Dr. Matthew Chinnery

Appears in:
Series 1, Series 2, The Christmas Special, Live at Drury Lane

Played By:
Mark Gatiss

Quickie Bio:
A sweet man who only wants to help, but he is a veterinarian who ultimately kills every animal he comes into contact with. Apparently, this touch-of-death is the result of a curse that was placed upon his Great-Grandfather, Dr. Edmund Chinnery, back in 1895. A vet in the tradition of All Creatures Great and Small, he rides a bicycle to get to his patients. He is called in to help the investigation of a mysterious creature unearthed during the construction of the new road, and eventually performs Barbara's sex-change operation.

Desperate to stop hurting animals, he tries working in a pub, but 4 drayman's horses die on his first shift. He is apparently cured of his curse after talking to a newly reformed Bernice at the end of The Christmas Special.

Useless Trivia:
  • Dr. Chinnery bears a close resemblance to the veterinarian in All Creatures Great and Small.
  • The dog Chinnery begins to drag behind his bike in Series 1 is owned by producer Sarah Smith.
  • Chinnery's autopsy of "the beast" (Series 1, Episode 4) was heavily based on the autopsy scene from the movie Jaws, right down to the request for a glass of water.


    • Quotes:
  • Hello...
  • I have some rather upsetting news...




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    		 Series 1

    Series 2

    The Christmas Special

    Live at Drury Lane
    Dr. Edmund Chinnery

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Mark Gatiss

    Quickie Bio:
    Matthew Chinnery's Great-Grandfather. In London in 1895, he was considered to be at the foremost in his field (veterinary practice). Dr. Majolica threatens his fellowship if he doesn't take a position with Purblind, Boothby, and Canker, a veterinary practice in Royston Vasey. Shortly after arriving, Chinnery is tricked into taking the curse of Karrit Poor onto himself and all of his descendants.

    Quotes:
  • Oh dear, oh dear.




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    		 The Christmas Special
    Inspector Shakespeare

    Appears in:
    Series 1

    Played By:
    Steve Pemberton

    Quickie Bio:
    Aids Dr. Chinnery as he performs an examination/autopsy of the Beast of Royston Vasey.

    Useless Trivia:
  • Steve wasn't supposed to play the role of Inspector Shakespeare, but the gentleman they hired for the role didn't show up, so he filled in.




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    		 Series 1
    Bobby Hart

    Appears in:
    Series 2

    Played By:
    Reece Shearsmith

    Quickie Bio:
    An elderly gentleman who has a nice collection of koi. Calls upon Dr. Chinnery when his iguana, Curly, stops eating. During the visit Chinnery manages to electrocute the koi.



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    		 Series 2
    Ava De Courcey

    Appears in:
    Series 2

    Played By:
    Steve Pemberton

    Quickie Bio:
    Mrs. de Courcey asked Dr. Chinnery to have a look at her little dog, a Bichon Frise named Bentley. Apparently she feeds Bentley lots of rich foods that have caused him to have a bowel disorder (and to be quite gassy).

    Useless Trivia:
  • Ava De Courcey is based upon Mrs. Pumphrey from All Creatures Great and Small.




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    		 Series 2
    Dr. Singleton Boothby

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Reece Shearsmith

    Quickie Bio:
    A partner in Purblind, Boothby, and Canker, a veterinary practice. He rides a bicycle everywhere, and believes that bicycles are the wave of the future. He warns Dr. Chinnery to stay away from Dr. Purblind.

    Quotes:
  • All my doors are open to you, Chinnery. Except the ones that are closed.




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    		 The Christmas Special
    Dr. Timothy Majolica

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Steve Pemberton

    Quickie Bio:
    Associated with the University Chinnery is affiliated with, and forces Chinnery to join a practice - that of Purblind, Boothby, and Canker - in a little town called Royston Vasey. Little does Chinnery know that Majolica himself is the silent partner, "Canker", and that he his goal is to trick Chinnery into releasing one of his partners from a curse.

    Quotes:
  • It's in the north country. A little place called Royston Vasey...




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    		 The Christmas Special
    Policeman #2

    Appears in:
    Series 1

    Played By:
    Ian Ralph

    Quickie Bio:
    Aids Dr. Chinnery as he performs an examination/autopsy of the Beast of Royston Vasey.



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    		 Series 1
    Nathalie

    Appears in:
    Series 1

    Played By:
    Ruth Harrop

    Quickie Bio:
    The little girl from Chloe & Radclyffe's class who volunteers to help Dr. Chinnery deliver a calf.



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    		 Series 1
    Little Boy

    Appears in:
    Series 1

    Played By:
    Myles Hindley

    Quickie Bio:
    The little boy from Chloe & Radclyffe's class who can tell the difference between a cow's various "passages"...



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    		 Series 1
    John

    Appears in:
    Series 2

    Played By:
    Niall Ross Hogan

    Quickie Bio:
    John has grown quite attached to Heinz, a falcon who was under Dr. Chinnery's care. Unfortunately, due to Chinnery's bad luck (or ineptitude, in this case), he gets a bad shock when Heinz lands on a telephone line while still leashed.



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    		 Series 2
    Dr. Magnus Purblind

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Freddie Jones

    Quickie Bio:
    A partner in Purblind, Boothby, and Canker, a veterinary practice. He's an invalid who never stirs from his room. He was the much-respected Chief Veterinary Surgeon in the Indian province of Karrit Poor, until an unfortunate accident with the Maharajah pet money, Topov, resulted in Purblind being cursed. The curse caused any animal Purblind touched to meet a dreadful end. Purblind eventually manages to pass this curse on to Dr. Chinnery.

    Useless Trivia:
  • Topov, the Maharajah's over-sexed monkey, was named for the monkey on the 1970's children's show, Pipkins.




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    		 The Christmas Special
    Mrs. Trevithick

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Frances Cox

    Quickie Bio:
    Her rabbit, Gladstone, is operated on by Edmund Chinnery in a large theatre and has a miraculous recovery. Later, after Chinnery becomes cursed, Gladstone is afflicted with an eye infection and becomes Chinnery's first casualty (of many).

    Useless Trivia:
  • Frances Cox has appeared many other times in The League's shows -- see the entry for Annie Raines for more information.




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    		 The Christmas Special
    Ashdown

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    ???

    Quickie Bio:
    Dr. Majolica's butler. Ashdown, who is wearing a Victorian fancy-dress costume, answers Dr. Majolica's door when Chinnery comes calling.



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    		 The Christmas Special
    Mrs. Huxtable

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Bay White

    Quickie Bio:
    Dr. Boothby's chambermaid; she warns Chinnery to watch out for his feet.



    back
    		 The Christmas Special



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