List of Heartbeat characters

The British period police drama Heartbeat ran from 1992 to 2010. The 18th and final series ended on 12 September 2010.

Within each category, characters are listed in order of first appearance. Only regular and recurring characters are included. Each episode typically also features half a dozen or more actors whose characters appear in that episode only.

In one of the very first episodes, Sergeant Blaketon stated that the Ashfordly police force comprised 12 officers, but storylines never built on this fact, and only four (or at times five) officers ever featured in the show. These are the Ashfordly sergeant, the Aidensfield village constable of the day, plus Phil Bellamy (later replaced by Don Wetherby), Alf Ventress (later in a civilian capacity), and, from time to time, another rookie PC. Occasionally other anonymous police officers are seen in the background (for example when the force is required to police a large demonstration or undertake a search of the moors), but they are never given names or any dialogue. Otherwise, the small contingent of regulars appears able to provide a continuous 24-hour service for the whole area, with someone always available to respond to any call-out at any time of the day or night.

It is something of a tradition that Aidensfield doctors should die in the series. Only two of the seven serving doctors exited the series without meeting his or her maker. Dr Alex Ferrenby (Frank Middlemass) died by drowning; Dr Kate Rowan (Niamh Cusack) died of leukaemia-related pneumonia; Dr Neil Bolton (David Michaels) died rescuing a baby from a house fire; Dr Tricia Summerbee (Clare Calbraith) died in a horse riding accident; and Dr Helen Walker (Sophie Ward) died in a bomb explosion that ruined the Police house. This leaves Dr Liz Merrick (Aislín McGuckin) and the very short-serving Dr James Alway (Francis Matthews) as the only characters to serve as the doctor in Aidensfield and make it out alive.

The Aidensfield Arms, the village pub, was originally owned by Lord Ashfordly and run by George Ward. In the second series, George was assisted by his niece Gina Ward who became the pub licensee after his death between the sixth and the seventh series. Former Sergeant Oscar Blaketon later became the pub's owner, and he and Gina subsequently ran the pub jointly, assisted from time to time by members of Gina's family.

In early series, Aidensfield Garage featured only peripherally; it was run by Malcolm Mostyn (as late as episode 7.6, long after his apparent departure, a sign outside the premises still read "Mostyn's Garage and Funeral Services"). In episode 4.3, "Mid Day Sun", the garage was apparently being run by Jim Swaby (played by Ray Ashcroft), who contracted rabies and died. Eventually the garage came into the hands of Bernie Scripps and took on a much more prominent role in the storylines. However, in episode 287 Bernie Scripps is asked by the police to check his old records and he produces a receipt for a repair he carried out on a car "fifteen years ago", thereby contradicting the supposed timeline.

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