Freddie Roscoe

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks introduces another member of the Roscoe clan next week as newcomer Freddie joins the village.

Actor Charlie Clapham has been cast as Freddie, who is the older brother of bad boy sixth former Robbie (Charlie Wernham).

Freddie turns up in Hollyoaks just in time to see that Robbie's behaviour is spiralling out of control.

After spotting Robbie stealing money from headteacher Patrick Blake, Freddie promptly dunks his sibling's head into the Jubilee fountain to teach him a lesson.

Freddie may be unhappy to see Robbie misbehaving, but it later becomes clear that he has a darker side himself.

With Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) keeping hold of some pills that Robbie had in his possession when they both hosted a rave at Chez Chez, he soon finds out that they actually belong to Freddie.

Making a profitable deal with the new arrival, Ste agrees to start selling the drugs himself…


© Lime Pictures
Robbie threatens Ste over the pills.



© Lime Pictures
Freddie intervenes and makes a deal with Ste.


After Ste has agreed his terms with Freddie, he also has to deal with the interference of Robbie, who blackmails him into letting him help.

Hollyoaks airs these scenes on Monday, May 6 at 6.30pm on Channel 4. The remaining members of the Roscoe clan - headed up by former EastEnders star Gillian Taylforth as mum Sandy - will join the village towards the end of May.

[alan45]

Hollyoaks fans are about to meet the second member of the Roscoe family as Robbie's older brother Freddie joins the village.

Freddie seems determined to get Robbie back in line following his latest bad behaviour, but it later becomes clear that the newcomer has a dark side of his own when he strikes up a drugs deal with Ste Hay.

We recently chatted to Charlie Clapham, who plays Freddie, for a two-part interview about his character's arrival.

How are you finding your time at Hollyoaks so far?
"It's very enjoyable and Hollyoaks is a great place to work. I'm getting along well with the guys who are playing my on-screen brothers, who I live with as well. It's great to leave a 9-5 job behind and be able to say that this is where I work now! It's brilliant to live in Liverpool as well, because it's a beautiful city. I'm enjoying it immensely."

What was the audition process like?
"The audition process was crazy! It was really weird, because at first I didn't know that I had an audition, but I knew of about 25 other actors who were going up for it.

"I then had a call from my agent asking if I'd like to go up for it as well, and I jumped at the chance. When I heard the brief, I found out that Hollyoaks were putting together a family of brothers and they were casting all over the UK, so it really was like a golden ticket."

What happened next?
"When I saw the prep that was going into this family, I knew that whoever got the Roscoe roles would be very lucky, as it's a pretty sweet job. I read for a few different parts and I really wanted one of them. Fortunately, I ended up getting that one.

"It was a long process, though, as I had a couple of auditions in London and a couple in Liverpool, as well as a final screen test. That was just before Christmas and it was very nerve-wracking.

"In the end, you just really want a phone call to say yes or no, as you're starting to dream about what life would be like if you got the part. I was looking at the New Year thinking, 'I don't know what 2013 is going to be like!'

"It was a great feeling when I finally got the call to say that I'd been successful. I was in the hairdressers at the time and I ran out dancing down the street, right up to my mum and gave her a big hug! It was great."

What can we expect from Freddie?
"Freddie, for me, is very intriguing. I like Freddie and if he was a real guy, I'd definitely be his mate. He's quite an exciting character and he's always got a different viewpoint on things compared to everyone else.

"Freddie is always looking for an opportunity, always thinking and always calculating. To play that is great, because there's never a dull moment. There's so much for Freddie to do and for him to walk right into. It's a pleasure playing him."

How old is Freddie?
"Freddie is in his mid-20s, he's about 26. I've always played a little bit older than myself when I've gone for auditions or been in films or plays.

"The weirdest thing is that one of my friends I'm living with is playing Freddie's younger brother Ziggy Roscoe, but he's actually nine years older than me in real life! So when I'm giving him little slaps on the back of the head in scenes, he can't stand it! (Laughs.) There's a bit of banter there which we can take onto set, which is really nice."

