It's a very unLucky day for acting Holby CEO Max McGerry, who's unimpressed when a face from her past turns up, as Jo Martin reveals...
To say it's been a tough few weeks for Max McGerry in Holby City is an understatement.
The hospital's acting CEO has had enough on her plate trying to run Holby in the middle of a pandemic, so the last thing she needs is an unwelcome face from her past turning up.
Max is horrified when she comes across the hospital’s new mental health nurse Lucky Simpson, who's played by actress Vineeta Rishi, best known to soap fans for playing Doctors’ Jas Khella.
As Max gives Lucky a frosty welcome, it’s obvious the two women have a LOT of history.
As they talk, Max assures Lucky they won’t be working ‘together’ - Lucky will be working for HER, in the hospital that SHE runs, despite Lucky's best efforts to once try and ruin Max's career!
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"Max has no filter, she’s absolutely fearless and doesn’t deal in political correctness," says actress Jo Martin, who plays the formidable surgeon. "Sometimes I’ll read my scripts on the train and laugh out loud thinking: 'My goodness – is she really going to say that?'"
Later, when Lucky sees Max fly off the handle at a patient, she takes her aside for a chat and the real reason behind their past fall-out is FINALLY revealed. You'll have to watch to find out why but the drama doesn't end there...
As Max discovers Lucky has been in touch with her transgender son Louis AND gave him advice about his transition, she explodes and wants Lucky OUT of the hospital!
Already struggling with the financial burden of keeping Holby’s doors open, Max can’t cope with anything else and orders Lucky to resign - or she’ll sack her! But Lucky assures her she’s not going anywhere… Will she get under Max's skin?
"As much as she’s this strong and powerful woman, Max still has her demons," says Jo. "There’s a sadness in her life she’s trying to repress. And that will continue to bubble up."
Holby City continues Tuesdays at 8pm on BBC1.
