Perdita
15-05-2009, 05:54
Now into his eighth year with the show, Doctors' series producer Peter Lloyd was celebrating with cast and crew over the weekend after one of the show's most hard-hitting storylines of recent times, which saw receptionist Vivien March's (Anita Carey) life torn apart after being raped, win three British Soap Awards for the daytime drama - Best Dramatic Performance, Best Storyline and Best Single Episode. Here, Peter chats to DS about Doctors' awards success, departed characters and what's to come from the show over the coming months.
You must be pleased with your three wins at the British Soap Awards?
"Obviously we are overjoyed with our hat-trick at the Soap Awards this year. We were up against very stiff competition, especially from EastEnders, but it's a testament to the show that we managed to get three awards in one night - and the best ones! This has given cast and crew a huge sense of pride and it's vindication that we're good enough to take on the big boys and win. I hope our viewers agree!"
You've had a fair few key cast members leave recently - Stirling, Sean, Matt, Anita and Liz - were they axed, did they leave or did their stories just run their course?
"All five of these actors decided to leave themselves, and we all parted on good terms - we tend not to axe actors. It's always sad to see such vivid characters go - believe me, I go through a mourning period myself and creatively we’ve invested just as much love and care into these characters as the audience. But actors want to do other things with their careers and you have to respect that. Matt went off to do a film, Liz is on a grand trek round the world, Anita moved with her husband to New York, Sean is doing more directing and Stirling has her own projects. It is unfortunate that so many left in a matter of months, but I always believe that you should see departures as an opportunity to create interesting arrivals...."
Can we ever hope to see them return one day?
"Never say never. My question would always be - why would we want to bring this character back? Are there still stories to tell with him/her? If that were the case, then we would consider it, of course we would!"
Did the writers know that Ruth would have mental health issues when they first created the character, or is it a storyline which came about later as the character developed?
"Yes, I created Ruth knowing that this was the story I wanted to tell with her - even before I'd pitched it to the rest of the team. We've had our main characters go through illness before - Nick being the most recent - but never mental illness, and I knew when I cast Selina that this is what I wanted from the character.
"In fact, Selina's audition speech was the scene when Michelle found her with Adam! So it was always carefully planned and storylined. Selina and I worked hard to build towards the breakdown. But the point for me is that people in this situation can be healed, just as they can physically - however complicated and unpredictable it can be. So many people suffer from mental illness and I was very keen to try and portray that. Ruth’s recovery and her struggle to live with BPD is going to be just as important as her descent into breakdown.
"I'd like to take a moment here to address all those people who are hating Michelle at the moment! It’s great that people are sympathetic to Ruth's plight, but we are a little shocked how anti-Michelle everyone seems to be. She may not be acting professionally, but when you've been stalked, imitated, manipulated and ultimately replaced for a year, you tend to take it very personally! Michelle is going to go to a very dark place, but surely everyone can see why? Or is it just me?!"
Why did you choose to kill off the character of Nick West, rather than letting him have a happy ending and leave with his new girlfriend?
"I know, we all want happy endings don’t we? And more often than not, our characters get them - Vivien, George and Ronnie all went off into the sunset.
"The satisfying thing about Nick’s story is that with the accident, we took everything away from him, then he had to fight to get it back - and he got it. So there was success there, but I always knew he would walk properly for the first time on the day that he died. But then I have a twisted mind.
"Whatever, his story was over, the actor wanted to leave and we wanted to have something dramatic and random and not happy for a change. Bad things happen to good people and all that. The show does tend to be positive on the whole, but we are allowed our darker moments and this was one of them."
Are there any more plans to film special episodes on location like you did with Julia when she met Mal on holiday?
"I'd love to see everyone heading to Bermuda for Vivien's wedding. So would the cast and crew! Julia's Spanish holiday went remarkably smoothly and worked quite well, so we'd never rule out another trip. Watch this space!"
Has there been any development with a repeat slow on BBC Three? Or a weekend omnibus?
"No, we were hoping for this last year, but now we’re on Watch and the BBC HD channel twice a day, and I doubt we’ll get anything else. But you never know!"
What's to come for your key characters over the coming months?
"It’s the start of Ruth’s new life away from the Unit, her efforts to return to work and the attitudes she has to face when she does. Of course not everyone is going to be supportive. Michelle particularly makes some rash decisions and it’s not going to end well, believe me. We have a new doctor in Simon Bond, a young trainee who’s better at the theory than the practice, which is going to prove interesting. Daniel comes into some money - guess what he does with it? Jimmi finds fame, we get to meet Karen's husband and kids, Heston and Lily get closer, Cherry makes her mark...and just wait 'til you meet Zara..."
