Peak Practice Explained

Genre:Drama
Creator:Lucy Gannon
Theme Music Composer:John Altman (1993–1999), Craig Pruess (2000–2002)
Country:United Kingdom
Language:English
Num Series:12
Num Episodes:152
Executive Producer:Ted Childs (1993–1996)
Jonathan Powell (1997–1998)
Sharon Bloom (1999–2002)
Location:Derbyshire
Runtime:60 minutes
(including commercials)
Company:Central (1993–1999)
Carlton (1999–2002)
Network:ITV

Peak Practice was a British drama series about a GP surgery in Cardale — a small fictional town in the Derbyshire Peak District — and the doctors who worked there.[1] It originally starred Kevin Whately as Dr Jack Kerruish, Amanda Burton as Dr Beth Glover and Simon Shepherd as Dr Will Preston, though the roster of doctors would change many times over the course of the series. It ran on ITV from 10 May 1993 to 30 January 2002 and was one of their most successful series at the time.

Synopsis

Series 1 – 1993

Dr Jack Kerruish returns to the UK after setting up a clinic in Africa. He has dreams of being a country GP and heads to Derbyshire for an interview at the Beeches surgery. The Beeches is run by Dr Beth Glover who took the practice over from her father when he died. Beth's partner at the practice is Dr Will Preston who, at this time, would prefer a day on the golf course to a full day's surgery. After initial tensions and despite Will's concerns, Beth invites Jack to be a partner at the practice. Jack and Beth share an instant chemistry and after several misunderstandings they finally get together towards the end of Series 1. Will on the other hand faces marital problems with his wife Sarah. He is broken when he discovers she has been having an affair with Daniel Acres, a doctor from the rival health centre. Pressure to keep her and their two children, Tony and Julien, in a posh house results in Will committing a fraudulent drugs trial. When his scam is revealed, Sarah threatens to leave him, and in turn Will has a nervous breakdown. Meanwhile, after years of trying for a baby, landlords of the local pub Chloe and James White have a daughter named Sarah-Jane.

Series 2 – 1994

Jack and Beth have grown closer during the series break and in the opening episode, Jack asks for Beth's hand in marriage. She turns him down in fear that she hasn't done enough with her life, and although they try to stay together, they later split up. Will and Sarah struggle to make their marriage work and move to a smaller house to help their financial worries. They face further problems when their son Tony is involved in a serious fight at school and also when Sarah continues to attract male attention. Chloe is diagnosed with Hodgkins disease and faces a tough regime of treatment. Mid series, and Jack and Beth both contend with lovers from their past returning to their lives. After a near-death situation, Beth realises she wants to spend her life with Jack and proposes to him. As Jack and Beth marry, Sarah leaves Will and he once again hits rock bottom. Meanwhile, Chloe gets the good news that she is in remission and as the series ends, The Beeches becomes a fund holding practice.

Series 3 – 1995

Jack and Beth have been married for a year and face problems when they each encounter personal difficulties. Beth is rocked by the death of her best friend Isabel De Gines, and Jack feels victimised when a family he tried to help make a complaint against him. Beth decides she wants to start a family but Jack gets an offer to continue his work in Africa. Despite Beth's pleas Jack leaves the practice for a few months. Will and Sarah divorce but find it hard to lead separate lives. On several occasions, they almost give into temptation but Will realises they are better off apart. Whilst in Africa, Jack realises how much he has changed and how much he misses Beth. He returns to Cardale and they try for a family. Beth soon falls pregnant but happiness turns to tragedy when she loses the baby. The Beeches take on trainee GP Andrew Attwood (Gary Mavers) and he moves into the pub whilst completing his exams. Andrew makes Will feel unsettled at the Beeches and he decides to take a job in an inner-city practice. Beth too is looking for a change and finds it hard to shake off her miscarriage. After Will decides to stay on at the Beeches, Jack and Beth decide to take a 6-month sabbatical to Africa.

