Scarlett Kiernan

Scarlett Kiernan
Doctors character
Portrayed by	Kia Pegg
First appearance	"It Ain't Easy" 7 April 2022 (2022-04-07)
Classification	Present; regular
Introduced by	Mike Hobson
showIn-universe information Occupation Receptionist Father Brian Kiernan

Scarlett Kiernan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Kia Pegg. Details surrounding Pegg's casting and Scarlett's characterisation were announced in March 2022. She was introduced on 7 April 2022 as an applicant for the receptionist position at the fictional Sutton Vale Surgery, as part of a storyline that sees the partners at the Mill Health Centre perform a takeover of the surgery.

Scarlett is initially depicted as a truthful and short-tempered person who shocks the management at the Mill with her honesty. She is hired despite her "feisty attitude" and is shown to struggle with the job, when she gives the staff members attitude and argues with patients. However, as she settles into the Mill, she begins to make friends with her colleagues and show a more likeable side of herself, while also feuding with fellow newcomer Princess Buchanan (Laura White) After her debut, What to Watch's Simon Timblick described Scarlett as a "surly" character and Chris Hallam of the Metro was surprised that Scarlett was hired, but admitted that she does show potential.

Development[]

Introduction and characterisation[]

Kia Pegg's casting as Scarlett was announced on 29 March 2022.^[1] Pegg, who formerly portrayed the role of Jody Jackson on the CBBC series The Dumping Ground, said that the wardrobe for the character was a shock for her, since it was not what she was used to.^[2] Scarlett was introduced as an applicant for the receptionist position that opens up at Sutton Vale following the departure of Rosie Colton (Janice Connolly). On the way into the interview, Scarlett tells her friend that she is uninterested in the job, which she affirms whilst in the interview. Zara Carmichael (Elisabeth Dermot Walsh) is shocked by her honesty, especially when Scarlett states that she is merely applying for the money and is not intrigued by anything within the job role. Also at the interview is Jayne Gregory (Toni Midlane), Scarlett's supervisor from when the pair worked at a clothing store together. Simon Timblick of What to Watch wrote that she does not like Jayne.^[1] Bear feels that despite her attitude, Scarlett has potential and could learn the job quickly, hiring her for the role. She informs fellow receptionist Valerie Pitman (Sarah Moyle) that she has never worked at a doctor's surgery before, making her realise that she is "going to have her work cut out for her training Scarlett".^[3] Scarlett is distracted from her training due to witnessing the chaos of the other staff members, including Princess Buchanan (Laura White) flirting with staff, Ruhma Carter (Bharti Patel) oversharing about her traumas and Al Haskey (Ian Midlane) and Emma Reid (Dido Miles) talking like pirates.^[3]

Scarlett receives more training from other receptionist Karen Hollins (Jan Pearson), who teaches her about the computer booking system. However, when Karen goes to the toilet, Scarlett accidentally sends a patient through to Daniel Granger (Matthew Chambers) while he is talking to a previous patient, as well as annoying a patient on the phone. Despite her mistakes, Scarlett is unbothered and gives Karen and Daniel attitude.^[4] Afterwards, she accidentally gives a patient the wrong prescription and is reprimanded by Zara. She is then called in for a meeting with Bear, where she snaps due to feeling like she has been overly critiqued whilst not getting enough support with the job. She quits, believing that her father, Brian (Simon Lowe), is receiving a promotion. Scarlett then makes a derogatory post on social media about how bad the Mill Health Centre and their staff are. She later learns that Brian has been made redundant and deletes the post, realising she needs her job back.^[5] She later returns to the Mill on a trial period after apologising for her attitude, with Bear admitting that she should have been trained properly by the staff. Karen initially does not welcome Scarlett back into the team and makes her cry, which leads to Scarlett opening up about her needing the job. As they begin to get along, her post about the Mill is found and shared around the team, with her username hidden, leaving the staff wondering who posted it.^[6]

Initial struggles with her job[]

Scarlett is shown to struggle with her new job as a receptionist at the beginning of her tenure. When the leader of the clinical commissioning group visits Sutton Vale, Scarlett argues with "very demanding" patient Denise Willoughby (Susie Fairfax), as well as panicking at someone's pet spider disappearing in the surgery.^[7] Princess Buchanan (Laura White) is intrigued when she overhears Scarlett's interest in learning about the vulnerable patient assessment scheme (VPAS). Emma explains that Scarlett is attempting to seem keen to keep her job, since she is still on probation. Princess then "targets" Scarlett by pretending to be nice to her and suggesting a scheme in which it seems that she is doing more work than she really is. It is later revealed that Princess has a screenshot of Scarlett's derogatory post about the Mill. Timblick suggested that Scarlett is making a "big mistake" by trusting her.^[8]

Scarlett is faced with more trouble when another of her former colleagues, Gemma Porter (Abii Strudwicke) interacts with her at the surgery. Gemma is diagnosed with a sexually transmitted infection (STI) by Sid Vere (Ashley Rice), and since she had sex with someone other than her boyfriend, Gemma becomes paranoid that Scarlett will find out and tell her boyfriend, Matt Hawthorn (James Mateo-Salt). Gemma tries to blackmail Scarlett into checking Matt's medical records to see if he also has an STI, but she refuses, so Gemma tells Sid that she checked her own medical file, which "could get her sacked".^[9] Sid does not believe her and defends Scarlett, to her surprise.^[9] As Scarlett's trial period at the Mill ends, she is worried that she will be fired and feels as though she is "walking on eggshells".^[10] However, to her surprise, Bear informs her that her trial is over and that she has been hired as a permanent member of staff. Al leaves Scarlett to care for Chloe Webber (Jennifer Barron), which, "through no fault of her own", she struggles with due to having no experience or training for care.^[11] Princess then adds to Scarlett's strains later that day by trying to manipulate her into competing paperwork for her, so that she can go out with her friends in the evening. Scarlett refuses to help her in what was described as "tense scenes" by the Metro's Chris Hallam.^[11] The pair clash once again when Scarlett threatens to report Princess for being unprofessional, which results in Princess blackmailing Scarlett with the screenshot of her online post about the Mill. Despite feeling as though she has no choice, she spills lemonade over Princess' outfit and Timblick remarked that Princess should not mess with Scarlett.^[12]

Reception[]

For her portrayal of Scarlett, Pegg received a nomination for the on-screen Breakthrough award at the RTS Midlands Awards.^[13] After her first episode, Simon Timblick (What to Watch) described Scarlett as "surly".^[1] Hallam (Metro) wrote that Scarlett's youth and "feisty attitude" made her unsuitable for being a receptionist for the Mill.^[14] Hallam admitted that she is "quick-witted and computer-literate" and said that this would help her in the position, but highlighted the issue of her "storming out" after being reprimanded for her behaviour after she initially quits.^[14] Timblick joked that after her trial period at the Mill had ended, Scarlett had not "exactly wowed everyone".^[10]

See also[]

• List of Doctors characters (2022)

References[]