the actresses' decision not to return. Simone talked about wanting new challenges, though really it's not the kind of issue you're likely to get anyone to talk openly about in public.

It's interesting that Chadwick seems to leave the door open for a reprisal or one-off. The old answer from Shed was the actresses aren't interested. Now she can't say that. She does say they don't want to let the old girl die (and that really hit home for me, that for this woman and the others, this is their baby; they feel for it on levels they may not feel for more recent shows). And she says they know where they'd like to take the story. So Mandana is for it. Simone is for it. Chadwick's pen is at the ready.

The problem, as usual, appears to be the network.

Do I smell the beginning of another letter writing campaign? :party

Defiantly up for this campaign. I’m very excited to the fact that everyone important concerning the Helen and Nikki would be interested in a new story if the right opportunity arose.


It also annoys me all this talk of the Helen Stewarts character not being strong enough. The character was made of iron for what she was going through and had to put up with... Meh!
Altogether a good insightful interview though!
X

I too, would throw my support into this campaign, but cynical as I am, I find it somewhat convenient that suddenly when the show is being launched in America, everybody wants to do a follow-up to the most popular storyline in the show.

Hmmmmm.... I'll believe it when I see it. However, I said that about a "Mamma Mia" movie, and that appears to be on its way now, so what do I know???

:party

Yeah, well, timing is everything, but I say why fight it. :) Seriously, if Shed can capitalize on a surge in interest due to the belated attention given the show in the US, I think that's great news for fans ... and precisely the impetus needed to get the network's support for a one-off in the UK.

I'd love to toss a note or two at the powers that be. Anyone know who we should write to?

One interesting point is about Shed having some advantage in the current launch of BG in America, it is definitely something so absolutely worth launching. I totally agree that Shed really put themselves on the line in not only starting up their own film copmpany but in creating something that was so artistically adventurous. The real interest is in Simone and Mandana being interviewed after this period of time where they are happy to help promote Bad Girls for the sheer love of the roles which means so much to them. What they are giving to us is so good and, yes, I absolutely agree with Abzug's enthusiasm and the idea of a letter writing campaign.

Abzug,

Interesting ideas. I love the fact that for once Nikki was more important than the job. That eventhough they weren't together, Helen wanted Nikki to have a change in court. Because of love, or because of her being a decent human being.... Who knows? Only in the very end we knew both to be true.

Had the actresses decided to stay on, i think this ending still would have worked. I mean, the scene where Helen just knows Nikki will be watching her from the window leave Larkhall for the last time... It says so much about them and how they are together.

And Helen had signed before. Neal had been fired before. Then stuff happened and things changed. I'm sure Shed would have found a way to get Helen back to Larkhall and in Fenners face.


The only problem i forsee is Di and Fenner knowing about the relationship. Once Nikki is out would it still be a problem for Helen because the relationship started during imprisonment?

Here's a link to the feedback form on the ITV website:
http://www.itv.com/page.asp?partid=1215

I'd suggest writing something along the lines of, hey, now that BG has finished it's run, and with the growing popularity of the show in the US, wouldn't it be a great idea to have a followup special focusing on Helen Stewart and Nikki Wade? Recent interviews indicate that the actresses are both interested, as are the writers. (Links here to the three articles on AfterEllen). Then something about the huge and loyal fanbase for this show, even after so many years, and particular the fan base for the characters from those early seasons, blah blah blah.

Another option is to write a letter to this address:
ITV Network Centre
200 Gray's Inn Road
London
WC1X 8HF

You could address it to Michael Grade, the CEO (he's been complaining in the press about a "lack of innovation" in ITV programming, so perhaps this is an angle to take in a letter to him). Or to whoever is their head of programming. I couldn't find a name, but perhaps someone more familiar with UK television could find this out?

I have no idea if this list is still up to date....

ITV General Commissioner ITV2, ITV3, ITV4 Matthew Littleford
ITV General Editor, Nighttime & Branded Content Sally Quick
ITV Network Centre General Director of Programmes, ITV2 David Bergg
ITV Network Centre General Editor, ITV3 Emma Tennant
ITV Network Centre General Channel Editor, ITV4 Steve Arnell
ITV Network Centre General Programme Director, ITV Digital Channels Steven Andrew
ITV Network Centre General Controller, ITV2 Zai Bennett
ITV plc General Director of Television Simon Shaps
ITV Production General Director, ITV Production John Whiston

Thanks, Abzug. I sent in my comment and will do it a few more times in the weeks to come.

Jeeze, why wouldn't you be writing to Shed Productions? N&H is their baby. Eileen Gallagher et al?

Hey, phone #'s and everything
Production Companies
Shed Productions
London, England:
2 Holford Yard
Cruikshank Street
LondonWC1X 9HD
UK
Phn: +44 (0)207 239 1010
Fax: +44 (0)207 239 1011
http://www.shedproductions.com/
shed@shedproductions.com


Distributors
Independent Television (ITV) (1999-2006) (UK) (TV)
London, England:
200 Gray's Inn Road
LondonWC1X 8HF
UK
Phn: +44 (0)20 7843 8000
Fax: +44 (0)20 7843 8158
http://www.itv.com
dutyoffice@itv.com

My understanding through Chadwick's interview on AfterEllen is Shed is all for a one-off, so I think ITV is the place to be contacting ... whether by phone, e-mail or regular mail.

Yeah, that was my sense too. And for those who post on other boards, can you post this information there as well? Thanks!

I've just been watching Little Britain S3 on DVD and laughed my head off. The BBC would be the network with the innovation IMO, so the best bet would be to hound Shed first.