Freddie's first episode sees him have a bit of a confrontation with Robbie. What can you tell us about that?
"The relationship between Freddie and Robbie is a little bit different to the one that Freddie has with his other brothers. Freddie can look at Robbie and see a little bit of himself - the mischievousness, the conniving side, the opportunistic side and the almost hedonistic tendency to seek those rushes in life.

"In this case, Freddie is really just trying to get Robbie out of trouble, keep his face clean and look after him like an older brother should do."

What makes Freddie want to strike up a drug deal with Ste?
"When Freddie meets Ste, there's something that's of interest to him. Ste as a character is very well-placed for Freddie to say, 'Me and you? Yeah, maybe we can do a deal'.

"Things start off a little bit confrontational, but where most people would see a conflict or a burned bridge, Freddie sees a new beginning, a new relationship and a new partnership. Wherever there's money to be made, Freddie is right there!"

Does Freddie have the same nasty edge that Robbie has?
"I think Freddie is slightly more charming than Robbie. Freddie really is just a little further down the line than Robbie is, in terms of the way he's matured.

"Freddie realises that you can't go through life being a tearaway - sometimes you have to make yourself presentable to get what you want. Freddie tries to show that to Robbie at times, but I think even he gets scared of how deep that nasty streak can run in his younger brother."

Are the Roscoes a troubled family or a happy one?
"I think we're a very happy family. The nicest thing to play is that we really do love each other. That's always the first line of thought - they love each other, they help each other and bend over backwards for each other. When one brother sticks his foot in it, the rest will rally round him.

"It's a really nice family with good values and good morals, which is great because it gives you something concrete to focus on when you're thinking about your character. The deal is that these guys have had it tough sometimes - partly through their own doing - but they always try to get through it together. That's the bottom line for the Roscoes!

[alan45]

Here, though, we present some Soap Scoop bonus snippets from Charlie about his on-screen mum Gillian Taylforth and more!

Freddie's first week on screen also sees him get together with Maxine. Could this go somewhere, or is it more of a one-off?
"This is similar to the Ste situation, in the way that Freddie sees an opportunity and goes for it. It could just be a little fling, but he does try to make it work. You'll have to wait and see if he can pull it off!"

There's lots of excitement surrounding the arrival of the Roscoes. Are you pleased with that, or does it mean some pressure?
"In this business, if there's pressure, that's usually a good sign. When you're wrapped up in the show and getting on with the job, you don't really know what it's like from the outside looking in. It's nice if people are looking forward to seeing us, especially after a company as big as Lime Pictures has given us so much support and there's been so much preparation.

"When we're all sat in our living room playing Xbox after a night out, we're all completely normal, but it's nice to know that all of the years we've been working and practicing have paid off. It can be a little bit daunting sometimes, but the support we get is phenomenal.

"We honestly couldn't have asked for any more, especially from the producer, Bryan Kirkwood. We have his number if we ever want to call him and he's taken a hands-on approach every step of the way. I suppose rather than feeling the pressure, I'm just really excited. The most difficult thing has been keeping it quiet and not being able to talk about it to anyone!"

What's it like to work with your on-screen mother Gillian Taylforth, who's a real soap icon?
"It's amazing. She's been working in this game for years and years, and done some of the most groundbreaking scenes in television history. Sometimes I feel that people overlook the scenes and the episodes of soaps that we've seen over the years, which have been so groundbreaking. Gillian was involved in those more than most.

"Gillian is also so nice to work with on set, so it's a blessing to have her around. Most of the Roscoe boys, apart from one of us, haven't been in soap before. If we have any difficult days, Gillian is always there to help. She's so good and I've actually started calling her 'ma' now!"


© PA Images / Ian West/PA Wire
Gillian Taylforth will be joining Hollyoaks as Sandy Roscoe.


