Denny Blood
| Denny Blood | |
|---|---|
| Bad Girls character | |
| File:Denny blood.jpeg | |
| First appearance | "Them and Us" (1.1) 1 June 1999 |
| Last appearance | "Series 5, Episode 16" 21 August 2003 |
| Created by | Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus |
| Portrayed by | Alicya Eyo |
| Information | |
| Alias |
|
| Nickname | Den |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Artist |
| Affiliation | |
| Family | Jessie Devlin (mother) |
| Significant other |
|
| Nationality | British |
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Daniella “Denny” Blood is a fictional character from the British television drama series Bad Girls. She is portrayed by actress Alicya Eyo.
Backstory[edit]
Denny Blood (b. 1980 or 1981) is the only child of Jessie Devlin, a thrice-married alcoholic. She has been in-and-out of institutions since the age of five, where she was sexually abused by her carers and rebels against those in authority due to her traumatic upbringing. Having been deprived of a stable childhood, Denny has become a bitter, violent bully who trusts no one, apart from strong women whom she perceives have power. Denny eventually burns down her former children’s home and is sentenced to seven years in Larkhall prison.
Storylines[edit]
Series 1[edit]
Denny is the sidekick and occasional lover of Top Dog Shell Dockley (Debra Stephenson).[1][2] At Shell's request, Denny begins bullying vulnerable new prisoner Rachel Hicks (Joanne Froggatt), sentenced for drug possession,[3] as well as drug addict prisoner Zandra Plackett (Lara Cazalet), whom Denny and Shell remember from her time on remand one year prior. Denny and Shell brutally decrutch Zandra for concealing drugs.[4][5] She and Shell continue to torment Rachel, forcing her to have drugs smuggled into the prison. Unable to cope, Rachel hangs herself in the four-bed dorm, a cell also occupied by Denny, Zandra and Crystal Gordon (Sharon Duncan-Brewster).[6] Following Rachel's suicide, Denny begins to express guilt. Wing governor Helen Stewart (Simone Lahbib) is determined to find out the reason for Rachel's actions and is informed by Crystal that Denny viciously kicked Rachel in the chest a short time before she took her own life. Denny is placed in solitary and is threatened by Officer Jim Fenner (Jack Ellis), who had been having an affair with Rachel, to kept quiet about the affair before she questioned by Helen. Desperate to get out of solitary, Denny makes a failed attempt in trying to convince Helen that Fenner was responsible for Rachel's suicide.[7]
She is forced to face her traumatic past when a woman named Jessie Devlin (Denise Black) arrives of G wing, whom Denny attacks and reveals to be her long-lost mother. At first hesitant to get to know her mother, Denny demand answers as to why Jessie let her get put into care. A regretful Jessie hopes to explain everything in a letter, but Denny suddenly reveals that she can't read. Zandra reads the letter for Denny which Jessie explains her childhood sexual abuse at the hands of her father, and that she began to drink heavily following her husband's funeral, and the reason why social services persuaded her to give Denny up as she was not fit to look after her. Denny decides to give her a second chance, and with Jessie's imminent release, Denny becomes worried that she will never see her again and plans to escape in the guise of an officer. Jessie tells Denny that it won't work out, but says she'll to try an visit, leaving Denny in doubt. Things soon begins to look promising for their relationship when she receives a letter from Jessie asking if she can come for a visit.[8]
She is learning how to read and write and appears to be more hesitant in hurting others, while growing more apart from Shell.[9] With the arrival of new prisoner Yvonne Atkins (Linda Henry), she persuades Denny to think for herself for once, causing Shell to make an enemy of Yvonne.[10]
Series 2[edit]
Denny's attitude towards life has gradually began to change; She has become a close friend to Yvonne Atkins, as well as her cellmates, Zandra and Crystal, while trying to maintain a friendship with Shell without carrying out any of her demands. She has formed a friendship with the new prison handyman Josh Mitchell (Nathan Constance),[11] whom Denny relies on to have certain goods smuggled into Larkhall, especially when she is running favours for Yvonne.
