SUSAN WALKER "Susan is very grounded, sorted and confident with her sexuality." Pretty and sexy, Susan’s an unabashed go-getter. In fact her uninhibited attitude towards sex and relationships often catches the people around her unawares. Her comedy comes from her directness, which means she sometimes puts her foot it , but you always know where you are with her. She’s a good-time girl who enjoys her life and her man. But now we see her making a serious decision for the first time. One that will affect the rest of her life.

Sarah Alexander

SALLY HARPER "The possibility of a romance with Patrick is a really big thing to Sally." As a beautician, Sally is terrified of growing old and of the effect of gravity on her face and bottom. The possibility of a romance with Patrick is a really big thing to Sally, and it’s mutated into something much more for both of them.

Kate Isitt

STEVE TAYLOR Jack Davenport plays the hapless Steve. He and Susan had been together for more than a year, but they separated at the end of series two, much to their mutual dismay. In many ways Steve doesn’t change, but the relationship has. He’s still frequently at a loss for words and continues to despair at his own towering ineptitude. He takes a situation, digs himself a big pit of humiliation and shame, climbs into it - and just keeps digging.

Jack Davenport

JANE CHRISTIE "Jane's self-obsessed, oblivious to the feelings of others, and supremely manipulative." "every man’s worst nightmare" Jane also has a steady boyfriend James, played by Lloyd Owen, which is a new departure. But he’s a born-again Christian, and there’s a lot of comedy mileage to be had from that. we see more of all of Janes vulnerability beneath the comedy. We also see her loneliness - she seems supremely self-confident and tactless, but that masks a lot of insecurity which is compounded by her being such an attention seeker! She loves being part of the group and the friendships are much more cemented now, offering Jane a real stability.

Gina Bellman

JEFF MURDOCH "I play such a weirdo." Jeff as heaps of advice about dealing with the opposite sex, but very little practical experience - until now. In fact Jeff is in a serious relationship with his boss Julia, who he first got together with in the stationery cupboard at work. Jeff is a pubescent boy trapped inside the body of a man, still obsessed about his relationship with his mother.

Richard Coyle

PATRICK MAITLAND "By series three Patrick is distinctly perturbed by the effect Sally is having on him." He’s still a complete himbo, but there are some quite big developments in Patrick’s life. He’s still got his fantastic job in the City, his sports car, his long list of conquests - which is always a joy to play - and is still far from bashful when it comes to sex. But in series two he experienced a new phenomenon; friendship with a girl. And by series three he is distinctly perturbed by the effect Sally is having on him. Despite that, we see him with a girlfriend who he takes to a dinner party to meet the others, which is a bit of a turn-up for the books!

Ben Miles