Who else have you made friends with on set?
"There's quite a few! James Sutton and James Atherton are great guys. Ashley Taylor Dawson and Nick Pickard are also brilliant. The girls are lovely too. Nikki Sanderson is amazing and is the best model human being I've ever seen! She's just immense and she does a lot for charity.

"I really enjoy working with Stephanie Davis and there's a lot of support if I'm in a scene with her. It's actually like that with a lot of people here, and there's a really long list I could go through. Even if you're looking for a personal trainer, Anna Passey has literally just offered to help me find one. I really didn't expect everyone to be so welcoming."

This isn't your first role, so how does Hollyoaks compare to your previous work?
"The last thing I did before Hollyoaks was the film Kick-Ass 2, and before that I was doing some of my own writing along with some plays and shows in the West End.

"Before that, I trained under Paul McNeilly. I didn't really go to a drama college or anything like that - it was just him and he taught me everything. He even taught me a little bit of directing and writing. You can never know too much about the business - it's always helpful."

Is it true that you're a body piercer as well as an actor?
"Yes, that's my family business. My mum, uncle and dad taught me and that's how we pay the bills when I'm not on set."

Have you tempted any of the cast to get any piercings done?
"Well, that's a very interesting issue, actually! I can't really get a lot of people in from the cast, because I think the producers would have something to say about that! (Laughs.) But I've sorted a lot of the crew out with nose rings, some rock bars, some scaffold bars, lip bars - the lot, really! I thought it might be helpful to drop a few freebies in!"

[alan45]

Hollyoaks bosses have today (May 7) released the first picture of the full Roscoe family.

As previously announced, former EastEnders star Gillian Taylforth is heading up the new clan as Sandy Roscoe, the mother of five sons who are set to ruffle feathers in the village.



© Lime Pictures
The Roscoe family: Joe, Robbie, Sandy, Freddie, Jason and Ziggy.


Hollyoaks fans have already been introduced to troublemaker Robbie Roscoe (Charlie Wernham) and his older brother Freddie (Charlie Clapham), while the rest of the family will be making their arrival on Thursday, May 23.

Sandy is a single mother who will have her work cut out in the village, holding down her own job as a district nurse and trying to keep her sons in control as they run their family garage business, Roscoes' Motor Maintenance.

With a warm and strong personality, Sandy is adored by her boys and will go to extraordinary lengths to protect her family.

Former Emmerdale actor Ayden Callaghan has been cast as Joe Roscoe, the eldest brother who is always looking out for his younger siblings. With old-fashioned values, Joe acts as the patriarch of the Roscoe family.

Fabrizio Santino plays middle son David "Ziggy" Roscoe, a cheeky charmer who is billed as "confident and hilariously vain". Although Ziggy has luck with the ladies, he is known for falling in and out of love very quickly.

Meanwhile, Alfie Browne-Sykes has secured the role of Jason Roscoe, who is Robbie's twin sibling. Jason couldn't be more different from Robbie as he is intelligent, kind-hearted and destined for success. Despite this, he has a strong bond with Robbie and always covers for him when he misbehaves.

Speaking of her return to the soap world, Taylforth commented: "Everyone at Hollyoaks has made all the Roscoe family members feel very welcome and I am really looking forward to the viewers seeing us all on screen for the first time. There is never a dull moment when the Roscoes are around!"

Hollyoaks airs weeknights at 6.30pm on Channel 4, with first look screenings at 7pm on E4

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks villain Trevor Royle returns to screens next week as he is revealed as Freddie Roscoe's drugs supplier.

Trevor, played by Greg Wood, was last seen in April as his dangerous presence contributed towards Jacqui McQueen's emotional departure from the village.


© Lime Pictures
Greg Wood


Trevor is now expected to feature more prominently in the show. Viewers are reintroduced to him as the ongoing drugs storyline with Ste Hay (Kieron Richardson) and the Roscoes intensifies.

Ste thinks he's on to a winner as he arranges for his drugs to be delivered with pizzas as a handy disguise. However, when his careful plans start to go awry, Freddie (Charlie Clapham) is far from impressed and refuses to keep supplying Ste.

