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

CHARACTER PROFILES – THE OWNERS – THE RUSSELL / BOOTH FAMILY

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KATE RUSSELL (Jane Gurnett)

Crossroads general manager, Kate is strong and capable and respected by her staff. She bacame a single mum to Jake aged 15. Kate went on to have two children with her husband Patrick. She has a blind spot where Jake's concerned and overlooks his failings.

Age: 44 - Position: General Manager

Kate is the woman who has it all. An adoring husband, three gorgeous children and the top job at the Crossroads Hotel. And it hasn't come easily. Pregnant at 15 with son Jake, she's fought for everything she's got and isn't about to let it go without a struggle. She's conscious of how far she's come and proud of what she's achieved. But this doesn't stop her having a warm sense of humour and some interesting management techniques. Most of her staff see her as tough but fair, while others may have deeper feelings for the woman at the heart of the hotel.

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Kate and Patrick always appeared to have a strong marriage, but after she mistakenly thought that Patrick was having an affair, she fell into the arms of her old flame Billy. They began an affair but it ended in tragedy when Patrick found out and had a heart attack. Since then, grieving Kate has been keeping Billy at arms length.

Kate and Billy's relationship ended when she found out that he was the father of chambermaid Mandy's baby (Episode 307)

PATRICK RUSSELL (Neil McCaul)

Crossroads catering manager, Patrick has been married to Kate for 22 years and adores his two children - especially Nicola. A gregarious mein host, he is charming and gets on well with most people.

Age: 49 - Position: Catering Manager

Everything's been handed to Patrick on a plate, which is fortunate as he's not about to leave Crossroads to go looking for it. It's the hotel he built up with his wife - not to mention a generous inheritance.

Patrick's happy to live in his wife's shadow and play the generous host to the guests at the hotel. But daughter Nicola is his Achilles heel - will she prove his undoing?

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY

Everything's been handed to Patrick on a plate, which is fortunate because he hasn’t go the get up and go to find it himself. He inherited the money to buy Crossroads, and he has Kate’s formidable efficiency to thank for building it up. Patrick's happy to live in his wife's shadow and play the generous host to the guests at the hotel.

His heart is in the right place most of the time and he is liked by most of the staff, although it is Kate who they respect. Unfortunately when it comes to his children he has a blind spot. Having spoilt Mark and Nicola rotten when they were kids, he is too heavy-handed now they are growing up. Patrick has to realise that they won’t stay children forever, but try telling him that when he’s just caught his daughter snogging Phil Berry!

Patrick Russell died from a heart attack, leaving his family financially unstable after a series of unwise investments.

MARK RUSSELL (Max Brown)

Kate and Patrick's son, 22-year-old Marl works as an occasional barman/waiter but is a bit of a slacker and is not really interested in the hotel business. He often feels in the shadow of Jake.

Age: 22 - Position: Part time waiter and Full time slacker.

What with eating breakfast in the afternoon and a greater interest in chasing women than in the hotel, he's shaping up to be more of a waster than a waiter. But if he doesn't get going, the path will clear for Jake's ambitions.

But he may be lazy now, but he's always done pretty well at school. He doesn't share his half-brother's ruthlessness towards either the hotel or to women. And though gorgeous, he swears he'll never love again.

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Position - Conference and Promotions manager

Jealous of his brother Jake, who he suspects is his mother's favourite, Mark is determined to be a success. Having been a bit of a slacker in his youth, he has finally returned from his travels to play his part in the family business. Young, innovative and enthusiastic Mark is a talented addition to the hotel, although Jake might not agree.

Mark's boyish innocence means his heart is easily broken, and as a result he is wary of letting women get close. His charm and good looks mean he is popular with the ladies, but he has none of Jake's ruthlessness - when Mark falls in love he falls hard.

Mark fell for the charms of Sarah Jane Harvey (Joanne Farrell), but she left him on their wedding day after being offered a large sum of money by Patrick.

At the end of the series he decided to go travelling around the world with Sarah (Holly Newman)

NICOLA RUSSELL (Julia Burchell)

The daughter of Kate and Patrick, 15 year old Nicola is a bit of a princess and a real daddy's girl, but there's a strong character behind the bratty facade.

Age: 15 - Position: Pupil at King's Oak Comprehensive

What a princess! This daddy's girl has never been denied anything, but falling in love for the first time could change all that. With the help of best friend Chloe Simms, Nicola is going to make sure that the spoilt brat stays spoilt.

She loves living in a four-star hotel and plays the role of the little madam, walking around as if she owns the place (especially the money in the till).

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She’s a right little madam is our Miss Russell. Never having been denied anything in her life she’s not going to start now, and her father will make sure she gets everything she wants. Apart from Phil Berry of course.