Series 4 – 1996

A year on, and Jack and Beth have still not returned from Africa. They tell Will they wish to open a clinic out there and he is left to look after The Beeches. He is also hit by the news that Sarah is remarrying and taking Tony and Julien to live in America. Andrew continues to work at The Beeches and is joined by his wife Kirsty. She tries hard to settle into Cardale life but the pair have their problems and Kirsty returns to Liverpool. Dr Erica Matthews arrives as a locum and is instantly attracted to Will. They share a kiss but he develops a friendship with Dr Kate Webster from a rival practice. Their relationship becomes serious and Will tries his hardest to play Dad to Kate's son Charlie. Andrew struggles to cope without Kirsty and is unaware when a patient falls for him. When he knocks her back, she makes a complaint against him and Andrew turns to Erica for comfort. They spend the night together but Andrew soon regrets it when Kirsty returns to Cardale. He is honest with her and they decide to move back to Liverpool. Chloe and James become foster parents and she continues to remain in remission. At the end of the series, Kate finds out she is pregnant and despite booking in for a termination, she changes her mind and she and Will decide to settle down together. Erica buys an old cottage and lays her roots in Cardale, and realising they have grown apart, Kirsty decides to return to Liverpool without Andrew.

Series 5 – 1997

Dr David Shearer arrives in Cardale to help out at the Beeches. He is an old friend of Beth and Will's and covers the absence of Andrew, who went missing after his split with Kirsty. David's wife Clare and their children Emma and Tom join him in Cardale and he quickly settles back into country life. Much to the annoyance of Andrew, who returns looking for another chance from Will and Erica. Kate gives birth to a baby girl named Emily. However, she and Will soon find out that their baby is sick and their worst fears are realised when Emily is diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis. A clinic in Bristol offers Emily a place on their programme, resulting in Will and Kate leaving Cardale. Before they go, they get married and leave the Beeches in the hands of Andrew, Erica and David. David faces torment when Claire is diagnosed with manic depression, Andrew is rocked when Kirsty arrives with a child that is not his and Andrew and Erica continue to dance around the idea of having a relationship.

Series 11 – early 2001

Will's friends ignore his professional advice; Sam invests in a controversial new drug; and Will clashes with ex-wife Kate over an alcoholic patient.

Series 12 – late 2001/early 2002

Tom is involved in a climbing accident; new nurse Claire (Eva Pope) wastes little time in making her presence felt at the practice; and a deadly epidemic puts strain on the Beeches.

List of characters

Production

It was based in the Derbyshire village of Crich, although certain scenes were filmed at other nearby Derbyshire towns and villages, most notably Fritchley, Matlock, Belper, Duffield and Ashover.[3] [4] In the final series it was filmed in Staffordshire in the village of Longnor.

