4 O'Clock Club

4 O'Clock Club is a British comedy drama and musical children's television series set in a secondary school, which premiered on 13 January 2012 on CBBC.

Background

In March 2011, auditions were held for 4 O'Clock Club, and the show was publicly announced the next month. In January 2012, the first episode aired, with the series wrapping up in March of the same year. Between 2011 and 2019, nine series, each consisting of 13 episodes, were produced, filming annually in the summer months.

Synopsis

Series 1 (2012)

The first series centres on Josh Carter, a pupil at Elmsbury High, and his older brother Nathan, who works as a teacher there. Josh is portrayed as a laid-back teenage schoolboy trying to maintain his cool reputation, while also being rebellious and trying to cause trouble in order to achieve his goals and humiliate or outsmart Nathan. Nathan, a former Elmsbury High student and famous rapper, soon learns that only he will be able to stop Josh from his schemes.

Series 2 (2013)

In the second series, Nathan leaves Elmsbury to go to Scotland and new music teacher Dexter Harris joins the school. Dexter becomes Josh and his mother's new lodger, taking Josh's room as a result. As such, Josh hates Dexter through much of the series, until he finally accepts his presence and labels him as an "honorary Carter brother". The series also featured Crispin Bell as the new headmaster, who replaces Byron, and proved to be far stricter than Byron. Mr Bell was a brutal enemy of Josh and Dexter for the remainder of the series. Isaac made a guest and a 1st appearance in Series 2 Episode 1 but his name wasn't confirmed and the credits say "Fowlmere Josh". Josh is 14 in this season.

Series 3 (2013–2014)

The third series featured Nathan's proposal and marriage to Melanie Poppy, who both departed the series, and Josh is forced to share his room with his annoying younger cousin, Nero. When the school burns down due to an issue with candles, Elmsbury is merged with another school, Fowlmere Manor, renaming the school Elmsmere Manor as of the fourth episode of the third series. Molly, Ryan and Miss Andress do not appear in the rest of the series and attend a new school off-screen, known as Gosset High with Miss Anita Andress as the Headteacher of Gosset High.
Due to the merger, several new characters joined the series in episode three, these were PE teacher Mr Nunn, Miss Parkwood and pupils in Nero's year; Eli Grant, Owen Garland, Fleur Murphy and Eleesha Rahad. Sally Ann Matthews also joined the cast as headteacher Aine O'Brien and a pupil in Josh's year: Isaac Rodgers who is now part of the main cast. The series also has Bebe Johnson who is the secretary for Elmsmere Manor as well as the mother of Nero.

Series 4 (2015)

The fourth series features Nero, now in the main role, and his crew have replaced Josh and the Elmsbury gang who have all temporarily departed the series and Dexter is trying to make it as an accomplished teacher but is given the new job of taking care of Nero's shenanigans, which indirectly resembles Josh and Nathan's relationship in the first series. The teachers who appeared in Series 3, Miss Parkwood and Aine O'Brien do not appear in this series, leading to the reintroduction of former head teacher Anita Andress.
The series also introduced a new main character, rebellious and cynical tomboy Clem Burton, who joins Nero's crew as well as mysterious spray paintings of Andress appear around Elmsmere, called 'The Phantom Sprayer', however it was later revealed that it was Mr Bell who was the criminal. A new love interest for Dexter, Science teacher Lizzie Baker, is introduced in episode one.
A new recurring character, Isobel Harlow appears from episode three. This series also features mini cameos from Josh's gang as shown in the series premiere and series finale. Nathan also makes his comeback in two episodes and is now a father to baby Moses.

Series 5 (2016)

In the fifth series, all the characters from the fourth series remain apart from Miss Andress, but with three new characters, Lizzie's younger sister Amber and her friends Violet and Darnesh who want to fit in with the "cool" kids, like Nero and his gang. Zoe-Marie's younger sister Ingrid also starts at the school and quickly becomes Amber's enemy. A new head teacher is also introduced in the first episode, Mrs Helena Goodman.
Throughout the series, both Nero and Clem try to tell each other how they feel about each other. Dexter and Lizzie are dating but must hide it from others, though Mr Nunn tries to hit on Lizzie. Amber, and her gang try to beat their bully Ingrid and Dexter and Nero face problems living together.

Series 6 (2017)

In the sixth series, Nero and Clem have finally begun dating after their summer romance, but eventually break up after several arguments. Clem departs in episode three to pursue a career in music. Dexter and Lizzie are expecting a baby, and eventually give birth to twins named Albert and Faraday. After his divorce in the previous series, and a brief relationship with newcomer Anastasia, Bell finds himself living in a run-down caravan on the school grounds with his estranged son CJ, a newcomer to the series.
Dexter and Nero are both shocked at CJ's arrival, as Bell never mentioned in any previous series that he had a child. The series also introduces the characters of Polly Morgan, a fellow pupil of Nero's whom he tries to impress throughout the series and Owen's younger brother Chester. In Series 6, Isobel Harlow was promoted to a series regular as she appeared in every episode.

Series 7 (2018)

The seventh series started airing on 24 January 2018. All the main characters from the previous series returned apart from Isobel Harlow. Elmsmere School has moved to a new location after debt caused the old school to be closed. Mr Bell becomes stand-in headteacher, while Helena Goodman takes time off to reflect on the financial issues of the old site. She returns for the final four episodes of the season. Nero's character departs in the fourth episode to pursue new experiences in America along with Dexter and Lizzie. 3 new characters were introduced also in the 4th episode: Science teacher Maddie Harper, her son Jack Harper and Music teacher Danny Boyd Nathan Clarke (actor).

