Playing the Field

Playing the Field is a BBC television drama series following the lives of the Castlefield Blues, a fictitious female football team from South Yorkshire.

Outline
Inspired by Pete Davies's book I Lost My Heart to the Belles – which was written about a real-life club, the Doncaster Belles – Playing the Field ran for five series, from 8 March 1998 to 10 February 2002, with scripts by, amongst others, Kay Mellor, Sally Wainwright and Gaynor Faye.

Despite being set in South Yorkshire, much of the location filming took place in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, although the fifth (and final) series was filmed around Leeds; whilst the theme song, "Blue" by Alison Moyet, was originally a B-side track about the singer's love of Southend United FC. A young Marsha Thomason – who has since appeared in U.S. shows Las Vegas and Lost – featured in the first three series of Playing the Field. The first four series have been released on DVD in the UK, but the fifth has yet to be made available.

Main cast

 * Lorraine Ashbourne ... Geraldine Powell
 * Melanie Hill ... Rita Dolan
 * Jo McInnes ... Jo Mullen
 * Lesley Sharp ... Theresa Mullen
 * Marsha Thomason ... Sharon 'Shazza' Pearce
 * Saira Todd ... Gabrielle 'Gabby' Holmes
 * Debra Stephenson ... Diane Powell
 * Tracy Whitwell ... Angie Gill
 * Emma Rydall ... Mikey
 * Olivia Caffrey ... Kate Howard
 * Gaynor Faye ... Holly Quinn
 * Claudie Blakley ... Kelly Powell
 * James Nesbitt ... James Dolan
 * Tim Dantay ... Dave Powell
 * Nicholas Gleaves ... Rick Powell
 * Ralph Ineson ... Luke Mullen
 * Chris Walker ... Matthew Mullen
 * John Thomson ... Eddie Ryan
 * James Thornton ... Scott
 * Lee Ross ... Ryan Pratt
 * James Ellis ... Mr. Mullen
 * Brigit Forsyth ... Francine Pratt
 * Elizabeth Spriggs ... Mrs. Mullen
 * Ricky Tomlinson ... Jim Pratt
 * Jason O'Mara ... Lee Quinn
 * Tom Moore ... Martin Dolan
 * Stephanie Putson ... Heidi

Home media
The first four series of Playing the Field have been made available via Universal Playback.


 * Playing the Field: Series 1 & 2 (VHS) – 23 October 2000
 * Playing the Field: Series 3 & 4 (VHS) – 23 October 2000
 * Playing the Field: Series 1 & 2 (DVD) – 29 January 2007 (released as "Seasons 1 & 2")
 * Playing the Field: Series 3 & 4 (DVD) – 23 April 2007 (released as "Seasons 3 & 4")

Series 5, which was broadcast in 2002 has not received a VHS release, nor has it been released on DVD.