Episodes

Series 1
No.Episode TitleSynopsisAir Date
1Dr Jack Kerruish starts work at a surgery in Derbyshire, where he develops a volatile relationship with fellow medic Beth Glover.10 May 1993
2The Beeches finally becomes a paying concern - but Beth's relief at its new-found solvency is cut short by the discovery that a rival health centre is stealing her patients.17 May 1993
3Jack treats an athlete whose sudden pre-race injury seems just a little too convenient to be true.24 May 1993
4Jack tries to help a childless couple and learns a harsh lesson on the realities of country life.31 May 1993
5Jack helps resolve a confused priest's doubts about his mental state, and begins flirting with an attractive trainee GP working at rival centre The Beeches.7 June 1993
6Jack and Beth disagree over the treatment of a young patient with a heart defect, while Sarah and Will's marriage deteriorates as their financial problems mount.14 June 1993
7Will desperately tries to make up with Sarah and comes up with a plan to clear their debts.21 June 1993
8Jack's mountain rescue skills are put to the test when a kidney transplant patient is lost during a storm, while Will tries to deal with his personal problems.28 June 1993
Series 2
1Jack struggles to save an asthmatic girl's life when her mother will only resort to faith healing. Meanwhile, Will has survived his breakdown and is eager to go back to work.1 March 1994
2The three doctors fall out when a consultant refuses to operate on their heart patient because he is a heavy smoker. Meanwhile, Will's marriage suffers another setback.8 March 1994
3Jack is caught in a dilemma when he has to tell his best friends that Chloe has cancer, and his relationship with Beth continues to deteriorate.15 March 1994
4Jack has to deal with a patient whose employer will not let her rest. Meanwhile, Isabel and Ken's romance takes a dive when their ward collapses.22 March 1994
5Jack is shocked and angry when Beth is assaulted by a patient's father.30 March 1994
6Jack tries to help his ex-fiance Karen, who is an acute schizophrenic, while Kim contracts a rare infection.6 April 1994
7After secretly meeting her ex-lover, Beth comes across an accident on the moors which takes a life-threatening turn.13 April 1994
8Will's marriage hits rock bottom and Beth must pass on devastating news to a friend.19 April 1994
9An old friend of Will's requests his help to end their life.26 April 1994
10The village is shocked when a dead baby is discovered on the moors and a homeless teenage girl is suspected of being the mother.3 May 1994
11Beth and Jack are excited about their wedding day, but their friends' idyllic marriage reveals deeper feelings which bring them down to earth.10 May 1994
12Jack suspects a patient of malingering and Beth becomes embroiled in a family dispute when one of her patients suffers a heart attack.17 May 1994
13Alice appears in court for non-payment of council tax, a teenager asks Jack for tranquillisers, and interviews are held for the post of fund manager.24 May 1994
Series 3
1A group of school kids get trapped in a mine forcing Jack to face his fears as he tries to rescue them. Meanwhile, Sarah and Will finally decide to divorce.31 January 1995
2A new nurse joins the practice and Will stands as a candidate for the local council. Meanwhile, Beth comes to terms with her friend's imminent death.7 February 1995
3Beth treats two youngsters for an infection spread by rat urine, while Jack opposes Cardale residents trying to get a new home for ex-psychiatric patients closed down.14 February 1995
4Beth finds herself in the unhappy position of having to investigate her own husband's professional conduct, a predicament made worse by the grief of Isabel's funeral.28 February 1995
5Jack feels increasingly disillusioned with life in Cardale and goes to set up a new clinic in Africa, leaving Beth hard-pressed to cope in his absence.7 March 1995
6Will tries to help a boxing champion whose blackouts are casting a shadow over his future in sport, but only succeeds in driving him into the bare-knuckle arena.14 March 1995
7Will's son is seriously injured on the school rugby field, while Jack returns from Africa and barely has chance to unpack before he is called out to an attempted death.21 March 1995
8A freak storm hits Cardale, and the Kerruishes work round the clock to treat casualties, saving strangers as well as close friends injured in the devastation.28 March 1995
9A Cardale schoolgirl begins behaving erratically, causing concern for her parents and provoking a professional difference of opinion between Will and Beth.4 April 1995
10New trainee Andrew Attwood arrives at The Beeches and causes friction, falling foul of Jack and losing a valuable contract.11 April 1995
11Andrew lands himself in hot water again by failing to diagnose a patient's life-threatening condition, while Jack doubts Will's commitment to the practice.18 April 1995
12Pub tenants James and Chloe ask Jack for advice on how to become foster parents, and Beth is rushed to hospital with abdominal pains, leaving Andrew to handle her workload.25 April 1995
13Andrew tries to help a distressed patient who is mutilating himself, but when the man attempts suicide the doctor realises the situation is more severe than he thought.2 May 1995
14Jack considers expanding the practice, though Will voices his objections, while Beth links a patient's ill health to his working environment.9 May 1995
15Beth wants to move away from Cardale, but Jack doesn't share her enthusiasm. Meanwhile, Chloe and James White attend an interview at the fostering agency.16 May 1995
Series 4
1Now that Jack and Beth have left for Africa, Will sets about finding new partners to help run The Beeches, a task made doubly difficult by new locum Erica Matthews.27 February 1996
2Will bids a tearful farewell to the boys as they leave for Florida, while Erica is confronted by a patient suffering from delusions.5 March 1996
