Jo Joyner tells Soaplife she doesn’t count on EastEnders for work and talks about her current drama, Ordinary Lies, and an exciting new project…
So, what’s it like snogging Max Beesley in Ordinary Lies?
“Er, like kissing Jake Wood [from EastEnders], Chris Addison, who was my love interest in Trying Again, or any other leading man. It’s just a part of the job.”
When’s your character Beth’s special episode?
“She weaves in and out of all the eps but Beth’s individual one is the sixth [screening on April 21]. Will the truth come out about what’s happened to her missing husband? You’ll have to wait and see. I loved playing her. I really like the way the series mixes comedy with serious, heavy stuff. The writing’s brilliant. It’s the kind of series I like to watch as a viewer. The things that happen to the characters happen in real life. You only have to look at those ‘real life’ magazines to realise that.”
You’ve got a cracking northern accent for girl from the south!
“EastEnders is actually one of the few things I’ve done when I haven’t been northern. After I left drama school in the 1990s, I moved to Manchester and I used to audition as a northerner. Think back to No Angels and I was northern. I was also another Beth in that.”
Speaking of No Angels,… Any chance of a reunion?
“We’d love to do a 10-year reunion. The four of us - Kaye Wragg, Louise Delamere, Sunetra Sarker and me – have joked about it and have almost written it in our heads. In fact, we’ve talked about properly writing it ourselves because we’d like to work together again so much.”
You’ve got another BBC drama coming up, called The Interceptor. What’s that about?
“It’s an action-packed detective series – high octane and beautifully shot. The main protagonist is a detective [played by O T Fagbenle] who intercepts drug deals but, like all good TV detectives, he hardly ever goes home. I play his long-suffering wife. It’s really good.”
What would you like to do next career-wise?
“I was in North and South 10 years ago and would love to do another costume drama. I give good wench!”
No prospect of a more permanent return to Albert Square?
“It’s nice to know it’s always there... Or is it? You can’t rely on being able to return to a soap. A new producer comes in who thinks Abi’s mum should die and Tanya’s out for good! You can’t take anything for granted.”
Ordinary Lies continues on BBC1 on Tuesday, April 14, 9pm