Fortunately for Ste, he now has his new flatmate Sinead O'Connor (Stephanie Davis) as a helper. Sinead manages to distract Freddie's attention at the pub and swipes his phone, hoping to help Ste cut out the middle man by getting a meeting with Freddie's supplier.

When Ste sets off to meet Trevor, he is left disappointed as the bad boy refuses to supply him. However, Trevor is growing frustrated over Freddie and later decides that he can make some use of Ste after all - ordering him to teach Freddie a lesson.

As Ste approaches Freddie with a metal pole ready to strike, will he take another step back towards the dark side?

Meanwhile, Sinead is also finding herself on a dark path as she starts selling pills for Ste.

Sinead is enjoying the opportunity to make some extra cash, but things soon go wrong for her too when she is vengefully attacked by a student she sold a dodgy pill to.

[tammyy2j]

Freddie Roscoe will face terrible danger next month as bad boy Trevor Royle kidnaps him.

Freddie, played by Charlie Clapham, needs to be silenced by Trevor after he considers telling the police the truth about DS Trent's murder.

The latest drama for Freddie begins when DS Trent's father Don turns up in the village and confronts Sinead O'Connor (Stephanie Davis) at home, wanting to know where his son is.

A panicking Freddie soon comes to Sinead's rescue by arriving on the scene and knocking Don unconscious with a hairdryer, only to be left startled when blood starts pouring out of his head. He then calls Lindsey Butterfield (Sophie Austin) to help treat the newcomer.

With Lindsey livid over being dragged into the mess and Don now more suspicious than ever, Freddie knows that it's time to tell the police that he helped to dispose of Trent's body.

Sinead is later shocked when she discovers that Freddie plans to hand himself in and take Trevor (Greg Wood) down with him. Knowing this could also affect her, Sinead decides to warn Trevor of what's about to happen.

Taking matters into his own hands, ruthless Trevor bundles Freddie into his car boot, ties him up and threatens him with a gun - leaving viewers to wonder whether the villain is about to kill again.

[tammyy2j]

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[Perdita]

Freddie Roscoe fears that he's about to be murdered in Hollyoaks next week as ruthless gangster Trevor Royle kidnaps him.

A terrified Freddie finds himself in Trevor's bad books as he prepares to hand himself in to the police for burying DS Trent's body a few weeks ago.

Digital Spy recently caught up with Charlie Clapham, who plays Freddie, to hear more about the latest big storyline for his character and his time on Hollyoaks so far.

The last time we spoke, you hadn't appeared on screen yet. What has the reaction been like from fans since Freddie joined the village?
"It's been fantastic and I couldn't ask for more support. If the audience likes you, it makes everything so much easier because it gives you a bit more confidence over what you're doing and the acting choices that you're making. There are always fans waiting outside the gates which is great too. Although that can be a bit hard if Alfie [Browne-Sykes, who plays Jason] isn't with me, because they start crying then!"

Were you always confident the character and the Roscoe family would go down well, or has it taken you by surprise?
"It's a little bit of both, really. I didn't meet little Charlie [Wernham] until the screen test, but I'd already seen Fab [Santino], Alf and Ayden [Callaghan] in the audition and we always knew that we'd be called back together. When we were called back and little Charlie came in, I thought that we weren't a bad bunch of boys and we did work well together.

"We also gained huge momentum when Gillian Taylforth was brought in, which was a masterstroke by the producer Bryan because of her experience and how she could give support and advice to the rest of us. At that point I thought that we might have a fair crack at this, but it has been a surprise to see that the feedback is so positive.

"Also, when they brought in Sophie Austin who plays Lindsey, that took us even further because she's such a strong and independent actress. We really couldn't ask for anything more!"

How have you felt about getting such big stories straight away?
"I can't thank the producers and the writers enough for that. Each filming block is like a little mini-film for me at the minute, as the writing and the way we're shooting things is all so good. I've had at least seven or eight really great blocks, and I really didn't think that we'd be able to produce some of the quality that we are.