3Erica throws a house-warming party, intending to use it as an excuse to chat up Will - but he spoils her plans by turning up with a doctor from the nearby health centre.12 March 1996
4Erica clashes with Will as she struggles to deal with the emotional problems created by the arrival of old flame Dan Copeland, who has tracked her down from Manchester.19 March 1996
5Will and Andrew clash over the welfare of a boy trapped in a bitter custody battle, while locum doctor Erica is angry to learn her position has been advertised.26 March 1996
6Erica intervenes in an operation, saving the patient's life and prompting Will to look favourably on her application. Kirsty begins to have doubts about her future with Andrew.2 April 1996
7Andrew secures a patient's life-saving operation, but Kirsty is still left wondering if she's doing the right thing.9 April 1996
8Will finds himself increasingly drawn to Kate - until a disagreement prompted by a multiple sclerosis sufferer's violent husband makes him have second thoughts.16 April 1996
9Personal dilemmas continue to overshadow the medical agenda, as a depressed Andrew jeopardises his career and Kate agonises over Will's suggestion they move in together.23 April 1996
10Kate announces she's pregnant but intends to have an abortion, forcing Will to make an agonising personal choice.30 April 1996
Series 5
1Will is ecstatic to become a father and Andrew returns to Cardale after six months away, asking for his old job back, but finds a surprise in store for him.14 January 1997
2Will and Kate face a harrowing time as their baby's health deteriorates alarmingly.21 January 1997
3David's family join him in Cardale, but his happiness is marred by the discovery that a boy he helped deliver 11 years ago has contracted a deadly illness.28 January 1997
4Will says farewell to his friends and colleagues over a special lunch which ends in a big surprise for the departing doctor, while Erica battles to save Alice North's life.4 February 1997
5Andrew is seriously injured in a car crash en route to Erica's birthday party, and faces the grim task of ensuring his fellow motorists make it through the night alive.11 February 1997
6David helps a paraplegic friend and his wife fulfill their dearest wish to have a child, while Andrew investigates Erica's claims of supernatural goings-on.18 February 1997
7Andrew and Erica clash over the best way to treat a baby's mysterious illness.4 March 1997
8Andrew's relationship with his shapely accountant goes beyond business, while David worries about his wife's erratic behaviour and the practice is sued for negligence.11 March 1997
9An old friend of Andrew arrives in Cardale with devastating news.18 March 1997
10Andrew bites the bullet and tells Erica he wants them to be a couple, but her reaction is not as he had hoped. Claire's extrovert behaviour causes gossip among the locals.25 March 1997
11Clare unwittingly endangers an older patient's life, forcing David to step back and take a long, hard look at what's causing her erratic behaviour.1 April 1997
12Erica's commitment to the Beeches is tested to the limit.8 April 1997
13Andrew's ex-wife turns up out of the blue, forcing him to re-examine his feelings for her and Erica, while Clare's mental condition takes yet another turn for the worse.15 April 1997
14David treats a pilot suffering from what seems to be vertigo, although his dizzy spells could have another cause.22 April 1997
Series 6
1David and Andrew strive to convince the authorities that mass inoculation is the only way to prevent a meningitis outbreak sweeping through Cardale.5 January 1998
2Erica is left traumatised by a meeting with her natural father, while Andrew regrets inviting David to go house-hunting with him.12 January 1998
3David takes on the local health authority, outraged that they won't operate on a Down's syndrome heart patient.19 January 1998
4A local lad returns to Cardale after travelling the world, but it soon becomes clear he's got something to hide. A phone call from his sister shatters Andrew's happiness.26 January 1998
5New locum Nick Goodson arrives at the Beeches and Erica's role as prosecution witness in a controversial child abuse trial makes her the target of a hate campaign.2 February 1998
6Erica prepares to visit Andrew in Liverpool, leaving locum Nick Goodson in charge of the surgery, while David tangles with a pair of runaway pensioners in a stolen coach.9 February 1998
7Andrew stops dithering and proposes to Erica, but his mind is soon distracted from romance by the plight of a priest suffering from a mystery illness.16 February 1998
8Andrew's terminally ill mother asks him to help end her life, while back in Cardale, the past catches up with scheming locum Dr Nick Goodson in spectacular fashion.23 February 1998
9David has an unscheduled run-in with old flame Anna Bradshaw, and it isn't long before sparks are flying in more ways than one.2 March 1998
10Erica makes a decision over Andrew's proposal, but while looking to the future, a dangerous legacy from the past threatens public safety elsewhere in Cardale.16 March 1998
11A woman holds a wounded Andrew and a heavily pregnant Clare at gunpoint, triggering a tense siege.23 March 1998
12A woman who agrees to be a surrogate mother finds her decision has far-reaching consequences.30 March 1998
13Erica prepares for her hen night, Rob McBride's past threatens to ruin his future.6 April 1998
14Cardale prepares for Andrew and Erica's wedding, but a health scare tests everyone to the limit.20 April 1998
Series 7
1Andrew takes up rally driving in the hope it will help him forget Erica.5 January 1999
2The race is on to find a suitable donor to save a dying leukaemia patient.12 January 1999
3Joanna feels the emotional strain of general practice when one of her patients faces death.19 January 1999
4Andrew's judgement is put on the line in a battle of prejudice and personal feeling.26 January 1999
