Jason Durr reveals he’s fully committed to BBC1’s long-running medical drama.
The former star of Heartbeat told What’s on TV why still waters run deep with semi-silent new Casualty nurse, David Hide...
You’ve joined Casualty! How’s it all going?
"Fantastically. I’m like a kid in a candy shop. It’s great to be in Cardiff. The Welsh are fabulous and have taken me to their heart. The Casualty cast and crew are fantastic, too. I’m playing a wonderful character in an iconic flagship BBC drama… What’s there not to like?"
Tell us about your character David Hide…
"He’s an incredibly complex man. Very shy and sensitive, but also funny. You could say he’s had a life. As such he conducts himself quietly and doesn’t say a lot. But when he does speak he makes it count."
So still waters run deep with this man of mystery?
"He has an outward exterior of calmness, but what lies beneath? What is the storm and where is his rage?"
Go on give us a hint at what lies beneath with the new ED nurse...
"What lies beneath is fascinating. David’s a slow burner and his background is going to be teased out. I have to keep it cryptic, but I can safely say – expect the unexpected with David Hide! There’s a lot more to him than meets the eye…"
During David’s first shift we see him trying to help alcoholic Annie (Cathy Tyson) come to terms with a devastating situation. How was that to film?
"It’s a wonderful episode with the great Cathy Tyson. It was a joy to work with her. She’s just a wonderfully open and engaging actress. She plays chronic alcoholic Annie, and you see that in some ways Annie and David are two similar souls. When you’re introduced to David here he doesn’t really give much away. Hopefully we’ll leave the audience wanting to know more about his secrets!"
You starred as Mike Bradley in 128 episodes of Heartbeat from 1997 to 2003. Did you have any reservations about committing to another serial drama?
"I’d absolutely no reservations. What reservations could I have working in Auntie’s phenomenal institution? The proof is in the pudding – Casualty wouldn’t have survived 30 years if it wasn’t supplying cutting edge medical drama. I’m excited and hope David Hide will be an engaging, complicated and interesting character for the show."
Let us know what you think of David Hide’s debut in the comment section below. He puts in his first shift on the Casualty wards this Saturday at 8.50pm on BBC1.