"We've had some great directors in recently like Alex Jacob and Ian White, who take the time to sit down with us and rehearse things, so we really do understand the stories we're telling, why we're telling them and our part in them. It's so nice to be able to do that kind of detailed work when we're working at such a fast pace. When I watch myself back in the edit, it's also important to look back and see what I can improve."

How does Freddie feel when DS Trent's father arrives in the village next week?
"At first I don't think Freddie really clocks what is going on. The first thing he does is whack him over the head and be done with him for the time being! As the story unfolds, Freddie finds it really hard to look this man in the eye, because he buried his son.

"It was actually really hard filming some of those scenes, because it's so hard to have to look someone in the eye in those circumstances. There's absolutely nothing that Freddie can offer this man in terms of answers without landing himself in trouble."

In the end, Freddie makes the big decision to hand himself into the police, and take Trevor down with him. What's going through his mind?
"It's the ultimate self-sacrifice, which is a great thing to play. Freddie's had a horrible cloud hanging over him ever since he buried DS Trent, as have Freddie's family and Sinead. He thinks the only way to clear his conscience is to do the time. It also means he can wipe out Trevor, who's making his life hell and could make his family's life hell.

"Freddie thinks it's a cracking idea and it's lovely that his heart is being shown. He does have courage and he's not always stupid. His decision comes from a good place, which is really nice."

When Trevor finds out what's going on, he kidnaps Freddie. Can you tell us about those scenes?
"They were pretty horrible to film, because I'm six foot three and just under 15 stone, and was tied up in the boot of a car! It was difficult really, because I get pretty claustrophobic. At the same time, it was also really enjoyable.

"Freddie is looking at his own demise now as he knows that if he can't think of something fast, he's going to die. He wonders why he hasn't told Lindsey that he loves her. He also knows that if he dies now, nobody will have the right idea about him - they'll just see him as a lowlife who spent his last few weeks working for a gangster.

"It was also great to work with Greg [Wood] who plays Trevor on these scenes. He's got a great presence on screen, and it is intimidating when you've got a guy who looks like Greg pointing a gun at you! It does make you shake a little bit, so I didn't have to do too much work there!"

We've seen a lot of interest in the Freddie/Lindsey connection. Have you enjoyed that storyline?
"Immensely. Sophie is such a good actress, because she'll give you everything in the performance. She'll give you a better performance in your shots than hers! Sophie gives everything she can in a scene to make it as truthful and honest as possible, and that's the ticket to telling the best stories, really.

"It's such an interesting dynamic. I think Lindsey uses Freddie sometimes, without even realising it. She sometimes forgets that she can speak to him more than anyone else. Lindsey can probably tell Freddie things that she couldn't tell Joe, as we've already seen. It genuinely kills Freddie every time he sees Lindsey and realises that he can't be with her. It's quite tragic, but it's great to have a storyline that's about true love."

If Freddie survives the Trevor drama, would you like him to become a good boy or have more action scenes?
"I'd really like to see more drama and action, as that's a lot more interesting as an actor. I don't think Freddie Roscoe's got it in him to behave! I can't see the character being quiet, and if he was, I think the viewers would be tweeting me to say that he's become boring!

"Freddie is not stupid and naïve, there's just something missing from him - it's either common sense or a certain thought pattern sometimes. That invites him into so many other storylines, and it's great to be involved in so many different strands."

Are you pleased to see Charlie Wernham back on set after his break?
"It's great to have Charlie back. Robbie brings something else to the family, as he's the only Roscoe brother with a sheer nasty streak. The other brothers are capable of acting like that, but Robbie has it permanently engrained within him and the dynamics of the family work a lot better when he's around."

Are there any cast members who you're keen to share more screen time with?
"There's a few! I've said before that I'd really like to work with James Atherton, because I think it would be a really interesting connection. James is an actor I really admire and I think he's going to have a really great career.