Series 8 (2018–2019)

The eighth series began with a special for Christmas on 19 December 2018, focusing on Mr Bell and his relationship with his son CJ. The rest of the series began on CBBC on 6 February 2019 and was on the BBC iPlayer every Wednesday from 5:00 pm. Evan was introduced in this series as a 6th form student who is also a rebel. Nero returns as a guest on the 100th episode special which was the 9th episode in the 8th series. All the cast from the previous series return, with Mrs Goodman leaving in episode four.

Series 9 (2020)

The ninth series began airing on 4 February 2020. PC Emily Rowe who has appeared since the second series becomes a series regular. New characters Coco and Reiss were introduced as PC Rowe's niece and nephew, and are put into the care of Rowe after their mother is arrested. They are joined by new classmates Henry and Magnus. New music teacher Clinton Russell was introduced as well, who replaces Danny, and also dates PC Rowe.
All the cast return from the previous series, with the exception of Maddie and Jack Harper, Eli Grant and Mr Danny Boyd who all have left the series off-screen. Episode three sees a new member of staff, Miss Wrigley, join the series. Episode five saw Mr Nunn learn that new pupil Henry is his son. Zoe-Marie Ingham returned in episode 7.
This series saw the final appearances of CJ and Crispin Bell in episodes 4 and 10 respectively and Owen, Fleur, Eleesha, Katie, Polly and Evan in episode 13 as they left sixth form. CJ Bell returned in episode 10 as part of a rap, and Crispin Bell returned in episode 13 for a guest appearance.
This series concluded on 21 April 2020 with the final two episodes being aired back-to-back on CBBC.

Cast

Main

Character	Cast	Role	Duration	Year
Isaac Rodgers	Layton Blake	Student, Caretaker	2x01, 3x03–9x13, Flashbacks	2013, 2014–2020
PC Emily Rowe	Leah Hackett	Police Officer Reiss and Coco's Auntie Clinton's Girlfriend	2x04–9x13	2013–2020
Mr Graham Nunn	Dan Wright	P.E Teacher Henry's Dad Anna's ex-husband	3x03–9x13, Flashbacks	2014–2020
Amber Baker	Ella Marshall-Pinder	Student	5x01–9x13 Flashbacks	2016-2020
Violet	Cara Jenkins	Student	5x01–9x13	2016–2020
Darnesh Palmer	Riley McCormick	Student	5x01–9x13	2016–2020
Ingrid Ingham	Zara Thurstan	Student Zoe-Marie's Sister	5x01–9x13 Flashbacks	2016–2020
Chester Garland	Rohan Green	Student	6x05–9x13 Flashbacks	2017–2020
Mrs Morgan	Rosina Carbone	Chemist Polly's Mum Head of Governors	6x06, 7x08, 8x02–9x13	2017–2020
Mr Clinton Russell	Andy Umerah	Music Teacher PC Emily Rowe's boyfriend	9x01–9x13	2020
Reiss	Aled Arhyel	PC Emily Rowe's nephew Student Coco's Brother	9x01–9x13	2020
Coco	Carys John	PC Emily Rowe's niece Student Reiss' Sister	9x01–9x13	2020
Henry Ford	Finley Allgrove	Student Graham and Anna's Son	9x02–9x13	2020
Magnus	Harley Harrison	Student	9x02–9x13	2020
Miss Susan Wrigley	Holly Freeman	Deputy Head Teacher Acting Headteacher	9x03–9x13	2020

Recurring and guest characters

Character	Actor/actress	Role	Duration	Year
Anna Ford	Thaila Zucchi	Henry's Mum	9x05–9x13	2020

''4 O'Clock Files''

4 O'Clock Files is a spin off from 4 O'Clock Club, following Josh Carter's departure for Hillview Academy. Set during the end of term at Elmsmere, it focuses on Crispin Bell, filming a documentary with the help of Fleur Murphy. He focuses on Elmsmere's curriculum, sporting activities and education, and also discusses the history of Elmsmere, about how Elmsbury and Fowlmere merged.
The series features clips from the second and third series, as the many topics of the documentary are discussed. The series also features Nero and his friends, who discuss the events of the third series. Isaac and Ash made their final appearances in Elmsmere uniform, discussing Josh's mishaps with Rachel and the adventures they had in Elmsbury and Elmsmere.
Dexter and Nunn were also caught teasing each other, at the expense of Dexter's end of year reports, whom he did Josh's and Zoe-Marie's reports. Josh is absent from the series. He only appears in clips from previous series.
The programme aired on CBBC, between 14 and 19 December 2014.

Production

Constructed raps are featured in every episode, usually relating to the current situation. As such, the series takes a musical style. Since the show began, all series have been filmed on location in Greater Manchester. For the first series, filmed in 2011, 4 O'Clock Club was filmed in a secondary school that is still in use: Smithills School, in Bolton.
The second series was filmed at Offerton High School in Stockport in 2012, which was also used briefly in 2013 for the third series. From 2013 to 2016, the series was filmed in the former site of St Ambrose [Barlow RC High School] in Swinton. They also briefly used the former site of Radcliffe Riverside High School, in Radcliffe, for some indoor and playground scenes.
As of the seventh series, the show is filmed in the former site of St George's Roman Catholic High School in Walkden.