She is still in contact with her mother and is expecting to receive a visit from Jessie on the latter's birthday. As a surprise, the Julies make Denny a birthday card to give to her mum, while Yvonne has some money sent to Jessie, which Denny suggests that she put on a deposit for a flat for when she gets out.[12] When Jessie fails to turn up for another visit, Denny suspects she has fallen of the wagon, only to discover her absence was due to her being hit by a car. Denny is released for the day on compassionate licence, accompanied by Officer Di Barker (Tracey Wilkinson), to visit Jessie, but are unable to locate her. Denny and Di find her a park where she has gotten drunk from the money she was given. In a failed attempt to talk to her mother, Denny is verbally abused by Jessie. The following day, Jessie arrives at the prison to make her apologies, only to be shut down by Denny, who tells her mother that she is giving her a year, without any contact, to sort out her life if they are to have a lasting relationship.[13]
Denny becomes involved in a money-making scheme orchestrated by Yvonne, with the help Barbara Hunt (Isabelle Amyes) in the form of phone sex, where Denny, unaccustomed with talking dirty to men, becomes "Vicky, the Virgin Bride", with help from the two Julies (Victoria Alcock and Kika Mirylees).[14]
Denny becomes smitten with new inmate Shaz Wiley (Lindsey Fawcett), when Shaz is allocated to the four-bed dorm following Zandra's death from a brain tumour.[15] Denny and Shaz decide to have some fun when Shaz reveals a clever method of getting out of their cell after lockup. The pair make a second break from the dorm when they trick Officer Sylvia Hollamby (Helen Fraser) into coming into the cell, before forcing her to hand over her keys. They stock up on supplies from the servery before returning to their cell. In fear of losing her job, Sylvia decides to remain quiet.[16]
When new prisoner Renee Williams (Alison Newman), a deadly rival of Yvonne, suddenly dies of suspected poisoning, most of G-wing, including Denny, becomes a suspect. In light of the situation, Sylvia feels she must come forward about the incident where she was forced to hand over her keys. Shaz becomes the number one suspect as she is already serving life for poisoning. Denny, worried that Shaz will be charged, decided to take the blame, but to no avail. It is later revealed that Renee died of a nut allergy, putting everyone in the clear.[16]
Series 3[edit]
Denny remains in a committed relationship to Shaz, yet Shaz begins to suspect that Denny may still be attracted to Shell when Denny shows her loyalty to Shell when she stabs Fenner with a broken bottle. Denny convinces her that she with her now and not Shell.[17] Denny, along with the other women show their support for fellow inmate Barbara Hunt when she is accused of bigamy and murder, by taking action against Barbara's step children, making malicious and threatening phone calls, which are soon monitored by Wing Governor Karen Betts (Claire King), who adds extra days to Denny and Shaz's existing sentences.[18]
With the arrival of teenage inmate Buki Lester (Kim Oliver), Denny and Shaz become inspired to get creative with tattoos and body piercings, much like Buki. However, things are taken a step too far when Shaz finds a nail in the toilet and persuades Denny to let her pierce her tongue. At first reluctant, Denny agrees. Denny is rushed to the hospital wing with blood poisoning,[19] but later recovers.[20]
Shell informs Denny that she is about to make an escape from Larkhall, and wants Denny to join her. Denny initially decides to stay with Shaz, but the pair eventually agree to go with Shell. Following their elaborate break from the prison, their transport vehicle breaks down and they are forced to flee on foot, only for Shaz to become injured. Denny kisses Shaz goodbye and promises to come back for her. Denny and Shell get away in a taxi.[21] They arrive at Kings Cross and take refuge at an old friend of Denny's, before moving on to Sylvia's home where they take she and her husband, Bobby (Geoffrey Hutchings), hostage. Shaz accidentally implies their whereabouts to Helen Stewart, but they manage to get away as police arrive at Sylvia's. They finally stay the night with ex-prisoner Crystal Gordon, who is now in a relationship with Josh Mitchell. They following morning Shell plants drugs in Crystal and Josh's bed, before Shell and Denny head for Spain under the aliases Nikki Wade and Barbara Hunt respectively.[22]
Some time later, Shaz receives a post card from an "Auntie Nellie" in Spain, who turns out to be Denny. Crystal, who is placed on remand for harbouring Denny and Shell, and for drug possession, is sure that they are probably getting drugged up in a squat somewhere.[23] As Crystal's trial draws closer, Josh, who recently became a prison officer, receives a package from Spain, where Denny has secretly recorded a video message which will help Crystal's case, explaining what Shell had done.[24] Whilst enjoying their freedom in Spain, Shell decides to make a prank call to Sylvia, taunting her about she and Bobby's traumatic ordeal, unaware that the call was traced. When Spanish Police arrive to make an arrest, Denny and Shell jump overboard into the sea.[25]
Series 4[edit]