"I'd also really like to work with Fabrizio a little bit more. Out of the brothers, I've worked with the others but I'd like Freddie to do more with Ziggy. I'd love to see Ziggy end up in a little bit of trouble with Freddie one day. But I really can't complain as the people I've worked with have all been great, so I'd better not rock the boat!"

[lizann]

so freddie is in love with joe's woman

[Perdita]

Hollyoaks actor Charlie Clapham has enjoyed a busy few months on screen since his arrival as Freddie Roscoe in May, and the drama continues in the soap's Christmas episodes next week.

The upcoming festive editions feature a wedding for one of the Roscoes, while Freddie is in for a big shock when he learns that his girlfriend Sinead O'Connor has tried to expose his feelings for Lindsey in an anonymous Christmas card to Joe…

Digital Spy recently caught up with Charlie to hear more about Christmas in Hollyoaks and what's ahead for Freddie next year.

How do you feel about the Roscoes taking centre stage this Christmas?
"It's great and I think it underlines how well the year's gone since we came in. A lot of people forget that we only came on screen as a family in early summer, so it hasn't even been a year yet but we're right at the heart of the show. To have a storyline that's so big at Christmas just puts an exclamation point at the end of that! It's great that it's gone so well."

What were the Christmas stories like to film?
"It was quite busy - as well as filming the Christmas episodes, we were starting to do some of the New Year ones at the same time. Your head's all over the place a little bit when that happens! As everyone has a break at Christmas, there's always a lot of filming that needs to be done before that and a lot of work for all departments - not just the actors.

"It was great to be involved, though - and I hope for the viewers it'll be interesting to watch the Roscoe family going through something quite dramatic."

The show has confirmed that there'll be a Roscoe wedding at Christmas, so will there be a lot of drama on the big day?
"Oh, definitely! I think this wedding will have a lot of consequences, as weddings often do for families. Will certain families want to be together, will they see it as a good move? Does everyone know who they're joining onto? These are all things that are very interesting to play.

"In this story, so many characters have suspicions about each other and there are so many subplots that go underneath. That's really nice, because you can have a scene just around the breakfast table with so many hidden agendas on the go, simmering under the surface. That's when you know you've got some good stuff to work with, and in those scenes it's not just about the person who has the dialogue.

"For me, it's also so important to keep up with the work in general, because you don't have the privilege of shooting in sequence on a soap. Once every week or two weeks, I always look through to see where we're at, what Freddie is thinking and work everything out prior to filming. It's always a lot of fun."


How does Freddie feel when he finds out about the bombshell Christmas card that Sinead has written to Joe?
"Devastated - absolutely devastated. The thing with Freddie and Sinead is that she can't quite believe some of the things that he does, but it's the same on the other side! To have that in a couple on a show makes it a very watchable scenario.

"Freddie and Sinead just seem to surprise one other and drag each other into trouble, but they always make it through holding hands. I don't think Freddie will turn against Sinead for good because of what she's done, but at the same time, it's his big secret and if Joe found out, he'd be dead!

"It's a can of worms for the whole family too, as Sandy already knows about Freddie's feelings, and if Joe found out, he'd know that his mum has betrayed him as well. Obviously Lindsey now knows too, so there is lots at stake for the family. Freddie just can't believe Sinead's stupidity."

Is Freddie still glad that he told Lindsey about his feelings, or does he wish he'd kept quiet?
"When we started looking at how long Freddie had loved Lindsey for, we were talking about eight or nine years. I think for anyone, just to have a change in the way they feel after that time has got to be a relief. It's a release of the steam that was building up in his head! The beautiful thing about Freddie is his imagination, but because Lindsey has walked away from him, it's gutted him and gutted any imagination towards him and Lindsey ever being together.

"Maybe Freddie always assumed that there was a glimmer of hope that Lindsey felt the same way, but now that's completely crushed. Freddie is relieved that he's got it off his chest, but he's also having to deal with a lot of heartbreak now."

