Cast and characters My Family

1 cast , characters

1.1 overview
1.2 main characters
1.3 other characters
1.4 guest cast

cast , characters

the series featured 8 main cast members throughout run, numerous characters recurring throughout 10 series. main cast members familiar television viewers before roles on family, not considered stars. during tenth series run, actors achieved household-name celebrity status.

the main characters in family parents ben , susan harper. have 3 children, nick, janey , michael. nick regular character until 2003 christmas special, , makes 1 appearance in 2004 s fifth series before making final family appearance in 2005 comic relief short actor kris marshall wanted other projects , avoid being type-cast. janey regular until 2002 christmas special , not appear in series 4 (2003), while character @ university. janey returns main character in series five.

abi harper first appears in series 3 daughter of ben s cousin richard. series 3 sees first appearance of roger bailey, jnr. roger, becomes main character in fourth series, dentist , son of ben s former mentor. in 2005 christmas special alfie butts, friend of nick s, moves harper household.

my family features several recurring characters. series 1 features daisy donovan ben s dental assistant, brigitte. in second series stupid brian appears janey s boyfriend. series 4 features michael s girlfriend fiona. series sees introduction of michael s friend hubert , susan s mother grace riggs, both appear in subsequent series until series seven. minor recurring character 2006 christmas special series 7 denis, local vicar. in addition, mr. alexander casey, harpers neighbour, appears in 3 episodes, driving miss crazy (2001), neighbour wars (2008), , mary christmas (2010)

overview

main characters

robert lindsay (2000–11) portrays ben harper. ben harper overly-misanthropic , cynical dentist. when not @ work sacking assistant or trying avoid fellow-dentist roger, @ home trying relax (which never works). ben isn t bad man; behind sardonic exterior love family , has put being bossed , manipulated wife susan , continually fleeced money children.
zoë wanamaker (2000–11) portrays susan harper. susan harper control freak , @ getting way. worried 3 children , forces ben go out of way monitor or after them. susan tour guide seems spend of time @ home. terrible cook. homage butterflies, in male lead dentist called ben , rest of family have sneak food has prepared bin without noticing.
kris marshall (2000–05) portrays nick harper. nick harper oldest sibling. complete layabout changing jobs – self-employed stuntman 1 minute, gorilla-o-gram next, @ 1 point sperm-donor. extremely laid-back, nick cannot trusted after money or handle important tasks. last seen moving own flat, , phone conversations ben , susan have him, seems coping living on own.
daniela denby-ashe (2000–02; 2004–11) portrays janey harper. fashion-conscious, money-loving, boy-mad janey spends time on phone, switching boyfriends, or pestering ben shopping money. whilst @ manchester university (spending yet more of dad s money) janey got pregnant. expelled , returned home once again take advantage of parents. susan not seem mind, means has kenzo harper after.
gabriel thomson (2000–11) portrays michael harper. michael (or mikey ben calls him) susan , ben s youngest, smart, geeky adolescent. looks down on family, thinking more sensible rest of them put together, , ends getting them out of trouble. since starting university has experimented bleached hair , piercings. in series 10 michael comes out , tells family gay; relieved when accept this.
siobhan hayes (2002–08) portrays abi harper. abi moved harper household in third series. ben s first cousin once removed, clumsy , dim, , seen telling off ben or susan. when realized roger madly in love her, married in series seven, later left him become nun.
keiron self (2002–11) portrays roger bailey. roger over-enthusiastic dentist works in same building ben. turns @ harper household uninvited , proceeds unintentionally annoy ben. long period roger trying build courage ask abi out. were, after all, ideally suited – abi, roger possesses no common sense , gullible. did marry have since split abi has decided become nun. s part-time policeman dentist.
rhodri meilir (2005–09) portrays alfie butts. alfie friend of nick s turned @ harper household @ christmas 2005. alfie comes small community in wales which, based on stories, has rather backwards traditions. also, there weren t many girls came from, savors spending time @ harpers , meeting michael s friends. of family have turned him @ various times advice. s struggling musician laid-back life despite not having home or steady income. did not appear in 2009 christmas special , absent whole of series 10 , 11, no explanation.
tayler marshall (2006–11; character introduced in 2003) portrays kenzo harper. kenzo youngest member of harper household, son of janey, grandson of ben , susan , nephew of michael , nick. @ such young age, s shown massive intelligence @ times rivals, , @ times beats, michael s. @ end of series nine, has done project family , tells them teachers want him see psychologist. portrayed tayler marshall, kenzo bears striking resemblance uncle nick (kris marshall). before becoming kenzo in 2006, tayler marshall portrayed guest @ kenzo s third-birthday party in 2005.

other characters

daisy donovan portrays brigitte mckay, ben harper s dental assistant entire first series. known unique way of thinking , living, , tried offer ben , patients spiritual guidance. forgot take phone messages ben , irritated him while worked. , nick appeared attracted each other.
chloe bale portrays sasha, janey s best friend in series 8–11. storylines focused on pair getting trouble (usually instigated sasha). disliked ben, janey until became friends again.
maxine unseen character janey s best friend school. although never seen, hinted maxine janey: popular, , fashion-conscious. janey once admitted susan hung out maxine because maxine s alleged ugliness made janey more beautiful. janey jealous maxine s parents treated expensive designer labels. unknown if kept in touch.
rosemary leach portrays grace riggs, susan harper s mother, known addiction alcohol, martinis. , susan have cold relationship, , locked in constant psychological battle. grace has had various boyfriends in show , 1 told ben susan married before married him. likes make susan feel guilty not visiting , uses deceitful tactics lure over. own late mother, mary, owned highly-successful brothel in london s west end. first appeared in series two, played avril elgar , credited rebecca (although not referred name in episode). did not reappear until leach took role in series four. announced in episode decent proposal had died.
kevin bishop portrays stupid brian, janey s boyfriend in show s second series when , janey still @ school getting decorating. although lived nickname stupid brian, surprising apt @ building bookshelf harpers kitchen.
alex dawson portrays hubert, michael s best friend (it s unknown whether re still in touch). hubert known being square smart. once created television remote gain free access channels required pins them.
andy taylor portrays hotel receptionist, appearing in 5 episodes. appears in different hotels across country hotel receptionist. each time encountered harper family became more familiar dysfunctional antics. once suspected susan escort , ben had mistress.
nickolas grace portrays mr. casey, harpers next-door neighbour, although doesn t along them. viewers first met him recent widower had adopted dog , named gemma. tried scam ben money after ben ran on dog.
rachel hyde-harvey portrays fiona, michael s girlfriend throughout fourth series. , michael caught in bed never had sex. caught kissing in airing cupboard, , in scene begin take clothes off susan listening , says should stop.
nathan brine portrays scott marsh in series 10. scott michael s first boyfriend. in first appearance, ben accidentally outed him homophobic father , forced leave home. susan invited him live @ house, michael , scott moved new flat instead. few episodes later, revealed scott , michael had split up, although got in same episode.

guest cast

my family has used several actors various past hit sitcoms, notably david haig thin blue line, belinda lang of 2point4 children, diana weston (robert lindsay s former long-term partner) upper hand portrayed male-female transsexual named charlie, pauline quirke of birds of feather played bank robber (whilst husband in birds of feather bank robber), , sam kelly on up.