It was created by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus of Shed Productions, who initiated the idea of developing a series primarily focusing on the inmates and staff of the fictional women's prison, Larkhall, located in the South London region.
Several districts of the London area were referenced throughout the series run, these include: Peckham, Clapham, Acton, Catford, Streatham, Sydenham, Tooting, Stratford, Balham, and Bethnal Green.
[14][15] The theme music did not play over the end credits of episode 4, and was replaced with the song Amazing Grace, performed by Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Crystal Gordon).
Early episodes of the first series included particularly shocking moments such as a pregnant prisoner miscarrying in her cell, Zandra Plackett (Lara Cazalet) being viciously strip-searched by fellow inmates for concealed drugs, and Rachel Hicks (Joanne Froggatt) committing suicide due to being bullied.
Furthermore, the script, unwilling to compromise the realism of the programme, contained much strong language (for example, the reference to Nikki Wade as a "rug-muncher" and Denny Blood's (Alicya Eyo) gloating over the likelihood of Rachel Hicks having "singed her minge").
In fear of losing her job over Zandra's escape, Officer Lorna Rose (Luisa Bradshaw-White) asks fellow Officer Dominic McAllister (Joe Shaw) to keep quiet about the escape which leads to Zandra blackmailing Lorna to bring drugs into the prison, when Shell discovers what Zandra is up to she decides to set Lorna up; the appeal of wrongly-imprisoned Monica Lindsay (Jane Lowe) (frequently referred to as "posh bitch" by other characters) and the illicit relationship between Jim Fenner (Jack Ellis), the male Principal Officer and Shell Dockley (Debra Stephenson), the resident bully, Original Top Dog and drug dealer, serving life for murder.
For light relief, Yvonne Atkins (Linda Henry), the gangster's moll, set up "Babes Behind Bars", a sex-hotline staffed by the prisoners with smuggled in mobile phones, playing such characters as "Whiplash Wanda", "Saucy Sonia" and "Vicky the Virgin Bride".
The third series saw a high turnover of short-term characters and storylines, but also chronicled the spectacular escape of Shell and Denny to the Costa Del Sol in Spain getting revenge on Sylvia and her husband along the way; Yvonne's Top Dog status being challenged by Maxi Purvis (Kerry Norton), the head of the "Peckham Boot Gang"; prison officer Di Barker's (Tracey Wilkinson) struggles as a home carer for her disabled mother and an upbeat finale of Helen and Nikki finally committing to their relationship when Nikki's appeal is successful and she is released from prison.
Following on from one of the several cliffhangers from series three, Yvonne in the frame for Virginia O'Kane's (Kate O'Mara) murder there is a game of cat and mouse between her and Fenner while the real culprits continue their reign over G-Wing.
The series tackled domestic violence within the relationship of Di and Barry Pearce and teenage junkie Buki's battle for the right to see her disabled son, Lennox.
Crystal Gordon (Sharon Duncan Brewster) gives birth in the four-bed dorm to a daughter but soon loses her faith in religion when another baby in the prison dies.
The fourth series ended with the prison library being obliterated as part of an escape plan by Snowball, resulting in a fire that left several inmates trapped and fighting for their lives.
Fenner's nefarious ways continue when he kills Yvonne as she tries to escape Larkhall, by ensuring that she will be trapped in the "hanging cell", a small room beneath the main prison that is blocked off from the outside world.
With G-Wing thinking their ex-top dog has escaped HMP Larkhall, Kris finds Yvonne's corpse after she tries to follow the same way out; as it is all blocked off, she tells Selena who she found.
In her absence, Phyl is G-Wing top dog for a short time before being stopped in her tracks by new Wing Governor Frances Myers (Eva Pope).
During her time on G-Wing, Tanya was accused of poisoning her fellow inmates with rhubarb, with Al dying from her illness, however, it was soon uncovered that Bev and Phyl were actually responsible.
Series 7 sees a big cast upheaval with original officer Fenner leaving along with two other long standing characters, Di and Dr. Malcolm Nicholson.
The police have a host of suspects to choose from, including new bisexual lifer, Pat Kerrigan (Liz May Brice),[19] a woman who is in jail for murdering her abusive boyfriend and is a recent transfer from Alberton prison.
Pat develops a romance with recovering drug addict and single mother Sheena before managing to expose Natalie, despite her denials to the contrary, as having been involved in the prostitution of underage girls.
New G-Wing Governor Lou Stoke (Amanda Donohoe) develops a romance with the prison doctor Rowan Dunlop (Colin Salmon), not knowing he is married; she also tries to find her missing sister.
Inmate Janine Nebeski (Nicola Stapleton) and new prison officer Donny Kimber (Sid Owen) embark on a romance that leaves her pregnant.
It became popular in Australia, despite not attracting high viewing figures when it was first broadcast on the Seven Network in 2000; however, it gained a vast[citation needed] audience when it screened during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
Due to its popularity in the U.S., especially among the LGBT community, the series moved to the LGBT-oriented network Logo TV, where it received a full eight-series screening.
It has received a complete run in Bosnia and Herzegovina on TVSA and NTV Amna, Estonia, titled as "Pahad tüdrukud", on Kanal 2, Finland on Nelonen, Montenegro on TV Vijesti and Georgia on rustavi 2.
The Daily Telegraph stated that the series is "One of the biggest television drama hits of recent years" and that it was "Almost embarrassingly gripping", while The Guardian said that it is a "Jewel in the Crown of prime time ITV" and that "Network executives must be thankful they have a rare, if unexpected success in Bad Girls."
[97] A musical comedy adaptation, based on the characters and storylines of series 1, including the events of the death of inmate, Rachel Hicks, and the relationship between Wing Governor Helen Stewart and lifer, Nikki Wade.
Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus, of Shed Productions, are the book writers of the musical, and Kath Gotts, composer for Bad Girls series 2 – 4, is the composer-lyricist.
The list, in ascending order, includes Tina O’Kane, the Two Julies, Natalie Buxton, the Costa Cons, Denny Blood, Kris Yates, Darlene Cake, Nikki Wade, Shell Dockley and Yvonne Atkins in first place.
HBO's version of Bad Girls was being developed with creative input from Six Feet Under writer Alan Ball, and was to be written by Nancy Oliver and Raelle Tucker.
This also gave her the idea of incorporating within the event an opportunity to raise money for the ‘Eilidh Brown Memorial Fund’ which aims to build a respite holiday home in Stirlingshire for families with children with cancer.