If you had to have one of the fictional GPs from Doctors (past or present) as your real-life GP, which would you choose?
Doctor George Woodson because she was very into natural medicine which is the way I like to treat myself and my family wherever possible.
Are there any former co-stars from your career that you would like to see do a guest stint on Doctors?
Loads, but I'd like to see David Essex come and do a story or Gregor Fisher, especially if he was allowed to be his Rab C. Nesbit character, he' d be awesome!
A lot of characters have come and gone from Doctors in recent years - who in particular do you miss working with?
Archie (played by Matt Kennard) was always one of my favourites and so was Doctor Greg Robinson (played by Ben Jones).
Have you ever been involved in a storyline on Doctors that you had reservations about or found particularly challenging?
No reservations really, sometimes it gets a bit scary if you feel you are being asked to step outside of your comfort zone, but that's what's so exciting about being an actor. Stretching yourself further than you think you can go. One of the most challenging sorylines was when Julia became an alchoholic bag lady, sleeping rough in the stairwell of a multistorey carpark. I absolutely loved doing that.
What did you think when you learned the Practice would expand to the university campus?
I was thrilled to bits actually. It means we can expand storylines and involve Uni students and their lives and problems.
When you joined the show did you imagine (or was it intended) that Julia would become such a long running character?
I don't think it was ever intended for Julia to become a permant fixture, it has just tuned out that way. I never imagined I would still be doing Doctors for almost eight years. When the Mac character left the show it was even more essential that Julia stay and take over the practice.
Apart from Julia, which of your other roles do you think the public most frequently associate you with?
I think the most popular is Fliss from the comedy series "The Cuckoo Waltz". I loved every second of that series and it ran for about 5 years.
Doctors is one of the few soaps whose ratings are constantly on the increase. Do you think it's time for an evening slot or weekend omnibus?
Is the Pope a Catholic! ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITELY, WITHOUT DOUBT........YES!
What does the future hold for Julia?
Mmm.....there are a few surprises coming up but my lips are sealed!
Doctors is celebrating its tenth anniversary this month - what do you think its success with viewers is down to?
Many things including good subjects for the episodes, Doctors is not afraid to address any subject. If it can happen to you, then is happens on Doctors at some point. Plus, there is a complete story every day as well as the serial element. We have good actors, good stories and we deliver a high standard of drama five days a week, every week. I think the public know they can trust the show not to patronise them.
Doctors weekdays at 1.45pm on BBC1
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