Hotel Babylon is a British television drama series based on the 2004 book of the same name by Imogen Edwards-Jones, that aired from 19 January 2006 to 14 August 2009, produced by independent production company Carnival Films for BBC One. The show followed the lives of workers at a glamorous five-star hotel.
The show was cancelled after its fourth series, leaving the series 4 finale cliffhanger unresolved.
Cast and characters
Main cast
Tamzin Outhwaite as Rebecca Mitchell – (series 1–2) former general manager. Max Beesley as Charlie Edwards – (series 1–3, guest series 4) the former general manager, former deputy manager, former head receptionist Dexter Fletcher as Tony Casemore – (series 1–4) the head concierge. Emma Pierson as Anna Thornton-Wilton – (series 1–4 episode 3) the former head receptionist. Natalie Mendoza as Jackie Clunes – (series 1–3) the former head of housekeeping. Martin Marquez as Gino Primirola – (series 1–4) the head barman. Michael Obiora as Ben Trueman – (series 1–4) the acting head receptionist, formerly receptionist. Ray Coulthard as James Schofield – (recurring series 1, main series 2–4) the food and beverage manager. Alexandra Moen as Emily James – (series 3–4) the PR manager. Lee Williams as Jack Harrison – (series 3) former general manager, former deputy manager. Nigel Harman as Sam Franklin – (series 4) the hotel owner. Anna Wilson-Jones as Juliet Miller – (series 4) the general manager. Danira Gović as Tanja Mihajlov – (recurring series 1–3, main series 4) the head of housekeeping, formerly maid. Amy Nuttall as Melanie Hughes – (series 4) the receptionist.
Sam Franklin
Sam Franklin arrives at the beginning of the fourth series, when London is brought to a halt by terrorist alarms. He becomes involved in affairs when he encourages the staff to open the hotel to as many people as possible, and it is revealed that he is the ex-husband of Juliet, who is overseeing the closure of the hotel. The charismatic, attractive businessman was previously unsuccessful but due to investments in a Chinese wind farm has now become a multi-millionaire. When a potential deal falls through, he steps in and buys the hotel himself, saving it from closure.
When he loses everything except the hotel, he becomes heavily involved in management, leading to tensions between himself and his ex-wife. Despite their divorce, they decide to celebrate their wedding anniversary and thereafter renew their sexual relationship. However, when he discovers that she had had an abortion when he left, they break up, and he begins to fall for Emily, the PR manager.
Juliet Miller
Juliet Miller (previously Franklin) arrived originally as a bailiff when the hotel was facing closure in the opener of series four, but took the job of general manager when ex-husband Sam bought Babylon. She is described as professional and first rate at her job, Juliet takes no prisoners and has no room for sentiment when livelihoods and millions of pounds are at stake. Juliet has no issue making tough decisions but when it comes to her personal life she is thrown off course when former husband Sam turns up at the hotel. However, the two decided to work together and became friendly together. However, in episode 5, a brief incident involving Meredith Sutton made a rupture in the relationship. Meredith Sutton was a consultant who Sam hired to build the hotel's management team. However, Meredith was actually Sam's girlfriend and Juliet grew jealous and briefly left Hotel Babylon. Meredith Sutton opted for the job and Sam agreed until he found out a minute later that she had tampered with the exercise. Sam went after Juliet and managed to get her to return.
Tony Casemore
Tony Casemore is played by actor Dexter Fletcher. He first appeared in Series 1, Episode 1. Emily James stated that Casemore knows London inside out. The character is currently the head concierge but his previous role was Deputy Manager. Casemore is married and has two children; his daughter appears in Series 3. It is revealed in Series 3 that his family are often irritated at him for being at work a lot of the time. Casemore takes his work very seriously and gets annoyed when Rebecca Mitchell says the word concierge sounds "seedy". He uses his knowledge of London to help the guests anyway he can, in some cases this includes finding prostitutes. Casemore has a good friendship with his fellow workers at the hotel, in particular Anna; their relationship could be described as paternal as well as good friends.
Dexter Fletcher said on his character, "Yes he is a good family man and he always tries to make the right decision. The writers are really challenging Tony's values this series." "He sacrifices a lot in order to create a comfortable family life at home for his wife and children, and there is always that unintentional clash because he does work so hard he never gets to see his family." "When his daughter Liz turns up at the hotel for an audition a lot of home truths hit him and he is forced to reassess his position both as a father and within the hotel."
Gino Primirola
Gino Primirola is played by actor Martin Marquez. He first appeared in the series in Series 1, Episode 1. Gino has worked at the bar in the hotel for many years. A native of Rome, Italy, he grew up in Spain and still has a strong Spanish accent.
He currently holds the Barman of the Year Award (2007). He is known as a creative mixologist, developing new drinks.
James Schofield
James Schofield is played by Ray Coulthard. He is the food and beverage manager, although in series three it was revealed that he is on a permanent diet, after having lost weight following the advice of a man who stayed at the hotel.
From the beginning of the series, James is shown to be somewhat socially conservative, serving as something of a foil for Gino, who has more of a sympathy for the poor and less fortunate stemming from his own upbringing. In series two, James is also shown to have a gambling addiction after selling his BMW car to pay for his gambling addiction. James also secretly reveals to Ben that his wine tasting skills are a fraud and possesses no talent for wine tasting!
