George Dent

"Don't look so down in the dumps. We've got a programme to make haven't we? So, let's show everyone what we're made of and let's jolly well go out there and make television."

- George's advice to the news team in A New Dawn.

The station’s editor, George is a nervous wreck and hypochondriac who frequently finds himself in conflict with Gus over editorial decisions, but he is usually too afraid to argue with the Chief Executive. George is generally a moral man, who has a good sense of what a news company should really be doing and what stories are important, but he is frequently bullied by Gus and distracted by his staff.

He suffers from a number of anxiety disorders and apparently psychosomatic symptoms, which he will often relate apprehensively to his colleagues. George once remarked that his doctor had suggested that he stop visiting the surgery and simply fax his new symptoms in every day. In earlier series, George comes across as broadly competent if a bit weak willed before troubles in his personal life take their toll and the job becomes out of his depth, with Henry remarking in Series 3 'George seems particularly out of it these days'.

George also suffers from appalling bad luck, such as when he buys Henry's car, which gearbox almost immediately fails, so Damien has the car stolen so George can claim it on insurance, but George has already spent £2,000 on a new gearbox, and before Damien can get the car back, it rolls off a cliff. George does become noticeably more confident and extroverted when drunk, although this rarely happens.

Earlier scripts followed the deterioration of George’s marriage to his somewhat exploitative and vindictive wife, Margaret, and following their divorce, George’s problems at home generally revolved around the antisocial and increasingly criminal behaviour of his daughter Deborah. He meets a woman from Poland called Anna who wants to marry him but he believes it is out of love when all she wants is a passport.

Interestingly in spite of the general view that George is useless and inept, he is commonly sought out by the other members of Globelink for advice on their personal problems. When GlobeLink closed in 1998, George chose to devote his future to caring for the ill Margaret rather than pursue a new life in Australia with new love Sue, despite making promises to finally leave his loveless marriage and painful home lifestyle behind. It is implied that, despite expectations, George is actually happy to have Margaret back in his life.