Life after Bad Girls for ITV drama's nastiest prison guard 'Jim Fenner'
Bad Girls, one of the most unforgettable dramas from the late 90s, has left a lasting impression for good reason.
Airing on ITV from 1999 to 2006, the series delved into the lives of inmates and staff at the fictional women's prison, Larkhall. Set in a London prison, the show aimed to provide a realistic, contemporary depiction of life for women behind bars.
The show boasted an impressive cast, including Linda Henry, Claire King and Debra Stephenson. But one character that often stands out in people's memories is the menacing and cunning Jim Fenner.
Portrayed by Jack (John) Stuart Ellis, Jim was a central character for seven series, serving as both a prison officer and temporary prison governor. He was also one of the drama's biggest villains, making life as difficult as possible for the inmates.
At one point, he found himself behind bars after being accused of dangerous driving, but was released when his wife, Di Barker (Tracey Wilkinson), used fabricated evidence to clear his name. He then returned to Larkhall as G-Wing Governor, and was promoted to Acting Governing Governor shortly before his death.
In the end, Jim was written out in the seventh series, after being murdered by inmate Julie Johnston (Kika Mirylees). But since his iconic role came to an end, you might be wondering what happened to the actor.
Fans of the show are certainly curious – with many taking to social media to call for the programme to be brought back. Some have been also been begging for the show to be put on demand so they can rewatch it.
On X, one said: "@ITV should consider making a 2-Part Documentary celebrating 25 years of Bad Girls. The show had groundbreaking storylines with a tremendously talented cast (and great guest stars). A documentary could interview cast members, reunite them and hear from the Creators & Writers too."
Another wrote: "Been watching reruns of Bad Girls and @ITV need to reboot it with a new cast." And a third wrote: "Bring back Bad Girls NOW @ITV."
So what is the iconic TV villain up to nowadays? We have some answers for you!
Since his time at Larkhall, Jack has taken on a variety of roles that you might have spotted him in. If you didn't catch him in Bad Girls, he's also known for his stint in Coronation Street as Bookmaker, Harry Mason.
Other roles Jack has embraced include Detective Inspector Muddyman in Prime Suspect. He was also seen in Heartbeat, and has made appearances in various TV series such as The Fugitives (2005), Blue Murder and Highlander.
The actor is also one of the few people to have starred in both Inspector Morse and its spin-off series, Lewis. After Bad Girls, he landed another ITV role in 2006, when he appeared in several episodes of Where the Heart Is as businessman, Robert Ashford.
Over the past decade, Jack has also secured roles in Vera, New Tricks and Doctors. In 2016, Jack played the role of Warden Stammas in the theatre production of Stephen King's The Shawshank Redemption.
Jack was previously married to actress Christine Kavanagh, with whom he shares two children, Theo and Alice. Theo is the bassist in the well-known band, Wolf Alice, who were awarded the Mercury Prize back in 2018.
