Charlie Hull

Appears in:
Series 1, Series 2, The Christmas Special, Live at Drury Lane, Series 3

Played By:
Steve Pemberton

Quickie Bio:
Charlie and his wife, Stella, don't get along very well anymore, in fact any time spent together usually involves seeing who can outdo the other with insults. They rarely speak directly to each other, usually talking through a third party (such as their daughter Julie, her boyfriend Tony, and waiter Luigi). Oddly enough, after each monstrous blowout they go right back to decent behavior and some sense of normalcy. Deep down they probably still love each other, although they are loathe to admit it. Charlie took up linedancing as a hobby, although a particularly bad dream affected his enjoyment of it.

Charlie eventually found work where he excelled -- he opened a massage parlor with Judee Levinson. Apparently he learned the skill while in the Merchant Navy, but could never open a posh massage place of his own. The original deal was that Judee would bring in the people and get them settled, then she would slip out while Charlie did the actual massage (a recording of Judee's voice would play while Charlie did his work). This worked well for a while, until Charlie went "above and beyond" for an elderly gentleman client -- one who spread the word of the special services he received and new patrons started arriving my the truckload. Tony, one of Stella's former lovers, came in for a "special" massage, and although Charlie was mortified he was also awed by Tony and developed quite a crush on him ("...not in a queer way," according to Charlie). All this time Judee has been struggling with her own crush on Charlie, while Tony is very impressed with the massage (thinking it was Judee, not Charlie) and develops a crush on Judee -- completing the love-triangle. It all culminates in an uncomfortable date at Luigi's where Charlie's infatuation with Tony and role in the massages is revealed. Tony leaves disgusted, Judee drops him as a business partner, and Stella comes in to inform him that she's hit the jackpot and is leaving him. Sad as Charlie's story may be, his St. Christopher saves his life, and he eventually finds some sort of happiness in an elephant.

Useless Trivia:
  • Charlie & Stella came about when Steve and Reece were sharing a flat in Highgate. Desperate for ideas for new characters, they stopped to go out for a meal. At the restaurant (the Capri, on Archway Road), they observed that all of the couples around them appeared desperately sad and silent -- that is until the waiter, named Luigi, appeared. As long as Luigi was around the patrons would talk to him and be much more animated.
  • In Charlie & Stella's wedding picture (seen in the Christmas Special), Charlie's 70's appearance was based upon serial killer Peter Sutcliffe's published wedding photo from the 70's. For another Stucliffe reference, see Terry Lollard's bio.
  • The League of Gentlemen's costume designer, Yves Barre, had once been a professional masseuse. He told the Gents that people would frequently ask for "extras", but he never gave them. Yves taught Steve the proper way to give massages, using Reece as the guinea pig.
  • Some of Charlie's story in Series 3 is similar to Last Exit to Brooklyn where a particular character "turns".


  • Quotes:
  • Shut up, you bastard!




  • back
    Series 1

    Series 2

    The Christmas Special

    Series 3
    Stella Hull

    Appears in:
    Series 1, Series 2, The Christmas Special, Live at Drury Lane, Series 3

    Played By:
    Reece Shearsmith

    Quickie Bio:
    Stella is a bitter wife who enjoys gambling (particularly slot machines at The Greedy Slits) and has participated in a few extra-marital affairs. She and her husband, Charlie, don't get along very well anymore, in fact any time spent together usually involves seeing which can outdo the other in insults. They rarely speak directly to each other, usually talking through a third party (such as their daughter Julie, her boyfriend Tony, and waiter Luigi). Oddly enough, after each monstrous blowout they go right back to decent behavior and some sense of normalcy. Deep down they probably still love each other, although they are loathe to admit it. She took up line dancing with Charlie, although she was not a big fan of it and feels that Charlie's line-dancing obsession is stealing him away from her. As far as we know, Stella finally left her husband after she won the jackpot (although part of me really wants to see how this story continues after Charlie goes missing).

    Charlie has a terrible dream where Stella approaches a group called "Solutions" because she wants to stop Charlie's line dancing.

