Casualty EXCLUSIVE: Anna Chell on an explosive new chapter for Jodie Whyte

“I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to do everything I have so far, from stunts to working on location, in such a short space of time. It was daunting when I first started but I feel now I’ve really found my feet. Every day is exciting — getting a new script through, the buzz on set, I couldn’t ask for greater company, and I’m learning so much.”

"It’s so funny. We need a bloopers reel, it would be ridiculous! Sometimes if we're working and, for example, a prop falls — just the way we react to stuff like that in the moment, we're always having a laugh. It doesn’t feel like work!"

“The paramedics bring in a patient who’s in a lot of pain and covered in mud. Jodie and her colleagues get him into resus and, as they start cleaning him up they discover that he’s badly burnt. Then World War Two bombs — a couple of grenades and a glass bottle — fall out of his bag. As the episode goes on it gets more and more intense…”

“They’re panic-stricken but they need to work out what to do next. When the glass bottle accidentally starts to roll off a counter, Ryan (Eddie-Joe Robinson) catches it and then discovers a crack in it. Dylan (William Beck), who has so much random knowledge, realises that when air gets into the bottle you’ve only so many seconds before it explodes. Ryan can’t deal with the pressure of holding the bomb, so Jodie takes it off him and holds it herself while she waits for the bomb disposal experts to come.” 

“It was a big shoot with a lot of long days, but I loved the intensity of it. Ciaran Kellgren (The Ipcress File), who plays Jed is great. You see Jodie and Jed form a really beautiful relationship very quickly in a scary situation. I think Jodie struggles to trust men because of her father, Max. We see Jodie essentially putting her life in Jed’s hands. They manage to get out of resus, but then the bomb explodes. You’ll have to watch to find out what happens next…”

“Completely. It’s telling that she copes under pressure by taking the reins — she’s done this since she was a kid. In this life or death situation she’s holding that bomb and thinking about her mum [who has passed away]. She explains a little about her childhood to Jed and he uses it to try to make her comfortable while they’re manoeuvring out of resus with the bomb. There’s comedy to it, but then it’s broken by the explosion…”

“Yes, you really see what Jodie means to Max in these moments. I love working with Nige, I remember him in EastEnders, and if I have any nerves he’s always there to reassure me. He also makes me laugh a lot! It’s lovely because we’ve got a lot of vulnerable scenes together. After this episode someone starts spreading horrible rumours about Max and Jodie. The rumour situation is going to be hard for her to navigate…”

[Laughing] “Of course! That’s a really nice episode because we get to see a lot of Jodie and Cam Mickelwaith’s dynamic and relationship. It’s a fine example of Jodie getting herself into another situation, but it shows her fearlessness. I got to meet a real snake in person — I was buzzing!”

“Yes, she’s strong and untouchable in a way, but she also makes mistakes. She fails beautifully but always comes back. I’m not squeamish or scared of heights or anything like that and like her I like to give things a go, so it’s fab as an actor that I’m getting to experience so much. Casualty is a great show to be part of.”