Marc Elliott talks exclusively to What's on TV about Isaac's demise in Holby City...
Isaac Mayfield's true colours fully emerged in the latest Holby City as he brutally attacked Lofty, the nurse hubby of his ex Dominic Copeland. Although he's been carted off by the cops once more, Marc Elliott reveals that this may not be the last we've seen of Mr Mayfield...
So, in the latest Holby City we saw Isaac Mayfield being ousted from the hospital in disgrace – again! – after attacking popular nurse Lofty. What was it like being back on the show?
"It's just like going home. It sounds like an absolute line but it really is just like going home to a big lovely family. It's just so welcoming. It was lovely and I really wanted to stay. It's just a shame Isaac's such a massive a***hole! With a show like that, you can only do so much before there's no possibility of another return and Isaac was particularly heinous this time round."
We were beginning to think Isaac had changed since being imprisoned following his violent attack on Dominic Copeland (David Ames) the last time he was at Holby. But his true colours soon emerged…
"I know. Unbeknownst to Dom, Isaac was back at Holby for revenge. Revenge for being imprisoned. All of it. Isaac’s a game-player and he believed it was 1-0 to Dom. So Isaac wanted to make sure he was top of the leaderboard again. He was not back for love. Just to win."
And where did Dom’s estranged hubby Lofty (Lee Mead) fit into Isaac’s game?
"Well, because the work Isaac’s doing on Dominic isn’t necessarily paying off, he goes to work on Lofty because there’s this idea of divide and conquer as well. Isaac manages to get his claws into Lofty with some emotional play-acting, then makes a play for him. But Lofty’s not having any of it and confronts him…"
And that’s when Isaac viciously attacks Lofty…
"That’s right. I think Isaac’s aggression always comes out of him being in a corner or losing. And, by confronting him, Lofty does both. Because Isaac feels like he’s losing, he’s left with nothing but violence to win. So, as Isaac, I don’t get to smack Dom around this time. But Lofty gets it!"
What were those scenes like to film?
"They weren’t hard for me to film but I think they’re possibly harder for the person having to respond to the violence because A) physically, I think it’s harder to respond to a punch than throw one and b) you’re the one who’s having to take all that.
"So, no, I don’t find it particularly difficult, not because I myself am a psychopath, but I imagine it was quite hard for Lee and I think I did hurt his neck because it took a long time to film that scene, over and over again, about six hours’ worth of having to be kicked and punched. Poor old Lee but he was a trouper and it was lovely working with him because I’ve never met him before."
So do you think Holby fans are ever likely to see Isaac again?
"Well, of course I’ll say never say never but that’s just because I want another job! It’ll take a very gifted writer to figure out how Isaac comes back after this. Personally, I think there’s still unfinished business because there’s no way Isaac would have lost a second time and not try and get back for third. But next time he’ll want to take Dom out full stop!"
Holby City is on Thursday next week!
