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==Origins==
In 1997, TV presenter and writer [[Shelley Webb]], ex-wife of former [[England]] [[football (soccer)|football]] Neil Webb, released a book called "Footbllers Wives", an interview with 15 real footballers wives.

"Footabllers Wives" was released the year Webb divorced Neil, after he had a fling with a singer. Webb said of her fellow footballers wives: "Malibu-drinking bimbos who live in mock-Tudor mansions, wear white stilettos and, collectively, have a lower IQ than the average football mascot." Her first book under took 15 interviews with beautiful women who just happened to have married men on a high rise job and income stream. Stories include that of Helen Saunders, wife of [[Dean Saunders]], who went to [[Turkey]] with him one weekend to find that by Monday he'd signed for an [[Istanbul]] club and this was her new home.

Footaller's Wives subsequently was picked up for television serialisation, making Webb very rich - while her ex-husband became a postman for a period of time on £220 per week


==Background==
==Background==

Revision as of 21:48, 7 May 2006

Footballers' Wives
File:Footballerswives.jpg
Footballers' Wives Main Title
Created byMaureen Chadwick
Ann McManus
StarringPresent Cast
Zöe Lucker
Gillian Taylforth
Ben Richards
Helen Latham
Sarah Barrand
Nicholas Ball
Craig Gallivan
Phina Oruche
Chucky Venice
Country of originUK
No. of episodes42 (Series 1 - 5)
Production
Running time50 minutes
Original release
NetworkITV1
ReleaseJanuary 8, 2002 –
April 13, 2006

Footballers' Wives (sometimes known as Footballers' Wive$) is a British television drama surrounding the private lives of a group of professional footballers. It is immensely popular because of its soap opera format. The show centres around the fictional Earls Park Football Club (nicknamed 'Sparks').

Template:Spoiler

Origins

In 1997, TV presenter and writer Shelley Webb, ex-wife of former England football Neil Webb, released a book called "Footbllers Wives", an interview with 15 real footballers wives.

"Footabllers Wives" was released the year Webb divorced Neil, after he had a fling with a singer. Webb said of her fellow footballers wives: "Malibu-drinking bimbos who live in mock-Tudor mansions, wear white stilettos and, collectively, have a lower IQ than the average football mascot." Her first book under took 15 interviews with beautiful women who just happened to have married men on a high rise job and income stream. Stories include that of Helen Saunders, wife of Dean Saunders, who went to Turkey with him one weekend to find that by Monday he'd signed for an Istanbul club and this was her new home.

Footaller's Wives subsequently was picked up for television serialisation, making Webb very rich - while her ex-husband became a postman for a period of time on £220 per week

Background

Throughout the first four series, the show has more or less revolved around the character Tanya Turner, at first the queen bee wife of team captain Jason Turner, before marrying and being widowed by Frank Laslett, the chairman of Earl's Park, and then being briefly engaged to new captain Conrad Gates, then widowed by another rich husband, a Brazilian during her time away abroad.

Cast

Current Cast

Former Cast

Storyline Guides

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Footballers' Wives Series 1 DVD.
File:Fw2DVD.jpg
Footballers' Wives Series 2 DVD.
File:Fw3DVD.jpg
Footballers' Wives Series 3 DVD.
File:Fw4DVD.jpg
Footballers' Wives Series 4 DVD.