Emily James
Emily Rushby (work name Emily James) is played by Alexandra Moen. She appeared at the beginning of the third series posing as a journalist attempting to seize incriminating information from the staff before revealing herself as the new manager of PR, much to the chagrin of the staff. It was revealed in the second episode of the fourth series that she is the daughter of the hotelier, Damien Rushby, who briefly becomes owner of Babylon, however she wishes to find her own way in the hotel industry. Emily can speak fluent German which is revealed when she pretends to be a Liechtenstein princess for Sam's PR fake wedding. Emily purchased the engagement ring from famous Jeweler 'Polished Diamonds' which was custom made. Ben acts out as one of the United Kingdom's richest men marrying the princess and falls in love with Emily briefly.
Benjamin "Ben" Trueman
Benjamin "Ben" Trueman is played by Michael Obiora. He is openly gay, proud of his sexuality, and often provides comic relief. He is a receptionist and works with Head Receptionist, Anna Thornton-Wilton.
Growing up he took cocaine with his friend as revealed in Series 2. In the same series, it is revealed his friend is now a rapper and books into Hotel Babylon, Ben avoids him as it is well known he is homophobic. It is later revealed that Ben once kissed him when they were younger revealing this may be behind his hatred of gay men.
He is friends with the rest of staff but accuses Rebecca and Charlie of being racist out of anger of being the first to be told he and the rest of staff could lose their jobs in the second Series Finale.
Michel Obiora said on Ben Trueman from BBC.com, "Playing a gay character really brought out my feminine side and my girlfriend really liked it. She said I smiled a lot more and used my hands more to gesticulate. She really liked my camp side. She also thinks I take more time over my appearance now which I wasn't aware of."
Melanie Hughes
Melanie Hughes, played by actress Amy Nuttall, lands the job as the new receptionist at Hotel Babylon quite by accident when her boyfriend abandons her on the steps of Hotel Babylon in series four. After bluffing her way into the vacant post Ben takes her under his wing and turns ugly duckling Mel into a swan.
Tanja Mihajlov
Tanja Mihajlov is played by Danira Gović. Tanja is a member of the cleaning staff and plays a major role in the plot of first episode of Hotel Babylon. After she is viciously attacked by a woman in charge of the budget of the American rock band Junk Dogs (residing in the hotel), the staff schemes to get even with the malicious woman. Tanja was attacked because when she entered the Junk Dogs' room, she saw the woman sniffing cocaine. The lady was furious at Tanja and hit her, leaving several bruises on Tanja's face. While Tanja was struggling, she kept on saying "Dosta, dosta! (Enough, Enough!)"
In series 2 (episode 2) she is caught up with her horrific past in Croatia during the Croatian War of Independence. A guest named Michael Dović, an esteemed construction entrepreneur and family man from Croatia checks in. Tanja remembers his voice from the war during which he killed her friends and neighbours. He was then known as Dragan Milandroković. She confides to Charlie, but he thinks that she's probably mistaken because of her trauma. Disappointed about the hotel management's attitude towards her problem, she takes matters into her own hands desperate to prove she's right and to make the mercenary pay for his misdeeds.
Charlie looks up Milandroković's name on the Internet and finds a bunch of horrible and notorious articles about him. About Dović, on the other hand, he doesn't find anything incriminating. In fact, Dović even set up an orphanage for children with parents killed in the civil war. But when he anticipates Tanja's assault on Dović, he realizes that he has had a plastic surgery and got a completely new identity. In the end Charlie helps her by having Milandroković discreetly arrested and kicked out of the hotel.
Tanja is from Croatia, and has an accent when speaking English, but is nevertheless well understood by the rest of the hotel staff. She speaks in her mother tongue on several occasions, often when she's furious because of something. In the first episode she says after being beaten up: "E, lipo je meni mater rekla 'Vrati se ti, kćeri, u Šibenik, oni su ti svi ludi!'" (I should've listened to my Mum when she said 'Come back to Šibenik, honey, they're all crazy!). Later, after being frustrated at the hotel manager who was trying to keep things hushed up, she says, "Ma, razumiš ti vraga crnoga!" ("You don't freakin' understand anything!").
Tanja mentions Šibenik, the Croatian city in which Danira Gović was born and raised. This implies that Tanja is a Dalmatian girl who speaks the Ikavian accent.
In Series 4 she becomes a main character appearing in the title card.
Anna Thornton-Wilton
Anna Edwards (née Thornton-Wilton) is played by actress Emma Pierson. She has been a main character since the series began. She is a comical character who isn't very intellectual, and she often follows her heart instead of her head, which provides humour in the show. She wears high heels and a very glossy 'Scarlet Rose' shade of lipstick as part of her receptionist uniform, but this adds to her 'ditzy' demeanour, increasing the comedic aspects of her character.
Anna arrived in episode 1 from 'The Chesterton' hotel to interview for the position of Deputy Manager at Hotel Babylon. Although a likely candidate for the job, she was beaten to the post by Charlie Edwards. Rebecca asked her to stay at Hotel Babylon as Head Receptionist, the post which Charlie gave up for Deputy Manager.