    Useless Trivia:
  • Charlie & Stella came about when Steve and Reece were sharing a flat in Highgate. Desperate for ideas for new characters, they stopped to go out for a meal. At the restaurant (the Capri, on Archway Road), they observed that all of the couples around them appeared desperately sad and silent -- that is until the waiter, named Luigi, appeared. As long as Luigi was around the patrons would talk to him and be much more animated.
  • The password Stella uses to get into the "Solutions" meeting ("Prawn Toast") was an inside-joke reference to James Rampton, a critic for The Independent. The Gents were going to a Radio 4 Christmas party and were trying to get Rampton to go with them. He asked if there would be prawn toast, and from then on they started calling him "prawn toast".




  • back
    Series 1

    Series 2

    The Christmas Special

    Series 3
    Tony Bell

    Appears in:
    Series 2, Live at Drury Lane, Series 3

    Played By:
    Mark Gatiss

    Quickie Bio:
    Julie's fiancee, until Charlie finds out that he's had a fling with Julie's mom, Stella. Tony works at "The Greedy Slits", a gambling center with slot machines (Stella's favorite hobby). Later, he visits Judee and Charlie's massage parlor for a "special" massage and develops a crush on Judee. Charlie develops a crush on Tony (although "...not in a queer way," according to Charlie). Has a birthmark that looks like the red TeleTubby (Po), and is apparently quite well-endowed.



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    Series 2

    Series 3
    Lee Scott

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Mark Gatiss

    Quickie Bio:
    Donna's wandering husband (who has a fling with Stella -- at least in Charlie's dream, that is).

    Useless Trivia:
  • Lee was based on Steve's uncle Pat, however he bears the name of Steve's brother Lee. Donna was named after Lee's girlfriend.
  • Lee's death was based on Ian Bannen's death in From Beyond the Grave.




  • back
    Series 3
    Luigi

    Appears in:
    Series 1, Series 3

    Played By:
    John De Main

    Quickie Bio:
    Runs a popular Italian restaurant, Luigi's, in Royston Vasey. Although he speaks with an Italian accent and everyone calls him Luigi, his real name is Carl and he's not from Italy.

    Useless Trivia:
  • Luigi is based on a real waiter who worked at the Capri in Highgate. See the trivia on Charlie or Stella above for more information.




  • back
    Series 2

    Series 3
    Jade

    Appears in:
    Series 2

    Played By:
    ???

    Quickie Bio:
    The adorable child that Stella and Charlie babysit while her mother goes to the hospital with a nosebleed.

    Useless Trivia:
  • Jade is played by a baby boy in real life. His mother played the woman with the nosebleed who left him with Charlie and Stella.




  • back
    Series 2
    Donna

    Appears in:
    The Christmas Special

    Played By:
    Liza Tarbuck

    Quickie Bio:
    Stella's friend, Donna and her husband, Lee also take line-dancing classes. When Stella complains to Donna about Charlie's line-dancing obsession, Donna tells Stella about a group she's involved with, Solutions. Note: All of the Solutions happenings take place in Charlie's dream, so none of it really happened.

    Useless Trivia:
  • Donna's husband, Lee was named after Steve's brother Lee. Donna is also the name of the real-life Lee's girlfriend.




  • back
    The Christmas Special
    Dog Lady

    Appears in:
    Series 3

    Played By:
    Pat Ward

    Quickie Bio:
    Lady who cleans up after her little dog by throwing out the dog instead of the dog-poop...

    Useless Trivia:
  • "Pats" is from the "prop farm" (?) -- the animal handler for the series.




  • back
    Series 3
    Lady Massage Client

    Appears in:
    Series 3

    Played By:
    Roz McCutcheon

    Quickie Bio:
    One of the Spit and Polish's first customers. We see the switcheroo that Judee and Charlie are doing during her massage.



    back
    Series 3
    Mr. Heap

    Appears in:
    Series 3

    Played By:
    John Jardine

    Quickie Bio:
    A patron of the Spit and Polish, he is the first customer to request "extras" (because his wife has arthritis).



    back
    Series 3
    Bystander

    Appears in:
    Series 3

    Played By:
    ???

    Quickie Bio:
    Witness to Charlie's accident, is seen with Tony in the aftermath



    back
    Series 3



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