This page is for the characters who are part of the show but only appear briefly in one or two episodes.
Lisa
Lisa is Jean's daughter. She appears in the first episode of the first series. Jean is stressed out organising Lisa's wedding and Lisa is trying to find things like underwear and bridesmaid's dresses to please her mum. In the end, Lisa turns up and asks Bren to tell Jean that she got married earlier because she didn't want the fuss of a big wedding.
Carly
Carly appears in the first episode of series one when Petula tells Jean she plays the accordion. She comes to the canteen to see Jean but she is actually a stripper.
Carly's Grandad
Carly tells Jean that her grandad plays the accordion and gets him to go and see Jean. He turns up and plays in the kitchen and the girls have a dance.
Prince James, Duke of Danby
Prince James pays a visit to the factory in episode two of series one and, although married, propositions Bren in the kitchen.
Lady Pamela
Lady Pamela is the prince's wife who appears in series one, episode 2.
David
David is one of the prince's minders in series one, episode 2.
Female Worker (Royals)
She sits with Steve just before the royal party arrives and complains when Bren takes her plate when she hasn't finished her croissant.
Clint Openshaw
Clint appears in episode 3 of series 1 as Petula's 16 year old fiance. He lives with her in her caravan and they plan on going to Spain to get away from his mum but he cnages his mind.
Shelagh Openshaw
Shelagh is Clint's mum. She is unhappy her son is living with Petula and starts a picket outside the factory until they come out.
Carmel
Carmel is a presenter on Northern Round-up who comes to report at the factory when Shelagh starts her protest. She later does an interview with Shelagh and Petula in the canteen so they can settle their differences.
Hannah
Hannah appears in series 1, episode 3 as a researcher for a docusoap to be made at the factory. They consider making it about the canteen staff but later decide to go with the workers in packing.
Bev
Bev is Twinkle's mum and appears in 'Moods' when they have the tea-party for the mum's. She is in a wheelchair and tells everyone how well Twinkle looks after her.
Enid
Enid is Dolly's mum and appears in 'Moods'. She is very sarcastic and says she has no sense of humour.
Connie
Connie Jean's mum and appears in 'Moods'. She flirts with Tony and talks about sex a lot.
Jim Meadowcroft
Jim is Stan's dad and appears in 'Moods'. He breaks the toaster and tells Bren a story about his friend who got his head blown off.
Hilary
Hilary is Philippa's mum and appears in 'Moods'. She is very posh and tells Philippa off for not undoing the buttons on her blouse when she takes it off.
Reena
Reena is Anita's mum and appears in 'Moods'. She is an estate agent and spends a lot of time on the phone.
Violet
Violet appears in 'Moods' and Petula tells everyone she is her mum. She later appears in 'Gravy', again with Petula when Petula comes in to tell Bren is she dying.
Female Worker (Moods)
She comes into the canteen and orders four teas, "one milky, one not so milky, one black, one not so black".
Second Female Worker (Moods)
She comes into the canteen and asks for a jacket potato with tuna and sweetcorn. She then goes back to complain that she wanted the tuna and sweetcorn separately but Bren tells her they only do tuna 'n' sweetcorn, which is where it's mixed together.
Kirsty
Kirsty is a policewoman who has arrested Petula. They drop into the canteen so Petula can tell Bren there is half a shepherd's pie in the caravan that won't last another day.
The Veg Man
He appears in series 1, episode 5. He brings some sprouts instead of carrots and then talks to Tony about football but Tony doesn't know what he's talking about.
Hugo
Hugo appears in series 1, episode 5. He comes as Anita's guest to the christmas party but they are not in a relationship.
Tiffany
Tiffany is Twinkle's friend. She is talked about a few times but appears in episode 5 of series 1 as Twinkle's guest at the christmas party.
Bob Bellfield
Bob is Dolly's husband and appears in series 1, episode 5. He says "pardon" a lot but Dolly says it's just selective hearing as he can hear a packet of oven chips being opened from three doors away!
