Celebrating Crossroads 2001 – The second series of ITV’s hotel soap from Carlton Television

CHARACTER PROFILES – THE KITCHEN, RESTAURANT AND BAR

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BILLY TAYLOR (Gilly Gilchrist)

Billy Taylor

Age: 35 - Position: Head Chef

Billy's king in the kitchen and an opportunist in bed. And his unconventional looks and charismatic manner ensure that he's not short of offers. He may be a Michelin-star gatherer in the making, but he's not into business. His ventures in that direction ended in bankruptcy and Kate's offer of a job saved him. They go back a long way and he owes her his career. The question is - are all the other women merely a smoke-screen?

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY:

Billy’s fiery temper and domineering personality inspire a love/ hate relationship with those around him. He is king in the kitchen and an opportunist in bed; with his unconventional looks and charismatic manner he's not short of offers. On the other hand his bad temper can often put people off and get him into trouble.

He may be a Michelin-star gatherer in the making, but he's not into business. His ventures in that direction ended in bankruptcy, from which Kate saved him with her offer of a job at Crossroads.

Billy and Kate had a fling many years ago and they rekindled their love after Kate thought that Patrick was having an affair. However their reunion ended in disaster when Patrick died after finding out and since then Billy has received the cold shoulder.

Billy and Kate’s on/off relationship finally died the death when Kate found out that Billy was the father of Mandy’s baby (Episode 307). Despite this he was partially responsible for saving Nicola’s life when he found her unconscious at the bottom of a flight of stairs (Epsiode 311).

JOANNE GIBSON (Rebecca Clarke)

Joanne Gibson

Age: 22 – Position: Sous Chef

The kitchen maybe Billy's kingdom, but Joanne's definitely colonising an oven or two. With her determination and hard work, nobody's going to be denying her that. Billy wouldn't admit it, but he'd be lost without her as she's the only one he trusts. While she's getting on well with work and her boss, her love life has gone tepid. Ray's gorgeously laid-back, but couldn't he be a little more dynamic? More like Billy perhaps...

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY

The kitchen may be Billy's kingdom, but Joanne's definitely the crown princess. Her hard work and determination mean that she has made herself indispensable in the Crossroads kitchen, and she is the only person there that Billy really trusts. Joanne has a heart of gold and is always ready to lend a sympathetic ear, so much so that she’s in danger of forgetting to look out for herself once in a while.

Joanne has not had the best of luck in love. Ray may not have been the most dynamic of boyfriends, but she was devastated when he broke off their engagement. He has broken her heart, and although she admires Billy’s vibrant personality it could still be Ray she holds a candle for.

The romance between Joanne and Ray was doomed to failure and never recovered. Jo left the hotel but returned later with a new man in tow (Sam Delaney). The much hinted at spark between her and Billy came to nothing….shame that.

MINTY SUTTON (Peter Dalton)

Minty Sutton

Age: 18 – Position: Kitchen Assistant

Minty and fellow kitchen worker Des make up Crossroads' Ant & Dec. Their showbiz dreams go back to their days at the Hillvale Children's Home for difficult kids. He stayed away from trouble and gangs, but that has made him lonely. Until he met his ultimate alter-ego, Des.

Loud and proud, Minty's got a charming side that should help him to change the single status he hates.

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY:

Minty and Des are Crossroads' Ant & Dec, with Minty the natural leader of the double act. Since he first met Des at Hillvale Children’s Home he has managed to overcome his sad and difficult childhood to become the joker of the pack. Coming to Crossroads when he was 16, Minty has found relative happiness as a kitchen worker but he dreams of being a top DJ, and as music wannabes go he isn’t bad. Whether he’s got what it takes to stand out from the crowd remains to be seen, but he’s dedicated to giving his ambition a chance.

Minty has a charm born of humour that makes him better at chatting up women than Des and he would dearly love a girlfriend. His attempts to pull have largely met with failure, but he hopes that when he becomes the next Judge Jules the ladies will find him irresistible. Chloe seems determined to resist anyway.

