Peter Potter
36, Data Analyst for Farrelly Underwood Associates (FUA)
Poster boy for the maxim “nice guys finish last” - if something can go wrong in Peter’s life, it does. Girlfriend Emma died in a car crash four and a half years ago; Peter has not been able to get over it, and has not had a relationship since. His father died recently too, and his mother is in St Margaret’s residential care home, where she suffers from dementia.
Laura Swain
27, salesperson at Bentley’s department store and part-time escort
Not as young or as innocent as she looks, Laura’s double life funds her chosen lifestyle. It is Laura’s almost preternatural beauty that kick-starts Peter out of self-imposed monastic lifestyle.
Mrs Nelson
94, resident of St Margaret’s residential care home
Sprightly in both mind and body, and neighbour of Frances Potter, Mrs Nelson has increasingly adopted the role of substitute mother to Peter as Frances’s dementia worsens. This is mutually beneficial, as she receives no visitors of her own.
Frances Potter
73, resident of St Margaret’s residential care home and Peter’s mother
Increasingly befuddled by Alzheimer’s, Peter’s mother sometimes struggles to remember who he is. In her younger days Frances had been a hard and demanding parent.
Oscar Potter
Peter’s father, deceased
Oscar died eighteen months ago, after a mercifully brief struggle with pancreatic cancer. His light amiable approach to parenting was in stark contrast to Frances’s.
Emma Irwin
Peter’s fiancée, deceased
Emma died four and a half years ago, after her car ploughed into a tree at speed. She had been with Pete for three years at that point, engaged for ten months. A professional dancer who had the look of a young Kate Bush, Pete always felt that he was batting out of his league.
Alan Cox
40, Head of Analytics, FUA
Oppresive, cocksure, sexist, racist, misogynist head of Peter’s department. Is unable to do Peter’s job, yet repeatedly takes credit for his work. Alan’s real name is Derek but he feels this does not fit with his dynamic image, so goes by his middle name... or “you can call me Al” to the ladies.
Jenny Harris
34, Data Analyst for FUA
Timid colleague of Peter’s. Harassed by Alan, ignored by Craig and possibly the victim of domestic abuse at the hands of her fiancé, Phil. Shares her biscuits with Peter.
Craig Salt
25, Data Analyst for FUA
Cockney-wannabe, colleague of Peter’s. Does as little work as possible, yet gets on in life by brown-nosing for all he is worth. Paints a picture of a wild social life which may be wild only in its exaggeration.
Tom Broad
36, partner, Kelsey, Otley, Baker and Broad
Pete’s best friend since they were sat together on the first day of primary school. Tom’s life is the yin to Pete’s yang – he is happily married to Sophie, has a beautiful daughter, Lucy (Pete’s god-daughter), and has a legal career that ascends stratospherically. His huge salary pays for a barn-conversion in the country, his’n’hers sports cars, private education for Luce, expensive holidays. He’s one of those guys that men want to be and women want to be with but thankfully isn’t arrogant .
Jasmine Collette
39, accounts clerk, FUA
Buxom single mother, sexual predator and sometime-guest star in Peter’s dreams.