5David gives an old friend some shocking advice, but struggles to practise what he preaches.2 February 1999
6David tries to help a troubled teenager, but ends up risking the happiness of everyone around him.9 February 1999
7As Cardale struggles to come to terms with David's shocking death, a destructive patient pushes Andrew's patience to the limit.23 February 1999
8A new face appears at the Beeches, and Joanna's heroic efforts to arrange an operation for an Alzheimer's sufferer bring her into contact with an old flame.2 March 1999
9The staff fight to save the community hospital, finding an ally in Ronnie, who uses his experience to their advantage.9 March 1999
10Sam is tormented by the case of a cancer sufferer who refuses to endanger her unborn child by undergoing treatment, while the campaign to save the local hospital gets a boost.16 March 1999
11Joanna is held at knifepoint by a runaway mother, some good news lifts Sam's depression over the death of a patient and romance blossoms between Andrew and Dawn.23 March 1999
12Dawn fears her breast cancer might return, while plucky local copper Pete Greenhalgh faces an adversary even his courage cannot protect him from.30 March 1999
13Clare Shearer returns to Cardale and wastes no time in claiming her share of the Beeches.6 April 1999
Series 8
1A chance encounter with a troop of soldiers plunges Joanna and Andrew into a life-or-death crisis.14 September 1999
2A savage attack on Alice North shocks Cardale, and helps push Joanna back into the arms of her ex-lover Martin Henderson.21 September 1999
3Sam learns a respected member of the community is harbouring a devastating secret and Joanna grows concerned about Alice's state of mind.28 September 1999
4Dawn's son slips into a coma, leaving surgeons baffled Meanwhile, estranged father Keith turns up, indicating his disapproval of his wife's involvement with Andrew.5 October 1999
5Sam breaks all the rules and gets emotionally involved with a patient, casting a shadow over his future at the Beeches.12 October 1999
6Sam makes an unusual bet with a smoker anxious to quit, while Andrew tries to help a farmer whose failing health has driven him to take desperate measures.19 October 1999
7Tragedy looms as Andrew and Sam try to save an injured man from a fast-flowing river, only too aware that his life rests in their hands.2 November 1999
8Sam is tormented by the thought that he could have done more to help Andrew and Joanna's teenage patient recoils from the prospect of an operation.9 November 1999
9Sam tries to help an overweight local woman whose efforts to slim are placing her life in jeopardy, while Joanna sparks off another health scare in Cardale.16 November 1999
10Joanna is presented with an unenviable dilemma by old flame Martin Henderson, who asks her to leave Cardale and start a new life with him.23 November 1999
11Sam is visited by an old friend who seems to have gone up in the world since their schooldays together, but the reunion has a tragic outcome.30 November 1999
12Andrew tries to convince his friend Ronnie Neale that he has a serious illness, and ends up coming to blows with Dawn's estranged husband Keith over her affections.7 December 1999
13Joanna breaks devastating news to a teenage gymnast, and finds herself thrust into the middle of a family crisis.14 December 1999
Series 9
1The sickly folk of Cardale are hit by another mystery illness, which sweeps through the village spreading terror in its wake.4 January 2000
2Kerri Davidson starts work at the Beeches, while Andrew intervenes to solve Sam's accommodation dilemma.11 January 2000
3Andrew treats a man whose sister is killing him with kindness, while Sam encourages a grieving husband to accept responsibility for his baby daughter.18 January 2000
4The doctors wrestle with the concept of assisted death.25 January 2000
5A hypochondriac tries Joanna's patience with a string of fictitious illnesses, while Andrew attempts to help a girl's parents come to terms with her deafness.1 February 2000
6Joanna faces dilemmas on both a personal and professional level, while Sam sets his heart on a romantic goal and Andrew tries to avoid appearing deceitful.8 February 2000
7A chemical spillage outside the Black Swan plunges Cardale into a state of emergency, and it's up to Andrew and Sam to save lives.15 February 2000
8Sam tries to reunite a family torn apart by a terrible secret, while Joanna sets off to see Tom in Scarborough - but has trouble telling him the reason for her visit.22 February 2000
9Andrew and Kate help an alcoholic woman fighting to keep custody of her children, while Mike and Liz digest some unexpected news.29 February 2000
10Carol's troubled son turns up unexpectedly, Sam and Kerri expose a drugs fraud, and Andrew makes a life-changing decision.7 March 2000
11Sam is forced to confront his feelings for Kerri, while Joanna discovers a patient's seemingly trivial snoring problem hides a sensitive issue.14 March 2000
12Joanna and Tom face tough decisions about their future, and Sam's medical bag is stolen, leading to a crisis for one of his patients.21 March 2000
13A feud between a local farmer and a fairground family has tragic consequences for Joanna, while Andrew learns his affair with Kate is no longer a secret.28 March 2000
Series 10
1A fresh face joins the surgery, while a patient suspected of being a paedophile is the cause of a fierce dispute between Tom and Andrew.5 September 2000
2Alex tries to get to the bottom of a local policeman's aggressive behaviour and finds his dark secret, while Richard edges nearer to finding out the truth about Kate's affair.12 September 2000
3Andrew feels the wrath of Richard as his affair with Kate becomes common knowledge. Tom struggles to help a teenager whose battle against anorexia is tearing her family apart.19 September 2000
4A childless woman's bid to adopt is thrown into jeopardy by ill health, and Tom seeks a nanny to look after Joe.26 September 2000