Series One - 2002

The series follows a group of footballers' wives whose husbands all play for the same team, Sparks. Ian Warmsley, Sparks' latest signing deals with his up and coming success. His wife Donna is more concerned with getting their son back from the woman who adopted him after her parents forced her to give him up when she was a mere teenager. Trouble unrolls when their 8-year-old daughter is kidnapped from school in the final episode of the series. Donna's younger sister Marie is staying with them, causing all the trouble she can. She has a secret fling with Sparks' mid-fielder and ruthless bad boy Jason Turner, who is married to the beautiful yet vile Tanya, TV's megabitch who is too busy to worry about the affair as she tries to save her husband's job when club owner Frank Laslett buys Italian stallion Sal Biagi who takes Jason's job. Tanya and Jason take matters into their own hands on the way home from a club dinner and in a drunken brawl, Tanya puts Frank into a coma. With the help of Jason, they push his car off the side of the road making it look like a drunken accident. Frank is in a coma and it's Tanya's job to keep up appearances, trying to look like the innocent party. She frequently visits Frank in hospital and is convinced he remembers what happened that night. Tanya becomes friendly with Frank's vulnerable nurse, Mrs. Dunkley. But looks can be decieving as Tanya walks in on Dunkley riding Frank's lifeless body. Nurse Dunkley gets a surprise when Tanya interrupts them, Tanya uses this information to manipulate Dunkley into switching off Frank's life support, telling her that she and Frank were an item and were having an affair, and that she can't bear to see him in pain. With Franks son convinced its for the best, Franks family, plus Tanya and Dunkley gather round as they bid farewell, but something goes wrong, Frank wakes up just before the switch-off goes ahead. Soon Frank is up on his feet again, convinced that he and Tanya are still an item. He lets Jason have his job back and all is well again, well...apart from the affair. Jason isn't one bit happy about the fact his wife is shagging his boss, so he and Tanya hatch a plan to end the affair with the help of Hazel, a corrupt, fiery redhead and ruthless agent to the stars. On the night of one of Tanya and Frank's steamy rendevouz, Frank injures Tanya, she locks herself away in the bathroom. Enter Jason, who sees what Frank has done to his wife and goes beserk. But with one blow to Frank's head, he remembers everything. Memories from 'that night' come flooding back. Meanwhile, things are far from perfect for Kyle and his wife Chardonnay. The soon-to-be-married couple's relationship goes down hill on page 3 pin-up Chardonnay's hen-night out with the girls when some rowdy rival football hooligans set fire to her chest. Determined not to let this get in the way, they go ahead with their fairytale wedding, dwarves and all, They even get a phone call from the hospital bringing them the news that Chardonnay is prengant. But the wrong woman received the call and it is in fact Kyle's meddeling mother Jackie who is pregnant. Jackie decides to give up her baby to a couple in need of their own...Kyle and Chardonnay! With a little convincing, Kyle soon warms up to the idea of having a son and agrees to the decision. But wait, who can the father be? Of course, it's Jason Turner...

Series Two - 2003

Series 2 kicks off with Tanya and Jason in court, lying in front of God. The whole English population are convinced Frank is deranged and that he tried to rape Tanya. Charges are dropped and Tanya walks away scott free. But behind the court case Frank is still determined to bring her down. He hires a private detective to track down Nurse Dunkley, Frank's nurse who sexually abused him while he was in his coma. Tanya has already got her mitts on Dunkley when she comes back for more money, Tanya hides her somewhere Frank will never find her...in an old nursing home Tanya is doing community service in due to her cocaine possession. When Frank eventually tracks her down, he forces her to help him gather evidence that will make Tanya go down for sure. Over dinner with Tanya, Dunkley is kitted up in full spy gear, recording their conversation about Frank who is listening in using the gear he has given her. Just as Tanya gives herself up, she catches Dunkley in the toilet. No one can foil Mrs. T, as she soon learns, and is banished away forever with a pocket full of Tanya's money.

Jackie has given birth to Jason's baby, still unknown to Kyle and Chardonnay who are bringing newborn baby Paddy up as their own, but Jackie is finding it harder than she thought and can't bring herself to fully let go of her new son. When Kyle and Chardonnay ban mother Jackie from seeing "their" baby, she tells Jason she wants the baby back who then decides to do something about it. He steals back the baby and all hell breaks loose. Jason promises to Jackie that he will leave Tanya to start a happy family with her, but when Paddy is taken to hospital and is examined, the doctors find that Paddy is a girl...and a boy. His mixed-sex organs disgust Jason, who no longer wants anything to do with the little "freak". He confides in Tanya, and tells all. Tanya takes him back and they're both back on top, where they belong. But not all is what it seems.

