British Comedy Guide
Getting On. Image shows from L to R: Sister Den Flixter (Joanna Scanlan), Nurse Kim Wilde (Jo Brand), Doctor Pippa Moore (Vicki Pepperdine). Copyright: Vera Productions
Getting On

Getting On

  • TV sitcom
  • BBC Four
  • 2009 - 2012
  • 15 episodes (3 series)

Comedy drama which follows the daily lives of nurses as they go about their routine tasks in an NHS hospital. Stars Jo Brand, Joanna Scanlan, Vicki Pepperdine, Ricky Grover and Cush Jumbo

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Character guide

Getting On. Nurse Kim Wilde (Jo Brand). Copyright: Vera Productions

Nurse Kim Wilde

Played by: Jo Brand

Kim has just returned to nursing. As a result, she just does what she is told and gets on with things. However, this leads to problems, as Doctor Moore and Matron Loftus do not have the same aims and objectives.

Kim is not the most hard working of nurses - she can often be seen taking a break with a magazine, passing the time by eating cake, or secretly smoking in the disabled loo.

Kim is now having to plough through a number of training modules, a consequence of an incident with Hilary.

Getting On. Sister Den Flixter (Joanna Scanlan). Copyright: Vera Productions

Sister Den Flixter

Played by: Joanna Scanlan

Den is a good nurse at heart, but personal problems and stupid decisions are stopping her from being a good nurse in practice.

For example, she didn't fill in her important assessment form as she was too busy thinking about other things. In the past this wouldn't have been a problem, but the new Matron is much stricter.

Den was married not long ago (to a man she had only met a couple of weeks previously) but within four months her new husband had scammed her out of all her money and driven off into the sunset.

Den for a period had her eyes fixed on Hilary... but it was hard to tell if he was interested in her or not. In Series 3 Den is married to someone else.

Getting On. Doctor Pippa Moore (Vicki Pepperdine). Copyright: Vera Productions

Doctor Pippa Moore

Played by: Vicki Pepperdine

Doctor Moore is the over-stressed doctor in charge of the ward. She is now back at work after a "mental episode" (or "a breakdown" as the others on the ward put it). Almost always late or behind schedule, she seems to spend a lot of time on the phone explaining to security why they shouldn't clamp her car.

Dr Moore is perhaps a little over obsessed with faeces - she is studying it as part of a "vital research exercise to secure funding for the hospital."

Moore likes to do things by the book - thus her nurses have lots of paperwork and procedures to go through to get anything done. Dr Moore also likes to talk in posh jargon so, for example, rather than saying "there is a poo on that chair", she would say something like "there is a faecal deposit in the sitting area."

Pippa is now having to compete for her own job as the word "re-structuring" is on the agenda at the hospital.

In Series 3, Dr Moore has trouble at home as she has separated from her husband.

Getting On. Hilary Loftus (Ricky Grover). Copyright: Vera Productions

Hilary Loftus

Played by: Ricky Grover

Hilary was the relatively new Matron on Ward B4. His arrival came as quite a shock to Kim and Den as, based on the name, they were expecting another female boss.

Hilary clearly knows what he is doing and isn't going to allow the lazy attitude on the ward to continue - he's determined "Mrs A" (MRSA) isn't going to strike on his ward.

When he arrives, Hilary instantly shows everyone who is boss by telling Den off for her "slutty" boots and over-ruling Dr Moore on both a bed allocation and a stool sample.

Hilary clearly has some stress and anger problems he is bottling up - at some point he's likely to explode. He had an on-off relationship with Den which he was clearly conflicted about - he liked her, but should he date someone who he has to oversee at work?

In Series 3, Hilary has become a jargon-spouting consultant who lurks in the corner of the ward observing goings on and looking for efficiency savings. He gets a bit obsessed with turning things off.

Getting On. Damaris Clarke (Cush Jumbo). Copyright: Vera Productions

Damaris Clarke (Series 2-3)

Matron.   Played by: Cush Jumbo

Damaris is the upbeat, helpful, kind and all round nice modern matron who Kim and Den regularly come into contact with now they're in Ward K2.

She's the sort of boss who will bake cup cakes for the ward, and will happily volunteer for the thankless task of being a training mentor.

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