5Andrew and Kate's relationship sails into stormy waters as Richard's life hangs in the balance, and Alex tries to persuade a patient to undergo treatment for his breast cancer.3 October 2000
6Andrew gains a doting fan, and Carol discovers her new male friend has an unorthodox method of pain relief.31 October 2000
7Andrew's career hangs in the balance as the GMC hearing deliberates over charges of misconduct with an infatuated former patient.7 November 2000
8Will fears a patient is pressuring his younger brother into donating a kidney, while Alice makes a shocking discovery about the local TV repair man.14 November 2000
9Sam helps a lovestruck teenager deal with an embarrassing complaint, and pub landlord Mike Pullen pushes himself too far to impress the brewery manager.21 November 2000
10A pregnant woman's dilemma reminds Will of a past tragedy, and Alex is forced to tackle her addiction while treating a victim of passive smoking.28 November 2000
11Alex has to summon up the courage of her convictions to help a Down's syndrome patient, and Will comes to the aid of a feuding couple.5 December 2000
12Will makes the mistake of getting emotionally attached to a patient with psychiatric problems, and a black cloud descends over Kerri and Sam's engagement party.12 December 2000
13The Beeches partnership is suddenly thrown into a state of turmoil as fate deals a cruel blow to Sam and Kerri, leaving them fighting for their lives.19 December 2000
Series 11
1Will's sympathy for a couple of old friends contemplating fertility treatment soon turns to irritation when they opt to take matters into their own hands.2 January 2001
2Tom blows his top when Bridgit breaks the rules by having an affair with a haemophiliac patient, and Sam invests in a controversial new drug.9 January 2001
3Tom fears cyclist Nick Pullen is being pushed beyond his limits by an overzealous trainer, while Will clashes with ex-wife Kate over an alcoholic patient.16 January 2001
4Will uncovers the extent of Sam's deception as he prepares to go down the aisle with Kerri, leaving the bride with a tough decision to make.23 January 2001
5Alex helps two elderly sisters against Will's orders and discovers something about herself into the bargain, while Tom persuades Kerri to face everyone at work.30 January 2001
6Will treats a nun with a broken arm and in the process finds she's dying from an incurable illness, a traumatic revelation that brings him closer to wife Kate.6 February 2001
7The Mayor of Cardale suffers severe attacks of lethargy, and Tom uncovers an affair between a local teacher and her pupil.13 February 2001
8Will unwittingly brings to light a family scandal, while Tom and Alex's budding relationship is jeopardised by a difference of medical opinion.20 February 2001
9Tom helps a swimming instructor come to terms with a serious bowel condition, and a meals-on-wheels driver suffers a stroke at the wheel and nearly crashes into Kate.8 March 2001
10Alex struggles to save a boy's life after a farmer dumps dangerous chemicals in a pond, but is distracted when her estranged father turns up seeking a reconciliation.15 March 2001
11Will's career is thrown into turmoil when one of his patients has an epileptic fit while driving and is killed in the ensuing crash.22 March 2001
12Tom is caught in a dilemma when a harassed mother requests an abortion without telling her husband. Alex faces her cancer test ordeal alone.29 March 2001
13Alex flees the practice and heads back home to York, hotly pursued by Tom, who tries to persuade her to face up to her illness.5 April 2001
Series 12
1Sultry nurse Claire Brightwell breezes into Cardale to shake up the practice, while Tom is involved in a climbing accident and Will's son Tony returns.25 October 2001
2Newcomer Claire wastes little time in making her presence felt at the practice and tries to seduce Tom, while Will wonders how many more revelations about his son he can take.1 November 2001
3The outbreak of a deadly epidemic puts strain on the practice, while Claire does her wicked best to drive a wedge between Alex and Tom.8 November 2001
4Claire is accused of stealing from a patient, and finds support from her colleagues in short supply, while a modern-day Noah gives Will cause for concern.15 November 2001
5Dashing new trainee doctor Matt Kendal has a baptism of fire on his first day at the Beeches, while Will's decision to turn away all non-urgent cases has disastrous consequences.22 November 2001
6A weekend away turns into chaos when an Army helicopter crashes, unearthing horrifying memories of the Balkan conflict for Alex and Claire, who race to save the casualties.29 November 2001
7Leanne is raped and left for dead, a trauma that sends the whole community into shock. Will apologises to Carol, while Matt and Shaun step up their rivalry on the football field.6 December 2001
8Tom takes the law into his own hands to nail the man who assaulted Leanne, while Kate grows increasingly frustrated by Will's mood swings.13 December 2001
9A runaway bride causes concern, while Claire's increasingly erratic behaviour worries Alex, and Kate starts spending more and more time with James.3 January 2002
10Claire provides a much-needed shoulder to cry on for Will, who is public enemy number one following the emergence of his plans to dissolve the Beeches partnership.10 January 2002
11Claire's true colours shine through as she accuses Will of rape, and Alex oversees the exhumation of a marine she believes was murdered by her mentally unstable colleague.17 January 2002
12Claire's disappearance has disturbing repercussions, while Will deals with a depressed gardener, and Shaun takes desperate measures to make himself more appealing to Kerri.24 January 2002
13Tom and Alex's wedding plans have to be put on hold as a cable car emergency demands their attention, and to make matters worse Claire turns up.30 January 2002