Nicola might be spoiled, but she proved that her heart was in the right place when she went against her parents and the law to be with Phil, the love of her life. She’s also been a good mate to best friend Chloe Simms. The feisty daddy’s girl still can’t resist throwing the odd strop though, and might have to grow up a bit if she wants to hold on to her Crossroads heartthrob.

The rebellious teenager married boyfriend Phil Berry, but ended the series with amnesia after falling down some stairs. She was therefore unable to prove that Phil was innocent of killing his step-father.

JAKE BOOTH (Colin Wells)

Crossroads deputy manager and Kate's son, Jake had to marry Tracey after getting her pregnant. He has since lost interest in her and plays around. They have an 11-year-old son Scott. He is ambitious and schemeing and wants to run the hotel at any cost.

Age: 30 - Position: Deputy Manager

Jake's not built to be a deputy to anyone, even if it's deputy to his own mother. He wants the hotel and to get it he'll have to be ruthless. He's only done the decent thing once in his life and that was marrying Tracey when she got pregnant in 1988. He won't make that mistake again.

He might think he's the hottest businessman since Richard Branson, but until he started working with his mother, his plans had all come to nothing. Now he's finally in a position to make a real success of his life, and why should a part-shareowner stop him?

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The good-looking rogue with a roving eye, Jake is ruthlessly ambitious in business and in love. His 25% share in Crossroads is nowhere near enough for his ambitions and he is always on the look out for the chance to gain power. He's only done the decent thing once in his life and that was marrying Tracey when she got pregnant with Scott. He won't make that mistake again, and he doesn't intend his marriage to hamper his romantic activities. He was furious when he found out that Tracey had slept with Bradley and their marriage has become even more rocky since.

He might think he's the hottest businessman since Richard Branson, but until he started working with his mother, his plans had all come to nothing. His ambition and weakness for the fairer sex often make him hasty in both business and affairs of the heart. Does he have what it takes to gain control of Crossroads?

Jake and Tracey's marriage finally broke down. He eventually discovered that Vic Barnes (the owner of the hotel at the end of the series) was his father.

TRACEY BOOTH (Cindy Marshall-Day) www.cindy.tv

Attractive beauty salon manager Tracey is married to Jake. She adores him but has been repeatedly hurt by her husband's infidelity.

Age: 27 - Position: Salon Manager

The salon is the place to go for a hair style or makeover. But most of the make-up and styling goes on Tracey herself. She loves being Mrs Jake Booth, it's just a shame the feeling isn't mutual.

Her and Jake got together as teenagers but there's little left of that adolescent passion. She keeps trying to get his wandering eye to look in her direction, but it will take more than a few beauty makeovers to get him interested. Trouble is, she's so busy chasing after Jake, she's rather forgotten about the genuine child at the hotel - her son Scott.

LATER VERSION OF BIOGRAPHY:

The salon is the place to go for a hair style or makeover. But most of the make-up and styling goes on Tracey herself. She loves being Mrs Jake Booth, it's just a shame the feeling isn't mutual.

Her and Jake got together as teenagers but there's little left of that adolescent passion. She keeps trying to get his wandering eye to look in her direction, but it will take more than a few beauty makeovers to get him interested. Trouble is, she's so busy chasing after Jake, she's rather forgotten about the genuine child at the hotel - her son Scott.

And if you're wondering how old Tracey is, don't even ask. An 11-year-old son is too big a reminder already, without having to reveal the truth.

The marriage break-down and custody battle for Scott drove Tracey to the brink of suicide. She was supported by recovered alcoholic Eddie Weaver who eventually got a job in the Crossroads laundry…

SCOTT BOOTH (Kieran Hardcastle)

Jake and Tracey's son, 11 year old Scott often feels hurt by his parent's frequent squabbling and his father's apparent indifference. Sensitive and troubled, he craves affection.

Age:11 - Position: Pupil at King's Oak Comprehensive.

It's not easy being a child in a hotel. Especially when your parents' marriage is rocky and you feel like you've never been loved. Things are not all bad for young Scott - he's adored by his grandparents and uncle, and has a fine surrogate mother in Doris Luke.

After all that time as an only child, he's now got Daniel Curtis around to make sure that he never feels lonely

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It's not always easy being a child in a hotel. Everybody is so busy that there sometimes isn’t anybody to muck about with. But there’s also lots of fun to be had for a scamp like Scott. With his best mate Daniel Curtis in tow he usually manages to amuse himself.

And it’s a good thing too, because with Tracey and Jake’s rollercoaster marriage the Booth apartment isn’t always the nicest place to be. Scott often feels caught in the middle with his parents arguing, and Jake has let him down time and time again. Thankfully his Grandparents and Uncle Mark make sure he’s spared most of the grief. And with a surrogate grandmother in the shape of Doris, Scott has always got someone to talk to. And talking is one thing the lively lad is very good at!

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