I sent an e-mail to iTV. It's a really fast process ... couple minutes. I might write to Shed too but it does sound like Maureen Chadwick doesn't want the "old girl to die" so seems like she doesn't need a push from us. Wouldn't iTV have first rights?

Did the deed, and did my best to sound British. I'll e-mail them again soon ... nothing to lose, right?

We'll get to see the N/H one-off only if it's worth the wonga to all parties concerned! Afterall it's show'business'. :)

Does anyone know when shed knew that simone and mandana weren't coming back. Was it before the filming of season 3 had started, or some time later, when they would have had to make storyline changes midstream, so to speak.

I'm only going by memory but my recollection was that Simone made an announcement at some point during the original transmission of Series 3. while Mandana made no announcement at all. I'm open to correction from someone with a better memory or their own archives.

I'm quite sure Shed knew S/M were leaving before the start of Season 3. One reason is you can't plan an ongoing drama "on the fly." They have to know who's coming back for Season 4 in order to plan the sequence of events in Season 3.

I can't think of an article to back this view, so I guess I'm just going on a hunch that Shed would've made the actors commit to however many seasons well before the seasons were filmed. You wouldn't want any surprises, with actors leaving all of a sudden and with no explanation in the script, especially among your main characters.

But there's a few different things to think about here. There's really a three-step timeline here:
1. The writers write the scripts for the episodes
2. The episodes are filmed
3. The episodes are broadcast

Richard just mentioned that Simone made an announcement during the broadcasting of season 3. This means that #1 and #2 had already occurred, at least in part (we know at the very least the riot episodes were completed by the time S3 started airing, because scenes from the filming of those were used in all the promotional interviews right before S3 started). Point being, by the time Simone announced it, the storylines were already set and filmed and edited, or at least very close to being filmed and edited.

So, obviously, Simone decided sometime before it was announced, because if (to be theoretical for a second) she had decided the day before it was announced, they wouldn't have had a chance to write her character off the show.

My theory is therefore that Simone AND Mandana decided to leave the show sometime during the scripting of S3, or perhaps earlier. It may be Simone was sure she wanted to go, and Mandana decided to go as well, who knows. Anyway, regardless, Shed scripted the shows accordingly, but held tight to this information, and only allowed Simone to announce it during the broadcast of S3. While they knew Mandana was also going to leave, they wanted to keep her success in her appeal a secret, and so they didn't let her announce that she was also leaving the show.

But again, the above is all just hypothesizing. I wasn't a fan at the time, wasn't watching the press, and so I have no direct evidence for my theory above. But I will say, I don't think that the writers were surprised by the news, and then suddenly had to figure out a way to write off the two characters. I think they knew.

I spent some time trying to find actual facts on this issue without much luck. Of course it was years after. I found a few scraps in Scottish newspapers that did allude to SL leaving, dated earlier than I remembered expecting to see, but can't back that up; I can't find them now or even check for them--sorry, someone pls remind me next week if I've still forgotten, just too busy.

Fwiw (not much), my impression was SL decided to leave early in S3--official announcement to that effect was made either at the start or at latest, midway through (about ep 6-7), wasn't it?--can't remember exactly when that happened, others would know. To the best of my knowledge, there was never any statement or word from MJ on the matter at all, though perhaps others can correct me. My impression was always that it was SL's decision to leave, which determined the fate of both actors.

It's interesting in an academic way, but I dropped it, myself, feeling it was just too far... mm, not sure how to express it. Outside the show? maybe, to hold my interest. I started looking into it in the first place bec I wondered if the timing of her notice had effected the stepped-up pace throughout the second half of the season; to me that suggested at least the possibility she hadn't told them before the start. But again, these are fine points within an industry I'm not overfamiliar with, plus it's the overseas version. I'm sure other people would know better, or more. --e

Ok, found several scraps that seem quite clear: we have date of article, reference to when things were being filmed; when the show will air, etc. So:


On Jan 21, 2001, Billy Sloan of the Daily Record ran an article that said "She [Lahbib] is midway through filming a new 16-part series of ITV's Bad Girls, which comes back to our screens on February 26."

on March 18, 2001, Billy Sloan of the Daily Record ran an article that said "TV Bad Girl Simone Lahbib has quit the popular prison drama just days before the launch of a new series."

ETA: I wouldn't push Mr Sloan's accuracy on any matter beyond the date of his paper's actual publication, quite frankly--that's the only thing those quotes are reliable indicators of, imo: when there was any official mention, in some type of media, of her decision to leave the show.

Beyond that, however... according to the January article, Lahbib was 32 years old at the time.

According to the March article, she was 30.

Imo, there's no way that this date was when Simone told Shed she was leaving, because if in January they were "midway through filming" then by March, even if they weren't DONE filming, they had all the scripts written. There's a period of pre-production after a script is finalized but before it begins shooting, and then shooting is over a week for each episode, so it's essentially inconceivable that Simone told Shed in March and they were able to modify all the scripts for the last episodes of the season and then film the changes in order to accomodate her. Especially given that they were setting up Helen's conflict with Fenner by S3E6 (the sexual assault), which tells me they knew at least that early (when they were writing the script for S3E6) that Simone was leaving.

Your conclusions are the same as what I arrived at. The article is the earliest mention in print I've found of SL's leaving--there might be others that came out before, but probably not by much, if it was closely-held until the last minute. Working backwards--which is what you have to do given the date of publication & shooting schedules--I also agree that whether or not Shed knew at the very start of S3, they certainly knew no later than half a dozen or so scripts in. --e

speaking of time frames, i guess they must have finished filming series 3 by may, because that's when simone, mandana, joe and lara went to s.a. i find it interesting that by the time they all went to s.a., none of them was actually in the series any more.