DVD release

Series 1–7 have been released on DVD. In Australia, Series 8 – 12 has a scheduled release of 19 June 2024 by Via Vision Entertainment.

!DVD Title!Discs!Episodes!Release Date Region 2 (UK)!Release Date Region 4 (Australia)
The Complete First Series28June 30, 2003July 9, 2014[5]
The Complete Second Series413May 17, 2004July 9, 2014[6]
The Complete Third Series415March 3, 2008October 8, 2014[7]
The Complete Fourth Series310June 16, 2008October 8, 2014[8]
The Complete Fifth Series414July 13, 2009March 11, 2015[9]
The Complete Sixth Series414March 29, 2010March 11, 2015[10]
The Complete Seventh Series413September 7, 2015May 6, 2015[11]
The Complete Series 1-72587April 29, 2019[12] N/A
Series 8-122065N/A19 June 2024[13]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Peak Practice TV Guide. TVGuide.com. en. 2018-07-29.
  2. Web site: Peak Practice (1996).
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/features/tours/location/peak_practice.shtml "Peak Practice"
  4. Web site: Peak Practice Online. 2021-05-12.
  5. Web site: Peak Practice, Series 1 by Simon Shepherd 9397911475197 Booktopia. 2021-01-02. www.booktopia.com.au.
  6. Web site: Peak Practice, Series 2 by Simon Shepherd 9397911475296 Booktopia. 2021-01-02. www.booktopia.com.au.
  7. Web site: Peak Practice, Series 3 by Gary Mavers | 9397911489699 | Booktopia.
  8. Web site: Peak Practice, Series 4 by Simon Shepherd | 9397911490794 | Booktopia.
  9. Web site: Peak Practice, Series 5 by Gary Mavers | 9397911526196 | Booktopia.
  10. Web site: Peak Practice | 9397911526295 | Booktopia.
  11. Web site: Peak Practice, Series 7 by Haydn Gwynne | 9397911542899 | Booktopia.
  12. Web site: Peak Practice: The Complete Series 1-7 DVD Free shipping over £20. 2021-01-02. HMV Store. en-GB.
  13. Web site: Peak Practice - Series 8 - 12 Via Vision Entertainment . 2024-04-27 . viavision.com.au.