Ange Godard is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actress Dawn Steele. She first appeared in the series twenty-one episode "China Crisis", broadcast on 8 January 2019. Ange arrives at Holby City hospital to work as a consultant general surgeon on the Young Adult Unit (YAU), a ward she helps to create. Steele was cast in the role following a meeting with the show's production team. She was "delighted" to join the show's cast and it was soon publicised that Ange would have a number of "explosive" secrets, which would then drive Holby City stories forward. Ange is characterised as "ballsy", "tenacious" and "stubborn". Steele has stated that Ange is portrayed as the most emotional surgeon imaginable. Her empathy for patients is often displayed in scenes, which Steele believed was a result of Ange's past experiences.
Ange was introduced into the series alongside returning character Tom Campbell-Gore (Denis Lawson). At the helm of the new YAU ward, writers gave Ange a pivotal role in a right to life story. It focused on the patient Holly Cartwright (Emma Curtis), who is declared brain dead and being aided by a life support system. Ange assists the patient's family but also advocates for the hospital's right to remove life support. The topical story also drew comparison to real life cases. Her secrets soon became the focus of her storylines. First came the revelation that her colleague, Dominic Copeland (David Ames), is her biological son that she had previously placed for adoption. Steele later revealed that she felt the story was divisive amongst viewers because of the emotional drama it caused Dominic. Then her daughter, Chloe Godard (Amy Lennox) was introduced and writers explored their backstory detailing that Chloe was conceived after Ange was raped.
Other stories for the character have focused on her feud with Chloe's manipulative boyfriend Evan Crowhurst (Jack Ryder) and a relationship with Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (Alex Walkinshaw). The character was received positively due to Steele's acting abilities. David Brown writing for the Radio Times praised Steele's portrayal during the right to life story. Sue Haasler of the Metro complimented her performance during the adoption secret revelation and Bill Gibbs from The Sunday Post said Steele "relished" the role.
Casting On 19 September 2018, it was announced that actress Dawn Steele was cast in the role of Ange. Steele spent more than two years commuting to Glasgow while appearing in fellow BBC production, River City. Steele left the series and wanted acting work closer to home. Steele first learned about the role in the British summer of 2018 and thought the show's studios were more suitably located. Steele attended a meeting with the production team and the following day she received a telephone call offering her the part. Jonathon Hughes from the Radio Times reported that Ange would arrive at Holby City hospital to work as a general surgeon, who opens a new treatment unit. He added that Ange has "explosive secrets that will send shockwaves through the hospital." Steele was "delighted" to join the show's cast and stated "Ms Godard is such a great character with lots to tell and I am really looking forward to getting on that Keller Ward and bringing her to life."
Development Introduction Producers introduced Ange as part of a new family unit working at the hospital. Prior to her first appearance it was announced that Amy Lennox had been hired to play Ange's daughter Chloe Godard and Jack Ryder as Chloe's boyfriend, Evan Crowhurst. Their introduction was part of the producer's efforts to take Holby City in a new direction in regards to storylines. Sophie Dainty from Digital Spy reported that Ange would arrive in a special episode in which she helps to open the "swanky new unit". She added that Ange was set to take "centre-stage in several big stories throughout the year", more so with the arrival of Chloe and Evan. Preparing for the role was challenging for Steele, who found learning large amounts of medical terminology "difficult". She told Bill Gibb from The Sunday Post that "I've not studied for seven years to be a doctor so saying all the medical words naturally – and often without emotion – was quite hard as an actor." She enjoyed learning how to act out operations, but found day-long filming with prosthetics and faux blood tiring. She added that it became easier with a qualified surgeon and scrub nurse on set to help her.
Ange made her debut in the series twenty-one episode "China Crisis", which was broadcast on 8 January 2019. Producers planned to develop the character rapidly from her debut. Steele told Gibb that "I hit the ground running when I joined Holby and was in every single episode as they hammered out my character." Writers gave Ange an immediate link to a former character producers had reintroduced into the story, Tom Campbell-Gore (Denis Lawson). Ange works alongside Tom to set up the Young Adult Unit (YAU) on Keller Ward. Steele already knew Lawson professionally. She was thankful of this because one of the first scenes she filmed involved administering CPR on him.