Keith
Keith is Jean's husband. In series one he and Jean are is marriage guidance but in series 2 he runs off with a dental hygienist. He appears in episode 5 of series 1 and episode 7 of series 2.
Mr Tashimoto
Mr Tashimoto is a guest at the christmas party in episode 5 of series 1. He is in talks about a merger of his company and the factory. In his honour, the party has a Japenese theme.
Nicola Bodeux
Nicola comes in episode 6 of series 1. She is the replacement canteen manager when Tony has to have chemotherapy. She rubs the girls up the wrong way as soon as she enters the canteen and everyone except Bren ends up walking out on her. Then she walks out on Bren to go to an interview for a lighthouse keeper.
Ken
Ken is one the workers in the factory. He appears in episode 6 of series 1 when he asks if the yoghurt in bilberry.
Malcom
Malcom is a worker in the factory. He appears in episode 6 of series 1 when he flirts with Jean.
Sigourney
Sigourney appears in the first episode of series 2. She is a work experience girl who's not very bright and doesn't normally wear hats.
Bert, Derwent and Paul
Bert and Paul are decorators and Derwent is on work experience with them. They come to re-paint the canteen in the first episode of series 2 and get a big ladder stuck in between two doors.
Betty
Betty appears in the first episode of series 2. She comes into the canteen a couple of times from a belly dancing class looking for Stan.
Peggy
Peggy appears in the second episode of series 2. She is Jean's sister and comes to the canteen to pick Jean up after Keith leaves her. The others can't cope with Jean so they call Peggy to look after her at her house.
Peter
Peter is one of the workers in the factory. He appears in episode 3 of series 2 and tells Bren that he has been to Marbella and it's good for buying cheap bin bags.
Barry
Barry is Jean's new boyfriend after her and Keith split up. She tells everyone he looks like Richard Madeley. He comes to pick her up from work and Philippa mistakes him for 'The Blender' as he is dressed in a security uniform and looks nothing like Richard Madeley. Jean later says she meant Richard Whiteley!
Bobbie
Bobbie is one of the nurses that comes with the blood donors van in episode 4 of series 2. Stan takes a shine to her and asks her out. They are together for a while but have a few arguments at Christmas and split up.
Sue aka 'The Blender'
Sue comes as a replacement nurse for blood donors when some others don't show up. Sue is actually 'The Blender', a criminal that has escaped in the fog on the way to prison. He likes to wear uniforms to blend in and it works because nobody at the factory notices it's him.
Policeman (Fog)
He is called when Philippa thinks Barry is 'The Blender' in episode 4 of series 2. He jokes that he is 'The Blender' as he is in his policeman's uniform.
Martin
Martin comes to meet Bren at the canteen in episode 5 of series 2. Bren introduces him to Tony as her husband. She later tells everyone that Martin was an alcoholic and that she was scared of him. She only married him because the registrar had come in specially even though she had fallen off her bike. She tells them she has asked for a divorce.
Janice
Janice comes into the canteen with Petula in episode 6 of series 2. She is a short, scruffy Scottish woman and is obviously drunk.
Anita's Baby
Tony finds a baby on the fire escape in episode 6 of series 2. Anita and Twinkle had already gone to the Millennium Dinner and the others suspect it is one of theirs. Later on they come back and Anita starts crying and apologising because he is hers. She tells them she was scared but she wants him back.
Christine
Christine appears in episode 7 of series 2. She comes as Anita's replacement. She has a wind problem and says stupid things so the others don't like her apart from Dolly. However when Dolly thinks she has taken Viagra which was put in her tea by Christine, she also turns against her and she leaves.
Henry Kelly
Henry Kelly is the host of Totally Trivial which Bren goes on in episode 9 of series 2. He also appears in episode 10 to tell the viewers that Bren decided to take the £500 because she didn't turn up as she was at the hospital with Petula.
Brian
Brian appears in episode 9 of series 2. He is a paramedic who brings Petula to the canteen on the way to hospital. He tells everyone Petula may only have 3 weeks to live.
Paramedic
He also comes to the canteen with Petula on the way to hospital. Petula says he looks like a male Karen Carpenter.