Minty left Crossroads to fulfil his ambition of becoming a DJ. Ultimately he returned to the hotel when things failed to work out. His love life remained practically non-existant – apart from a semi-stalker called Jenny during his pirate radio phase. At the end of the series he found out that he had been left a valuable antique vase in his mother’s will. (Episodes 317-320)

DES WHITE (Marc Jordan)

Des White

Age: 18 – Position: Kitchen Porter

Des and Minty share a love of pranks and a torch for Beena. But whatever their feelings for girls, nothing's going to stand in the way of their friendship. Ever since their days at the Hillvale Children's Home, they've been inseparable.

It was when they were sleeping rough in Birmingham, that Billy found them and took them on. Des has never had a real family and with Billy at the helm and Minty by his side, the kitchen's what he now thinks of as home.

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY:

Des is both Minty’s sidekick and his saviour. Ever since Des cheered up Minty’s life at Hillvale Children’s Home, the two have been inseparable. They left the home together, and Billy took them on after finding them sleeping rough in Birmingham. In care since he was born, Des has never had a real family, but with living in the lively staff quarters and clowning around with Minty in the kitchen Crossroads now feels like one.

The lack of affection in Des’s early life meant that he longs for a family of his own, but his natural shyness and slight air of desperation means that he has little success with women.

He was shocked to discover that Mandy was pregnant and despite her claims, he is convinced that the baby is his, as they had a one night stand. Although he has little money he is determined to pay for DNA testing and discover the truth.

Des eventually found out that he was not the father, and following Mandy’s death he had a string of girlfriends including the lovely Sally Hamilton and Abbie Baker.

BEENA SHAH (Rebecca Hazlewood) www.rebeccahazlewood.co.uk

Beena Shah

Age: 18 – Position: Bar Waitress (Later Receptionist)

Des and Minty are not the only ones who think Beena's gorgeous - she's her own number one fan. She's an undeniable stunner with ambitious plans to get into modelling or TV, but has she got what it takes to become the new Jennifer Lopez? She may not be the smartest waitress in the bar at Crossroads, but when you look like that who cares?

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY:

Beena’s gorgeous and doesn’t she know it. As brains go she might not be the brightest of babes, but with her sultry looks she certainly shines in. She’s an expert in using her assets to get what she wants, and has Minty and Des wrapped around her little finger. She has even managed to charm Jake into promoting her from waitress to receptionist - a move that saw Kully quit in disgust.

Beena’s confident and forceful attitude means that her friends hold her in awe, and although she can be a bit snappy she does genuinely care about them. It’s just that it would spoil her sassy image if anybody knew it.

Although she’s not short of admirers at Crossroads, Beena wouldn’t dream of lowering herself enough to go out with someone sad enough to work there. Any man who aspires to Beena’s heart better be willing and able to treat her to the highlife she knows she deserves.

Beena remained at the centre of Des and Minty’s affections but was too busy flirting with Jake Booth to care. She was demoted back to waitressing following their affair although it also had something to do with the hotel’s financial difficulties. Her other notable relationship was with Richard Mason who wanted to use her as a sweetener in a business deal.

RAY DOBBS (James Mackenzie Robinson)

Ray Dobbs

Age: 28 – Position: Head Barman

It's a long way from the Australian Outback to King's Oak, but that's the journey Ray's made. It's far from the surf, but it's near to his girlfriend Joanne and it's a job.

He's no big drinker, but he's got a hedonistic streak when the mood takes him that many women find attractive (especially when combined with that fitness instructor physique). But he's clearly mad about Joanne and feeling settled. But for how long?

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY:

Ray is an Australian hunk with a laid-back attitude to life. Crossroads is a long way from the Aussie outback that used to be his home but he seems to like it that way, and with his good lucks and easy charm he makes a great barman. He has a hedonistic streak that women find attractive, especially one Mandy Stocks, but so far he has only had eyes for chef Joanne.

But after years of travelling around he found the idea of settling down with Joanne daunting and he called off their engagement. He knows now that Joanne is the one for him, but he hurt her badly when he dumped her. Will their relationship be strong enough to eventually get the pair of them to the altar?

Ray Dobbs – on the outside a mild-mannered Aussie barman – on the inside a soldier AWOL from the military – or something! Despite this he was allowed to stay in the country on the condition that he marry – unfortunately by this stage he had already dumped his finance Joanne…step forward Mandy with a school-girl crush and we have all the ingredients for a  soap-marriage from heaven. Ray left King’s Oak before the end of the series.

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