| Scarlett Kiernan | |||||||||
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| Doctors character | |||||||||
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| Portrayed by | Kia Pegg | ||||||||
| Duration | 2022–2024 | ||||||||
| First appearance | "It Ain't Easy" 7 April 2022 | ||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||
| Introduced by | Mike Hobson | ||||||||
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Scarlett Kiernan is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera Doctors, portrayed by Kia Pegg. Details surrounding Pegg's casting and Scarlett's characterisation were announced in March 2022. She was introduced on 7 April 2022 as an applicant for a receptionist position. Scarlett is depicted as a truthful and short-tempered person who shocks the staff at the Mill with her honesty. She is always shown to have a bright and clashing sense of style, something that Pegg was initially shocked by. Eventually, Pegg began liking the clothes which she felt had impacted her real-life wardrobe and she began suggesting clothes and accessories for Scarlett to wear. Scarlett is hired despite her "feisty attitude" and is initially shown to struggle with the job when she gives the staff members attitude and argues with patients. However, as she settles into the Mill, she befriends with her colleagues and show a more likeable side of herself, while also feuding with fellow newcomer Princess Buchanan (Laura White).
Shortly into Scarlett's time on the series, writers gave her a long-running financial hardship story to showcase the cost of living crisis in the UK at the time. Due to coming from a working class background herself, Pegg felt privileged to represent a similar story to her own, and one that was relevant to millions of people across the nation. The storyline saw Scarlett independently support herself and her father by working several jobs. It explored her relationship with her parents and revealed that Scarlett's mother had walked out on their family unit prior to her introduction on the soap. The storyline aided viewers' understanding of why Scarlett is such a moody character and Pegg hopes that Scarlett's mother will be introduced into the serial in the future. Scarlett's later storylines have seen her grieve for dead colleague Karen Hollins (Jan Pearson), embark on a romance with Ollie Millar (Isaac Benn) and being the victim of a shock attack from an angry patient.
After her debut, What to Watch's Simon Timblick described Scarlett as a "surly" character and Chris Hallam of the Metro was surprised that Scarlett was hired, but admitted that she does show potential. For her portrayal of Scarlett, Pegg received a nomination for the On-screen Breakthrough award at the 2022 RTS Midlands Awards, as well as being nominated for Best Newcomer at the 2023 British Soap Awards and Best Daytime Star at the 2023 Inside Soap Awards.