Casualty exclusive with Charles Venn on Jacob’s mortuary nightmare

“Very much so. It’s a tough storyline, but relatable, filled with pathos, and will tug at the heartstrings. Before Jacob’s son Blake went missing, he was at university and doing well. All of a sudden, he went AWOL and Jacob couldn’t get hold of him. Earlier this year, Jacob found out that Blake has a baby with a woman called Danielle, who has now ended up in prison. Then last week Blake robbed his house and left a note saying ‘I’m sorry Dad’. So, Jacob knows his son is desperate and needs help…”

“It’s keeping him up at night. He’s racked with anxiety about what could be happening with his son. Jacob is also struggling to keep up his levels of professionalism at work because he is mentally and physically fatigued. But, at the same time, he needs to get paid - he’s not a man of leisure! He’s got his beautiful grandson Carter to take care of in the middle of this storm.”

“Yes, I knew about it a while back and I was really eager and raring to go. That said, I didn't expect it to go as deep as it does. There are so many rollercoasters and a lot of tears. Honestly, it’s a tough, challenging storyline but I'm enjoying sinking my teeth into it. In the upcoming episode there is quite an emotional moment that takes place that any parent would definitely be able to relate to and fear - it's the last thing you ever want to have to do; to ID your child is horrible.”

“As an actor you have to tap into dark places at times and surrender yourself to tragic or traumatic moments in your life in order to deliver an emotional performance. I really had to go to some heartrending places, but it was beautiful to share them with Di Botcher, who plays Jacob’s boss Jan Jenning. Di’s an amazing actress and Jan is a pillar of strength for Jacob in his hour of need.”

“It’s a concerning period for Jacob - with everything that’s going on there will be an outward effect where you'll start to see him behaving a bit irrationally. This storyline goes deep and becomes even more emotionally impactful because Jacob can see his son, Blake, in his grandson, little baby Carter.”

“It’s ridiculous. His cute levels are so high! Each time I see him he’s grown and growing and I don’t know if he’ll recognise me or how he’s going to respond. About two weeks ago I was working with him and I hadn't seen him for a couple of weeks. Before picking him up I was playing a couple of [peekaboo] games with him and he was smiling, so I took the plunge and his mum gave him to me. As I reached out for him, he looked at me, and then he rested his head on my chest, and his mum said, ‘He doesn't do that with anyone he doesn’t know.’ It was so cute, he seemed to have an understanding of who I am, at least that’s what it feels like, and we chilled and walked about. He's a wicked actor, honestly, he’s the best child actor I've ever worked with. When that camera rolls, he’s on cue!”

“You know what? I've always said you can never say never - things can happen! But I feel that I had a good stint and a lot happened in those nine years of nursing. All of those adventures, from Connie-gate to getting shot, it was a wonderful and amazing time. But now that time has passed, I feel like it was a Jacob reboot 2.0, but never say never. I'm very lucky, it’s a pleasure to play Jacob and the paramedic side is a wonderful new adventure; he slots into that role really well, I think.”

“I totally agree. That's a great way of looking at it and it's true, Jacob’s world has expanded from being out there as a first responder. He can be spontaneous and think on his feet, although sometimes he may do things that might not necessarily follow typical protocols, but that’s Jacob!” 

“There’s a lot going on right now. Casualty’s become a lot more daring with the choice of stunts and we’ve got some great ones coming up - you’re in for a treat! Obviously I’m not at liberty to say too much, but we’ve also got some cool characters coming in, but I can’t give any more away than that!”

[Laughing] “Do you know what, Jacob is a people person. He's got time for everyone… he's a good listener, I will say that much! Let’s just say, he’s hopeful that one day he’ll meet someone, but obviously, he’s handling a tough juggle at the moment. I think Jacob’s eyes are always going to be open [to the possibility of romance] but I think I can safely say that his priority at this point is his family. But keep digging, there ain't nothing wrong with digging!”

“Carrie and Carla are a wonderful acting duo. Typically Jacob always has a soft spot for anyone, particularly a woman who’s showing such vulnerability and signs of confusion. I think it has to do with the fact that she reminds him of his late mother Omo (played by Ellen Thomas) and her schizophrenia. That’s why this patient story really strikes a chord with him and he feels compelled to really help Bridge and Niamh. Sadly, through a sequence of events, unfortunately, she accuses him of lying and, of course, it brings back memories of his mother and that sense of distrust. It was a really beautiful episode to work on.”

“It was lovely to hear Kellie say that, it was really sweet. I remember she came on board when I had this quite meaty handover and she was like, ‘Wow, I’m in awe of that,’ and I said, ‘When I can get those handovers out, I’m in awe of myself!’ They’re such mouthfuls, it's unbelievable. You have to be as prepared as possible so you can get them done in a day, they’re so tricky. Kellie is lovely and a wonderful addition to the show. There is definitely a nice vibe and energy between Jacob and Sophia and because of upcoming events, they are in communication more, although I'm not at liberty to say any more!”