And also on the cards
§ Daniel dates Julia
§ Ruth makes Heston cry
§ Lily's dark, rhythmic secret is revealed
§ Cherry meets her perfect man
§ Jimmi faces his worst fear ever
§ Michelle gets up to no good down an alley
§ And watch out for another five-part story, this time based around the Hollins family, two wedding proposals and a rather nasty car crash.
You must be pleased with your three wins at the British Soap Awards?
"Obviously we are overjoyed with our hat-trick at the Soap Awards this year. We were up against very stiff competition, especially from EastEnders, but it's a testament to the show that we managed to get three awards in one night - and the best ones! This has given cast and crew a huge sense of pride and it's vindication that we're good enough to take on the big boys and win. I hope our viewers agree!"
You've had a fair few key cast members leave recently - Stirling, Sean, Matt, Anita and Liz - were they axed, did they leave or did their stories just run their course?
"All five of these actors decided to leave themselves, and we all parted on good terms - we tend not to axe actors. It's always sad to see such vivid characters go - believe me, I go through a mourning period myself and creatively we’ve invested just as much love and care into these characters as the audience. But actors want to do other things with their careers and you have to respect that. Matt went off to do a film, Liz is on a grand trek round the world, Anita moved with her husband to New York, Sean is doing more directing and Stirling has her own projects. It is unfortunate that so many left in a matter of months, but I always believe that you should see departures as an opportunity to create interesting arrivals...."
Can we ever hope to see them return one day?
"Never say never. My question would always be - why would we want to bring this character back? Are there still stories to tell with him/her? If that were the case, then we would consider it, of course we would!"
Did the writers know that Ruth would have mental health issues when they first created the character, or is it a storyline which came about later as the character developed?
"Yes, I created Ruth knowing that this was the story I wanted to tell with her - even before I'd pitched it to the rest of the team. We've had our main characters go through illness before - Nick being the most recent - but never mental illness, and I knew when I cast Selina that this is what I wanted from the character.
"In fact, Selina's audition speech was the scene when Michelle found her with Adam! So it was always carefully planned and storylined. Selina and I worked hard to build towards the breakdown. But the point for me is that people in this situation can be healed, just as they can physically - however complicated and unpredictable it can be. So many people suffer from mental illness and I was very keen to try and portray that. Ruth’s recovery and her struggle to live with BPD is going to be just as important as her descent into breakdown.
"I'd like to take a moment here to address all those people who are hating Michelle at the moment! It’s great that people are sympathetic to Ruth's plight, but we are a little shocked how anti-Michelle everyone seems to be. She may not be acting professionally, but when you've been stalked, imitated, manipulated and ultimately replaced for a year, you tend to take it very personally! Michelle is going to go to a very dark place, but surely everyone can see why? Or is it just me?!"
Why did you choose to kill off the character of Nick West, rather than letting him have a happy ending and leave with his new girlfriend?
"I know, we all want happy endings don’t we? And more often than not, our characters get them - Vivien, George and Ronnie all went off into the sunset.
"The satisfying thing about Nick’s story is that with the accident, we took everything away from him, then he had to fight to get it back - and he got it. So there was success there, but I always knew he would walk properly for the first time on the day that he died. But then I have a twisted mind.
"Whatever, his story was over, the actor wanted to leave and we wanted to have something dramatic and random and not happy for a change. Bad things happen to good people and all that. The show does tend to be positive on the whole, but we are allowed our darker moments and this was one of them."
Are there any more plans to film special episodes on location like you did with Julia when she met Mal on holiday?
"I'd love to see everyone heading to Bermuda for Vivien's wedding. So would the cast and crew! Julia's Spanish holiday went remarkably smoothly and worked quite well, so we'd never rule out another trip. Watch this space!"
Has there been any development with a repeat slow on BBC Three? Or a weekend omnibus?
"No, we were hoping for this last year, but now we’re on Watch and the BBC HD channel twice a day, and I doubt we’ll get anything else. But you never know!"
What's to come for your key characters over the coming months?
"It’s the start of Ruth’s new life away from the Unit, her efforts to return to work and the attitudes she has to face when she does. Of course not everyone is going to be supportive. Michelle particularly makes some rash decisions and it’s not going to end well, believe me. We have a new doctor in Simon Bond, a young trainee who’s better at the theory than the practice, which is going to prove interesting. Daniel comes into some money - guess what he does with it? Jimmi finds fame, we get to meet Karen's husband and kids, Heston and Lily get closer, Cherry makes her mark...and just wait 'til you meet Zara..."
And also on the cards
§ Daniel dates Julia
§ Ruth makes Heston cry
§ Lily's dark, rhythmic secret is revealed
§ Cherry meets her perfect man
§ Jimmi faces his worst fear ever
§ Michelle gets up to no good down an alley
§ And watch out for another five-part story, this time based around the Hollins family, two wedding proposals and a rather nasty car crash.