Denny and Shell are presumed dead following their escape from Spanish police. However, Denny is recaptured and later returned to Larkhall, while Shell’s whereabouts remain unknown. Her return to G-wing is met with a mixed reception; Sylvia is determined to make Denny suffer for what happened to her and Bobby, while Shaz holds a grudge against Denny for leaving her. Yvonne, who has been framed for the murder of another inmate, enlists Denny‘s help is tricking prisoner Al McKenzie (Pauline Campbell), who Denny pretends to be interested in, into confessing that she is the culprit, eventually clearing Yvonne‘s name.[26]
Following a reconciliation with Shaz, the pair plan another escape which involves digging of a tunnel under the garden shed, with help from the two Julies. Buki Lester becomes involved in plan and almost loses her life when the tunnel collapses,[27] before being rescued just in time by Sylvia.[28] Denny and Shaz decided to teach Buki a lesson for foiling their escape attempt by writing letters, pretending to be "Phil McCrackin", a love interest for Buki from a male prison. They go as far as possible with the joke before revealing he doesn't exist.[29] Buki then attempts suicide, much to Denny's guilt.[30]
Following a fight between Shaz and Maxi Purvis (Kerry Norton), for which Shaz wins, Maxi commits suicide [31] and in light of the revelation that the fight pushed Maxi to take her own life, Governing Governor Neil Grayling (James Gaddas) orders Sylvia to have Shaz transferred out of Larkhall.[32] Upon discovering that Shaz's cell is now occupied by new inmate Snowball Merriman (Nicole Faraday), Denny attempts to attack Sylvia for which she is placed in solitary. She swears revenge against Maxi's sister, Tina (Victoria Bush), whom she believes "grassed" Shaz up, but it is soon becomes evident that it was Barbara who confided in Rev. Henry Mills (Michael Elwyn) who broke her trust by reporting it. Denny announces that it is her 21st birthday, and in lenience she is let out of solitary, where she is greeted by her friends on G-wing and is presented with a birthday cake. Denny becomes desperate to make contact with her mother, Jessie, whom she hasn't seen for over a year, and it is unwillingly left up to Sylvia to track her down.[33] Sylvia delivers the news that Jessie has died, for which Yvonne tells Denny that she is there if Denny needs a mum.[34]
Denny begins to lose all hope of seeing Shaz again when she doesn’t hear from her, but soon realises that Sylvia has been intercepting Shaz's letters. She and Shaz are granted permission for an interprison visit as Shaz arrives back at Larkhall and the pair plan to make a protest so that they can stay together; they plug up the visiting room door with Blu Tack and get high on magic mushrooms. During the visit, a bomb, set up by Snowball Merriman as a means of escaping, explodes across the corridor in the prison library, trapping several inmates. The other prisoners rescue Denny from the visitors' room, but Shaz, high on mushrooms, is unaware of the danger she is in. The fire forces Denny, with the other women, and Shaz, to be separated and trapped on opposite sides of the corridor.[35]
Series 5[edit]
Denny is racked with guilt over not being able to save Shaz from the fire which killed her and is out for revenge against Snowball. Yvonne is determined not to see Denny go down for a life sentence and prevents her from killing Snowball, putting a strain on their friendship. Snowball attempts to explain her actions to the women, claiming that she did not mean for anyone to get hurt and that she only wanted to escape. Denny is adamant that she is lying, forcing Yvonne to call Denny out by bringing up the time when she left Shaz while she was escaping.[36]
Shell, as it turns out, did not die in Spain, having been discovered in Amsterdam and recaptured and returned to Larkhall. There, she and Denny come up with a plan to get a Snowball; Shell sets a trap by organising a beauty treatment session for Snowball in her cell, for which Denny enters and sets Snowball's hair on fire, but is saved by Yvonne just in time before any damage is done.[37]
Denny falls victim to a bogus seance performed by new inmate Bev Tull (Amanda Barrie), who claims that she is a psychic by making contact with Shaz on the other side. Despite the fact that Bev and her partner in crime, Phyl Oswyn (Stephanie Beacham), known as the "Costa Cons", intend to use anyone for their own personal gains, the seance put Denny to reassurance that Shaz is safe. As she continues to push Yvonne further away as, she suddenly has a change of heart when Yvonne offers to adopt her, an option not legally possible due to Denny's age. However, they make things official when Yvonne welcomes Denny into the Atkins family. Denny agrees on the condition that Yvonne doesn’t marry any more "bastards".[38]
When Yvonne and Officer Colin Hedges (Tristan Sturrock) begin an affair, Denny refuses to believe it based on hearsay. When rumours are confirmed, Denny and Yvonne's relationship is jeopardy as the revelation threatens to break up their new-found family unit. As Yvonne persuades Colin to prove that he is genuine by buying Denny a paint set, the good will gesture goes unappreciated, pushing them even further apart.