The YAU specialises in helping young adults from the age of 14 to 24. It focuses on pastoral care that a consultant such as Ange can offer post surgery. Steele told Laura-Jayne Tyler from Inside Soap that Ange had a "unique selling point" to run the ward because "she is all about being honest in attempting to help these young men and women." Ange's first medical case occurs when teenager Duncan McKenzie (Tim Preston) is admitted to YAU with a stab injury. She puts patient care first despite evidence of a crime being committed. She also clashes with the hospital CEO Henrik Hanssen (Guy Henry) over the case. Writers quickly placed Ange in a position of power on the ward. Tom also suffers from a heart attack, which puts Ange solely in charge of running the YAU and she has to prove she is able.
Characterisation
Ange is characterised as "ballsy", "tenacious" and "stubborn". These traits mean Ange will not back down from a fight and she has a "no-nonsense approach" to work and her colleagues. She is not afraid to breach hospital policy if she believes it is in the interest of her patients. She is also portrayed as extremely empathetic to patients and her approach makes her a favourite amongst admissions to the YAU. Writers have created a back story for Ange, which includes her origins of being raised by a hard working-class family from Glasgow. Ange's parents enforced the belief that she could do anything if she worked hard enough. Their influence led Ange's determination to become successful in medicine. Steele has branded Ange as "probably the most emotional surgeon that you will ever see on Holby." She stated that Ange did not practise the same detachment process between herself and patients that many other doctors do. While interviewed on Lorraine Steele said that on-set surgeon had told her they had never met anyone like Ange, because surgeons are normally "hardened" to the emotional side of the cases. Steele revealed that Ange behaves "with all this empathy" because of her past experiences.
Right to life issue Ange played a central role in a right to life story devised by scriptwriters. The story focuses on YAU patient Holly Cartwright (Emma Curtis), who is declared brain dead and being aided by a life support system. Ange and her colleagues agree that she is medically brain dead and seek to remove her life support. Holly's parents Ruth Cooper (Marianne Oldham) and Michael Cartwright (Christopher Harper) fight the hospital board over her care plan, which results in the matter being sent to court. The story began onscreen in January 2019, when Holly was admitted to Holby City hospital and placed into Ange's care. She enlisted her daughter Chloe to assist on the case. Ange and Chloe encountered problems during a surgical operation which resulted in Holly sustaining brain damage. The story's conclusion is heavily featured in the show's "A Simple Lie" episodes which focus on the court ruling and the trouble caused by right to life protesters that gather outside the hospital.
Ruth and Michael still believe that they can take Holly to the US for treatment, despite the court ruling that life support must be removed. Steele compared the story to the real life Charlie Gard case, which occurred in 2017. She told Victoria Wilson of What's on TV that the similarities were that "Holly's parents are trying to fight for a life that physically isn't there any more. As with that case, the press have got hold of it, people are protesting and the hospital is under pressure." David Brown writing for the Radio Times agreed that the story closely followed the Charlie Gard and later Alfie Evans case, with scenes of "vituperative protesters" gathering at the hospital.
The protesters use Ange as a target for their anger. When Henrik addresses the media and protesters about the court ruling, tensions escalate and a protester throws cold tomato soup over Ange. Steele explained that her character is a "strong woman, so she can cope, but it's still shocking." Ange's colleague Adrian "Fletch" Fletcher (Alex Walkinshaw) jumps to her defence, but the crowd start chanting that Ange is a murderer. Steele had to play Ange as an isolated figure in the incident, but added it was nice to have Fletch's support. The episode culminates in the revelation that protesters have leaked Ange's home address online. She is given a police escort as her safety is severely compromised. The story also plays on the disappearance of Theo Fletcher (Stanley Rabbetts), who is presumed to have been abducted by protesters. Ange leaves her safe house to help Fletch search. Steele said that her character feels responsible for bringing the protesters to the hospital and wants to help. She concluded that by the end of the episode "we soon find out that it's really not Ange's fault", as former employee Amira Zafar (Poppy Jhakra) is caught.
Adoption secret Producers used the character to portray a story which featured the discovery that Ange's colleague, Dominic Copeland (David Ames) is her biological son. In her backstory it was determined that Ange became pregnant with Dominic when she was a teenager and gave him up for adoption. The story had been in development for years prior. Producers and writers had previously discussed the idea Ames, who thought it was a good story. He believed that it helped to explain why he had a difficult relationship with his parents Barry (Nicholas Ball) and Carole Copeland (Julia Deakin). In addition, the character often joked about being adopted which helped the credibility of the story. The story had to be kept a secret, which Ames enjoyed. When Steele was cast as Ange, she and Ames were informed that the story would be developed. Ames told Inside Soap's Tyler that they built a good rapport which helped portray such a "huge plot".