Amanda Mealing reveals she’s been hero-worshipping Cagney & Lacey star Sharon Gless on the set of Casualty…
It’s no secret Cagney and Lacey star Sharon Gless is joining BBC1’s Casualty in a guest capacity for one special episode in November. And it turns out we’re not the only ones star struck at the prospect. Amanda Mealing, who plays stoic clinical lead Connie Beauchamp on the long-running medical drama, reveals she got down on both knees when she ran into the star on set recently!
"We’d been talking about Sharon earlier in a cast meeting when I was walking by the make-up department and saw her in make-up," revealed Amanda Mealing. "She is a legend… and I was an absolute geek! When I saw her I ran in and, I swear to you, with no shame, I got down on my knees and I bowed!" Let’s hope Sharon’s Casualty character, world-class surgeon Zsa Zsa Harper-Jenkinson, has a similar effect on Connie when she lands in Holby.
In an interview with What’s on TV Amanda Mealing revealed more…
Tell us about the first time you spotted Sharon Gless on the set of Casualty…
"We’d just been talking about Sharon earlier in a cast meeting when I was walking by the make up department and saw Sharon in make up."
What did you do?
"She is a legend, and I was an absolute geek! When I saw her I ran in and, I swear to you, with no shame, I got down on my knees and I bowed!"
That’s so funny! Why do you think you reacted like that?
"Subconsciously she may be the reason I’ve had the opportunity to play Connie. Or the reason I’ve had the opportunity to play Connie in the way that I do. When I was growing up Sharon and Tyne Daly absolutely broke the glass ceiling with Cagney & Lacey."
Can you explain the importance of Cagney & Lacey to readers unfamiliar with it?
"Up until then no two women had been able to lead, particularly a detective show because that was a male dominated area. No one believed two women could do it, so she and Tyne were, and still are, icons. They put women front and centre by leading a series – and in a male dominated area as well - without having to pretend to be a man in a man’s world."
Do you know how Sharon felt about guest starring in Casualty?
"Apparently she was very nervous about joining the show! We were all ‘WHAT?’"
What was she like?
"She’s just lovely and adorable. An absolute joy and exactly how you hoped she’d be – she has great stories and is absolutely gorgeous. We are really lucky to have her and I hope we can get her to come back. I might go back to the office now and say I’m not doing any more Casualty until Sharon returns!"
Sharon Gless joins Casualty for a special guest episode airing in November 2017.