Denny's artistic talents begin to flourish and she is taken under the wing of Phyl and Bev, who manage to help Denny achieve her potential. the Costa Cons, however, plan their next scheme by forging Denny's name onto one of their own works in hopes of selling it. Their deceit is soon discovered.
Denny learns that that she is soon to be transferred to an open prison.[1][2] At first reluctant, she is persuaded to go and fulfil her dream. She says goodbye to her friends on G-wing, and having made peace with Yvonne, she realises that she has a bright future ahead of her as well as a family to eventually come home to, leaving Larkhall for good.[39]
Bad Girls: The Musical[edit]
In 2006, the series was adapted into a musical stage production in Leeds. The role of Denny Blood was portrayed by actress Amanda Posener. In 2007, Posener reprised her role as Denny in the West End version. The role was taken over by Imelda Warren-Green 2016 revival in Union Theatre, London in London.[40]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Eames, Tom (12 November 2017). "Bad Girls ended 11 years ago – where are they now?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Marshall, Lucy and Shaw, Megan (6 March 2021). "Where the cast of Bad Girls are now from council worker to marathon runner". examinerlive.co.uk. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ↑ Episode 1: "Them and Us"
- ↑ Episode 2: "Drug Wars"
- ↑ Lindsay, Duncan (22 March 2021). "Bad Girls cast reunite and reveal secrets from the hit ITV prison drama". Metro. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
- ↑ Episode 4: "The Victim"
- ↑ Episode 5: "Tangled Web"
- ↑ Episode 6: "A Big Mistake"
- ↑ Episode 7: "Playing with Fire"
- ↑ Episode 10: "Love Hurts"
- ↑ Episode 11: "Tug of Love" (Series 2, Episode 1)
- ↑ Episode 12: "Shit Happens" (Series 2, Episode 2)
- ↑ Episode 14: "Looking for Love" (Series 2, Episode 4)
- ↑ Episode 18: "Babes Behind Bars" (Series 2, Episode 8)
- ↑ Episode 19: "The Leaving" (Series 2, Episode 9)
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Episode 21: "Rough Justice" (Series 2, Episode 11)
- ↑ Episode 24: "Back from the Brink" (Series 3, Episode 1)
- ↑ Episode 27: "Mistaken Identity" (Series 3, Episode 4)
- ↑ Episode 28: "Blood Ties" (Series 3, Episode 5)
- ↑ Episode 29: "Do or Die" (Series 3, Episode 6)
- ↑ Episode 30: "The Great Escape" (Series 3, Episode 7)
- ↑ Episode 31: "Uninvited Guests" (Series 3, Episode 8)
- ↑ Episode 32: "Common Criminal" (Series 3, Episode 9)
- ↑ Episode 38: "Cat & Mouse" (Series 3, Episode 15)
- ↑ Episode 39: "Coming Out" (Series 3, Episode 16)
- ↑ Episode 43: "Fait Accompli" (Series 4, Episode 4)
- ↑ Episode 44: "Only the Lonely" (Series 4, Episode 5)
- ↑ Episode 45: "Sweet Sixteen" (Series 4, Episode 6)
- ↑ Episode 46: "Pillow Talk" (Series 4, Episode 7)
- ↑ Episode 47: "Prison Issue" (Series 4, Episode 8)
- ↑ Episode 50: "Battle Lines" (Series 4, Episode 11)
- ↑ Episode 51: "Appearances Sake" (Series 4, Episode 12)
- ↑ Episode 52: "True Colours" (Series 4, Episode 13)
- ↑ Episode 53: "Hard Knock Life" (Series 4, Episode 14)
- ↑ Episode 55: "Curtain Call" (Series 4, Episode 16)
- ↑ Episode 56 (Series 5, Episode 1)
- ↑ Episode 57 (Series 5, Episode 2)
- ↑ Episode 58 (Series 5, Episode 3)
- ↑ Episode 71 (Series 5, Episode 16)
- ↑ Mayo, Douglas (13 March 2016). "Bad Girls". britishtheatre.com. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
External links[edit]
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