A cancer patient makes Michael Spence realise it's time to be a proper dad in Holby City this week, as Hari Dhillion reveals...
This week, Michael's eldest daughter Jasmine arrives at Holby from America where she now lives. How does Michael feel about being apart from this family?
"Michael thinks the whole situation of him being in England while his ex-wife and two kids are in the States is a little absurd. He's finding it difficult being separated from his kids and only having limited access. He feels like an observer in his own life."
How has Michael's personal life been affected how he's been able to treat his patients at Holby?
"Since his children left, Michael's almost become detached from his patients. He could be dealing with something in the moment, but his mind is clearly elsewhere."
In this episode, Michael stays to treat cancer patient Seb, making him unable to pick Jasmine up from the airport. So she's very unimpressed when she arrives at Holby...
"Jasmine's 13 now, so she's at an age where she needs her father and Michael recognises that for the first time. He's starting to realise that, as much as he needs his children, they need him too."
Will viewers begin to see a different side to Michael?
"Definitely! We're starting to see a different side to Michael from the girl-chasing, hard-living, ambitious doctor he's always been - it's changed his character quite profoundly."
Is the storyline almost like 'art imitating life' for you, as an American living in England with a family in the States?
"Well, most of my extended family is based in California, San Francisco and Los Angeles, but my partner and kids are here. That said, my partner was considering teaching in the States for a while so, although she would have only been gone a month or two, I'd have been in the same situation as Michael. That would have been too weird for words!"
