Former EastEnders actress Amanda Drew is to appear in a string of episodes of Holby Blue. Amanda, who played deranged doctor May Wright in EastEnders last year, will play Judy, a woman trapped in an abusive marriage. In EastEnders, Amanda's character May tied up Dawn Swann (Kara Tointon) and tried to steal her baby, which had been fathered by May's husband Rob (Stuart Laing). Of her new character, Amanda said: "Looking at her, you wouldn't know that she feels the level of tragedy she does. Judy chooses not to focus on her situation so it's almost as if she's in a trance. "She's been married for about 20 years to a social worker called Sean and they have a son. She has become enveloped by the strength of her husband's personality and the powerful control he has over the family." Amanda clearly relished the meaty storyline, but she insists it wasn't all doom and gloom during filming. "Even though it was a heavy storyline we did have some fun when my character had to be sick! I had to take a mouthful of various unpleasant things all mixed together to make her look like she was really being ill. "In the end, the production team used apple juice mixed with porridge oats to give it some substance!" While Amanda is relishing her new role, she hasn't completely ruled out a return to Walford for 'Mad May'? She said: "There is a possibility of returning as May because she didn't die. "I'm always very surprised at how much the public react to me after EastEnders. The show is so popular and people instantaneously recognise me from it."
