Fans of BBC One’s hospital drama Casualty are in for a treat this week when the uber-glamorous Stephanie Beacham guest stars as fiercely independent university professor Monica who is brought into the Emergency Department after sustaining an electric shock.
The Hollywood-based star, famous for her role as Sable Colby in Dynasty and spin-off The Colbys, reveals why she loved ditching the make-up and high heels to play less–than-glamorous, man-hater Monica:
“Playing Monica was one of the most un-vain roles I’ve ever done, and lying flat on a hospital stretcher is not the best look,” reveals the actress whose other TV credits include Coronation Street and, most recently, Celebrity Big Brother. “But it’s really fun – I can’t tell you how much I enjoy doing any role that doesn’t contain high-heeled shoes!
“What attracted me to Monica was her stubbornness and hard-headedness and this relationship she has with her long-time admirer, Jerry,” she adds. “But unfortunately she’s a very difficult woman and she doesn’t appreciate this relationship she has until it’s too late.
“She was a good character in that she was very dry and I liked her but she had a very difficult manner – not the most pleasant of creatures! But you always have an underbelly with these characters, there’s always something else there as well and Monica was very nicely written.”
Another attraction for Stephanie was the fact that Casualty is filmed in Bristol, giving her the chance to catch up with family.
“It was lovely to come to Bristol to do Casualty,” says Stephanie. “Phoebe, my daughter, has acted in the show and she lives in Bristol so I was able to see my young grandson and take him swimming. And any time I can be with him is my joy.”
It also gave Stephanie the chance to meet up with some old friends including actor Michael Maloney, currently playing the manipulative Howard Fairfax in the show. She reveals: “You always bump into cast and crew members who you haven’t see for a while but I met Michael Maloney at Casualty, who’s a great friend, and I was delighted to see him. He lived in my house many years ago and we had a lovely catch up!”
Now back in sunny LA, Stephanie reveals that she wouldn’t rule out making the trip to Bristol and appearing in Casualty again in the future:
“It was great fun and everybody is delightful in Bristol,” says Stephanie. “I think I should turn up again as a consultant or one of those people from Holby’s hospital trust that go round interfering in everybody’s lives – I would love doing that!”
Casualty, Saturday 3 April on BBC ONE