Jason asks Tanya if she wants to renew their vows. She accepts but on the night before their wedding, Chardonnay delivers Tanya the news that Jason is being unfaithful...again. Tanya promises not to let her down, telling Char that he will get his comeuppance. Tanya lets Jason think that the wedding is running smoothly, but as shes about to say "I do" she throws the ring across the room, commenting on the size of his manhood. And with that Jason publicly punches Tanya. Jason sits on the roof top drunk, feeling sorry for himself, but as he slips, an unseen (by the audience) assailant hits his hands with a champagne bottle, causing Jason to fall to his death.

Series Three - 2004

Episode One Newly married Tanya and Frank head off to Thailand to sign a new captain for Earls Park. Meanwhile, Kyle struggles to accept Chardonnay's death.

Episode Two Tanya and Amber lock horns over Conrad. Shannon realises that her face doesn't fit... literally.

Episode Three Kyle lies in agony and surveys the ruins of his footballing career, meanwhile, Frank may be forced to sell Earls Park or risk bankruptcy.

Episode Four Shannon and Harley tie the knot in a star-studded ceremony. Tanya comes up with a plan to get rid of Frank.

Episode Five Frank is baffled by his new found stamina. Amber's kidnap has made Conrad realise how much she means to him.

Episode Six Tanya sets out to prove that Amber lied about her abduction. Kyle loses a fortune at the races.

Episode Seven Kyle takes another step into the underworld when he discovers an illegal fight club. Amber finds solace in stalking Tanya.

Episode Eight Kyle arrives home bruised and battered after a night of bare-knuckle boxing. Shannon is delighted with yet another new look.

Episode Nine Conrad breaks the news of Amber's pregnancy to Tanya. The police arrive to speak to Kyle.

Series Four - 2005

Tanya and Amber both had Conrad's babies; Tanya swapped the baby's over at birth to hide that hers might have been Frank's but this backfired when Ambers son (Tanyas really) was smothered to death by her dog. When this was discovered, Conrad and Amber claimed their rightful baby back and banished Tanya abroad.

The footballers are involbed in a rape scandal during a party in Spain where a girl, Katie, who slept with some of the team was raped by one of them after she was drugged. Club Chairwoman Hazel pays off Katie to avoid a damaging trial.

New characters Bruno and Lucy Milligan have a destructive marriage where Bruno tries to control her. She meets a man on the internet and runs away with him, however he tries to kill her and her daughter by drugging and gassing them in a car. When Bruno goes to save her he accidentally shoots and kills Conrad.

Shannon and Harley have marriage problems and eventually split up; Darius turns out to be the rapist of Katie in Spain and has a breakdown when she kidnaps him for revenge; Jackie Pascoe marries manager of the club Roger Webb, who signs his son, Seb to the club. Seb then tries to cause trouble by making it look as if he slept with Jackie and is thrown out, and Hazel leaves the club with her new girlfriend, a tennis player. When Lucy runs away from Bruno with Angelica, she runs in to Giles's arms but Giles isn't what Lucy thought he was. Giles drugs Lucy and forces an imaginary wedding with her and is pretending to make the crash that Giles witnessed with his last wife. When Bruno found out about Lucy running to Giles, he traces their steps followed by Conrad. When Bruno and Conrad arrive at Giles's house, they sneak in and split up and leaves Bruno secretly carrying a gun. Conrad run round the corner where Bruno is and Bruno fires the gun at Conrad without noticing it was him, Bruno is shocked in what he had done to his best mate.

Series Five - 2006

Widowed Amber suspects that it was Bruno who shot Conrad but cant prove it, so she seduces him and moves in with him, slowly trying to make him think he is losing his mind, then getting more desperate tries to poison and then shoot him. In the kerfuffle she ended up shooting Roger Webb, who lost his sight. Amber was then sectioned and departed the show.

Shannon, now divorced from Harley and lonely, was delighted to hook up with new Earls Park signing, Callum Watson and moved him in, however his intefering mother came with him and caused havoc. New characters included Tremaine and Liberty who married in episode five in a Egyptian themed typically OTT wedding. Liberty, a top supermodel was caught out by the press having a lesbian affair with her PA Urszula, and then was shamed by starring in a Japanese advert that made her out to be a cannibal! Tremaine had been in prison previously and had to control his temper at his wifes crazy exploits.