How do you describe Freddie's feelings for Sinead? There's a lot of debate among the fans about how strong his feelings are…
"This is something that I wanted to get clear for my own head. It's a tough one. There's a handful of factors involved when it comes to Freddie and Sinead. Firstly, Freddie's mum has told him that he needs to move on from Lindsey, and Sinead is his ticket out. Secondly, Sinead has seen Freddie do awful, inhumane things but she can see what kind of person he is deep down. She sees his vulnerability, the humanity and humility within him.

"For Freddie, that's all he's really wanted - someone to truly put him on a pedestal. He probably wanted that from his dad, who wasn't around when he was getting older. Freddie wanted it from Lindsey too, but it's Sinead who he gets that unconditional love from. Above all, I think Freddie also has a true concern for her wellbeing. He also genuinely cares about Sinead and the welfare of her daughter."



We know there are lots of Freddie/Lindsey fans out there. Do Freddie and Sinead have their own fanbase as well?
"Yeah, it's really weird sometimes! I was in the Manchester Christmas market the other week with my real-life girlfriend and there were people shouting over saying, 'Sinead loves you! Why won't you go with her and leave Lindsey alone? She's messed you around long enough now!'

"Then I've got the 'Frindsey' fans waiting outside the studio gate, making montages on YouTube and posting them to me on Twitter. There are Twitter fanpages for both 'Frindsey' and 'Frinead' and they're always asking me who I think he loves more. I can't believe how much people care about it, but it's really nice to know. It's also great to have a foot in both camps - I'm never hated by anyone!

"But both relationships make for an interesting love triangle and I love working with Stephanie Davis and Sophie Austin because both of them are capable of being electrifying just at the click of a finger. That's not just about turning on the waterworks - it's looking into their eyes and feeling a real connection. I couldn't ask for more."

The Freddie/Lindsey spark seems to have been a really popular storyline this year…
"Well, it was always planned that Freddie was in love with Lindsey, but I then started putting in looks before they were scripted. Directors picked up on them and they made it into the episode.

"I think it was just something interesting for this new family to come in and for people to think, 'Oh! What's going on there? Why is that going on?' It was something really subtle that grew instantly, and before you know it, we're not even at the end of the year yet and the nine-year secret has come out."

You've had some massive story weeks this year…
"I have and I can't thank them enough for it. I've just recently moved and had to box all of my scripts up. I'm really precious about them because I want to keep them for a long time! I was looking at them all and there's been some massive weeks with different directors. There was a Paul Walker block where Freddie buried DS Trent. There was the episode where Freddie first met Sinead, and episodes where Trevor was first introduced. There was also an Eddy Marshall block of Freddie taking Sinead to a client's house, and then of course the Alex Jacob block where I got kidnapped.

"In amongst that, there's been so many family scenes with little looks and glances, which are always interesting to play. It's been one hell of a year."


Will that high drama continue next year?
"I'm looking at my scripts at the moment and sometimes I won't be featured for a week or two, but then I'll be in solidly for a good block. That's a nice way to work, because you can really work hard on the prep and figure out where Freddie's head is at. Some of the blocks we've got are like mini-movies in a week, and there's some really big things for Fred in 2014. I just can't wait to get over the finishing line of Christmas, have a nice break and then dive straight back into it!"

Will Freddie have any involvement in Robbie's story with John Paul?
"Like I said earlier, you'll see all of the characters sitting around at breakfast with so much going on. Everyone branches off into their own stories, but it doesn't mean those things don't exist once everyone gets together. That's as real as it gets - when families come together over the dinner table there might be small talk, but there's things that people are going through which are affecting their actions.

"I know that little Charlie [Wernham, who plays Robbie] has been working for a while on different projects, and he's very in tune to what his character is and the journeys he's going through. We talk to each other about our storylines quite a lot, as we do care about what the other actors are going through.

"As far as I know, Fred has managed to put a little bit of distance between himself and troublesome Robbie for now, but with these two, they're the dark horses of the family and will always end up tangled in something together sooner or later!"



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