It’s been over two decades since the Braithwaite family first exploded onto our screens, screaming at each other over a secret £38 million lottery win. Honestly, it was the perfect ITV drama for the turn of the millennium. It wasn't just about the money; it was about the sheer, unadulterated chaos of a suburban family in Leeds trying—and failing—to stay normal while their world turned into a gold-plated circus. If you’ve revisited it recently on streaming, you’ve probably wondered what happened to the At Home with the Braithwaites cast after the champagne stopped flowing and the final credits rolled in 2003.
The show was a massive launchpad. Sally Wainwright, the creator, went on to give us Happy Valley and Gentleman Jack, proving she always had a knack for writing complicated, messy northern women. But the actors themselves? Their paths have been wild. Some became household names in massive franchises, while others swapped the limelight for a more quiet life.
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The Matriarch: Amanda Redman’s post-lottery reign
Amanda Redman was the glue. As Alison Braithwaite, she played the long-suffering mother who tries to use her secret windfall to set up a charity, only for everything to blow up in her face. Redman was already a known entity, but this role solidified her as a powerhouse of British TV.
What’s interesting is how quickly she moved on to New Tricks. For a solid decade, she was DCI Sandra Pullman. She basically traded one iconic lead role for another without breaking a sweat. If you look at her career, Redman has always been selective. She’s famously spoken out about the lack of good roles for older women in the industry, yet she’s managed to stay relevant by sheer force of talent. She even runs her own drama school now, ATSLI, helping the next generation avoid the pitfalls she navigated. She’s less "lottery winner" these days and more "acting royalty."
Peter Davison and the "Bad Dad" evolution
Then there’s Peter Davison. Most people back then knew him as the Fifth Doctor from Doctor Who or the vet from All Creatures Great and Small. Seeing him as David Braithwaite—the cheating, slightly pathetic, but strangely sympathetic husband—was a bit of a shock.
Davison is one of those actors who just never stops working. Seriously. Check his IMDb. Since the show ended, he’s been in everything from Law & Order: UK to Gentleman Jack (reuniting with Sally Wainwright). He even made a meta-comedy about Doctor Who called The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot. He’s handled the transition from "young leading man" to "distinguished character actor" better than almost anyone from that era. He still pops up in West End plays, usually playing someone much more competent than David Braithwaite.
The Braithwaite sisters: From Leeds to Hollywood
This is where the At Home with the Braithwaites cast story gets really juicy. The three daughters were the heart of the show's drama.
Sarah Smart (Virginia Braithwaite)
Virginia was the rebellious, cynical eldest daughter. Sarah Smart was everywhere in the early 2000s. She moved from this into Wallander alongside Kenneth Branagh, playing Anne-Britt Hoglund. She had this ethereal, intense energy that casting directors loved. However, she’s been much quieter lately. She hasn’t vanished, but she seems to prefer smaller, more atmospheric projects over the big blockbuster grind.
Lynsey Baxter (The "Other" sister connection)
Wait, let's talk about the middle daughter, Sarah. Well, actually, let's look at Keeley Fawcett, who played the youngest, Charlotte. Charlotte was the one who actually found out about the win first. Keeley was a child star who gave an incredibly grounded performance. Unlike many child actors, she didn't chase the Hollywood dream into her twenties. She stayed active for a few years in things like Coronation Street, but she’s largely stepped away from the industry. It's a classic case of a talented kid deciding that the fame machine isn't all it's cracked up to be.
Julie Graham (Megan Hartnoll)
While not a sister, Julie Graham played the neighbor/mistress Megan. She is a powerhouse. You’ve seen her in Shetland, Benidorm, and The Bletchley Circle. She’s become a staple of British procedurals. She has this incredible ability to be terrifying and hilarious at the same time.
Why the show's casting worked so well
The magic wasn't just in the individuals. It was the chemistry. They felt like a family that actually hated—and loved—each other. When you look at the At Home with the Braithwaites cast as a unit, you see a masterclass in ensemble acting.
Most TV families feel "written." The Braithwaites felt like the people living three doors down who just happened to get very lucky and very stressed simultaneously. The show tackled Virginia’s sexuality, David’s infidelity, and the sheer burden of wealth in a way that didn't feel like a soap opera. It felt like a tragedy disguised as a comedy.
The Sally Wainwright factor
You can't talk about the cast without the writer. Sally Wainwright’s scripts demanded a specific type of actor: someone who could handle a monologue about municipal planning in one scene and a screaming match about a pregnancy test in the next. The cast she assembled for this show became her "prototype" for the gritty, realistic drama she perfected later in her career.
Where can you see them now?
If you're looking to catch up with the stars today, your best bet is a mix of BBC dramas and the occasional stage play.
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- Amanda Redman: Mostly retired from long-running series, focusing on her charity work and her drama school.
- Peter Davison: Regularly touring with theatre productions and making guest appearances in high-end detective shows.
- Ray Stevenson: We have to mention Ray Stevenson, who played Graham Braithwaite. Sadly, Ray passed away in 2023. Before his passing, he had a massive career, starring in Rome, Thor, and the Star Wars series Ahsoka. He was perhaps the biggest breakout star in terms of international fame.
Practical ways to revisit the world of the Braithwaites
If this trip down memory lane has made you want to re-watch the madness, there are a few things you should do.
First, check ITVX or BritBox. They frequently cycle the series in and out of their libraries. Because of music licensing issues (the show used a lot of early 2000s pop), it sometimes disappears from digital platforms, so if you see it, grab it.
Second, if you're a fan of the cast, watch Happy Valley. You’ll see the DNA of the Braithwaites in the dialogue and the northern grit. It’s the spiritual successor to the family drama that Sally Wainwright started in Leeds.
Finally, keep an eye on the National Theatre listings. Members of the supporting cast frequently show up in prestigious stage roles. The pedigree of this show was incredibly high, and the actors have largely remained "actors' actors"—people who care more about the craft than the red carpet.
The legacy of the Braithwaites isn't just a win on a lottery ticket. It’s the fact that a weird, messy show about a dysfunctional family in Yorkshire managed to launch some of the most enduring careers in British television. They took a premise that could have been a cheap sitcom and turned it into something that still feels biting and relevant today.
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To get the most out of your re-watch, pay attention to the background characters. Many actors who had one-line roles in the Braithwaites’ neighborhood ended up becoming regulars on Emmerdale or Coronation Street years later. It was the ultimate training ground for Northern talent.