Tanya Turner-Laslett-Federico returned once Amber was out of the way and set about seducing the latest star of Earls Park, Paulo Bardoso. However his lover, glamorous magazine editor, Eva De Wolffe (Joan Collins) stood in the way and they had a few good old catfights before it was revealed Eva was actually Paulo's adoptive mother (!). Tanyas joy at getting Paulo from Eva's clutches was short lived when he was taken to a hospital after a breakdown, and she found herself penniless.

After Roger had lost his sight, he met with a nasty accident down a lift shaft, which was caused by Garry Ryan, the club chairman who wanted him out of the way. Tanya discovered evidence that proved his involvement and promised his widow Jackie, who left the show to join son Kyle in Australia, she would get revenge. However, as series five ended, Garry was offering Tanya some cocaine laced with poison just as she was trying to come to a "settlement" with him over the tape recording that proved he caused Roger's death...

Cancellation

In May 2006, it was announced by Shed Productions and ITV that no further series of Footballers' Wives would be commissioned. Its cancellation had been blamed on falling ratings, particularly during fifth series. [[1]] [[2]]

Trivia

File:Fwbook.jpg
How To Be A Footballer's Wife, a humorous guide to the series, was published in 2003.

Between the third and fourth series of Footballers' Wives, Zöe Lucker's character of Tanya Turner was convicted of possession of drugs and was sent to jail for six months. The company who produce the show, Shed Productions, also produce the show Bad Girls, which centres around a women's prison. For three episodes of Bad Girls, the character of Tanya Turner crossed over and was seen being her usual self and causing mischief for others in jail. Turner was eventually released for 'good behaviour'.

At the end of the fourth series, ITV2 aired the first episode of the spin-off series Footballers' Wives: Extra Time, which features Tanya's sister Anika, Bruno Milligan's twins, and a host of other characters. The first episode features a lot of characters from the mother show to introduce the new characters.

Many of the principal characters are thinly veiled caricatures of famous UK footballers, including Justin Fashanu and David Beckham, and their associated wives.

A number of celebrities have made cameo appearances in the series, appearing as themselves. They include: Sol Campbell, Peter Stringfellow, Tara Palmer-Tomkinson, Jordan, Antony Worrall Thompson, Peter Andre, Lionel Blair, Richard Madeley, Judy Finnigan and Calum Best.

Footballers Wives: Extra Time

With the success of Footballers Wives came the spinoff series, Footballers' Wives: Extra Time that began on ITV2 on 26 May 2005. It aired after Series Four of the original and several characters, including Bruno and Lucy Milligan, Seb Webb, Harley and Shannon Lawson, Katie Jones and Amber Gates, appeared on the series. The first series features the sister of Tanya Turner, Anika Beevor. Series Two debuted on 23 February 2006 with stars Peter Ash as Darius Fry and Julie Legrand as Janette Dunkley from the original series as regular cast members. Nicholas Ball who portrayed Garry Ryan in the series crossed over to Footballers' Wives for Series 5 as the new Chairman of Earl's Park Football Club.

Foreign Audience

Footballers Wives currently airs in New Zealand, Sweden, Israel, Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands, Finland, South Africa and Hungary. It began in the United States in the summer of 2005 on BBC America. The channel has aired series 1-3. The show also airs in Ireland on TV3 Ireland, however, many Irish viewers receive UTV (subsidiary of ITV) and also watch it on that channel. Often, the same epsiodes air at the same time.

In Germany, RTL made an attempt in 2005 to recreate the look and feel of the show with an adapted version, called 'DAS GEHEIME LEBEN DER SPIELERFRAUEN' (The Secret Life Of Footballers' Wives) [3]. The original scripts were rewritten to appeal to a German audience. The show failed terribly and was cancelled after only 4 episodes had aired.

DVD Release

Series 1-4 have been released on DVD in both the United Kingdom and Australia. Series 1-2 have also been released in the U.S.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Footballers%27_Wives&oldid=52040009"