TV TIMES 17
I
t’s a time-honoured
tradition that when a
new character makes
their debut in Casualty,
their first day on the wards
is a baptism of fire.
However, when Cold Feet star
Jacey Salles arrives as new hospital
porter Rosa Cadenas this week, she
turns this custom on its head, and
instead it’s timid nurse David Hide
(Jason Durr) who ends up having
a challenging shift!
TV Times booked an appointment
for an exclusive interview with the
fun and fabulous
Jacey, 53, to
find out how
the sparks are
set to fly...How would you
describe Rosa?
She’s Venezuelan
and a very
outspoken
and confident
person. On her first day, she does
things she’s not supposed to, like
interrupting medical procedures,
telling parents they aren’t doing a
very good job and generally sticking
her oar in. She ruffles quite a few
feathers – David’s, in particular!We hear that she also approaches
clinical lead Connie Beauchamp- a big no-no!
Yes, Rosa simply has no regard
for hierarchy! David tries to stop
Rosa, but she needs to speak to
Mrs Beauchamp, so she says hello
and introduces herself. Rosa’s just
that kind of character. She finds the
British reserve equally amusing
and frustrating. Rosa thinks: ‘If
there’s a job to be done, let’s not
sit on formalities.’How does David react to Rosa’s
outspoken behaviour?
He’s confused! He tries to remind
Rosa that her job is to literally
ferry people from here to there.
He reels off her self-proclaimed
expertise, from car mechanic
to child psychologist, and then
sarcastically wonders if there’s
any end to her unsolicited talents.
She really frustrates him!What does Rosa make of David?
When Rosa
hears David
on the phone
talking about
his car and
being bumbling,
she finds him
attractive in an
amusing way.
She realises he
takes very little
winding up. But
when he gets over wound up, she
stops and lets him know she’s only
joking. David finds himself reacting
to Rosa in spite of himself and
wishing he hadn’t. It’s very funny- Jason’s timing is impeccable.
Are you enjoying working so
closely with Jason?
Yes, Jason is brilliant, I love him.
His character is so well-honed and
he’s a joy to work opposite. The
Casualty producers are very open
to you taking ownership of your
character and having some input,and Jason and
I do that a lot. We add these small
movements or things that aren’t
scripted but which reveal a little
more about our characters.David’s a much-loved character
and has been battling mental-
health issues. Should viewers
be worried about Rosa’s impact
on his wellbeing?
No, don’t worry, because Rosa
will look after David. In time, he
finds himself drawn to her honesty
because Rosa is practical and cuts
to the chase – she grounds him,
and sometimes he needs that.
He’s in good hands with her. She
wouldn’t do anything to harm him- in fact, just the opposite. She’s
a force for good!
Does this mean you’ll be on the
show for a while?
I’m under contract until October.
So I’m sure that there will be
a discussion about whether to
continue exploring Rosa’s character
or not. She might end up suffering
an awful fate – who knows?!
Casualty’s a pleasure to work on,
and so exciting to be a part of.How does Rosa compare to
zealous Spanish nanny Ramona
Ramirez, your character in ITV
comedy drama Cold Feet?
Rosa is Ramona’s opposite. She
feels more mature. Ramona can
be a bit dippy! Also Ramona needs
people around her but Rosa’s more
solitary, like a cat. We’re going to
slowly reveal Rosa’s past and why
she came to Britain. Let’s just say
that she’s had a life...It’s recently been announced
that Cold Feet will return for
a ninth series. Will we see you
back as Ramona?
[Laughs] I risk being beheaded if
I say! For now, I’m really enjoying
portraying Rosa and hope thatviewers like her. It’s funny, we
have got David and Ramona in
Cold Feet and now we have David
and Rosa in Casualty. I’ve been
saying ‘David’ in a Spanish accent
for over 20 years!Are people surprised by your
English accent off-screen?
Yes, a lot of people think I’m a
Spanish actress living in England
and expect a big Spanish [Jacey
seamlessly slips into character],
‘Hello darling, how are you?’ I was
born in London. My mum’s English
and my dad’s Spanish. When I was
aged one, we moved to Ibiza and
my parents had bars and clubs out
there. We came back to London
when I was 12, so I grew up in
both places. My family think it’s
hilarious when I play Spanish.
But I’m so grateful we moved out
there. It definitely helps with the
intonation and rhythm, and makes
it more believable.What other Casualty storylines
are you enjoying at the moment?
They’re all great, aren’t they?
Charlie and Duffy’s plot is just
so tragic. Nurse Jacob Masters’
recent storyline with his mother
Omo made me think about my
own mum. I also find Gabriella
Leon’s nurse Jade really interesting,
and I’m eagerly waiting on Genesis
Lynea’s doctor, Archie Hudson,
to blow her stack!Finally, before we go, we have
to ask, will Rosa get to discover
what’s inside David’s mysterious
multicoloured bum bag?!
Rosa’s definitely interested in
his bum bag. Jason finds it really
hilarious. He’s shown me, but
I can’t tell anyone!
ElainE REillyDRAMA
CASUALTY IS PREVIEWED
ON PAGES 32-DRAMA
Casualty
SATURDAY / BBC1 / 8.25PMShe ruffles
quite a few
feathers –
Dav id’s, in
particular!
PHOTOS: BBC, GETTY, JASON MITCHELLWorlds apart: Rosa
enjoys winding
up DavidJacey with her
Cold Feet co-
stars in 2003