As Holby's Matteo Rossini finds out estranged wife Nina Karnik is having his baby, she has to decide if she wants him to be a father, as Ayesha Dharker reveals…
Holby's Ayesha Dharker talks Nina's parenting dilemma...
Matteo (Christian Vit) finds out Nina's pregnant in Holby this week. How does he react?
"Matteo does that very Italian male thing of just wading in and making lots of big decisions about the future… but Nina's having none of it!"
We know they're still both reeling from their son, Nico's, disappearance…
"They are… and they're both kind of control freaks. It's interesting when you see characters really struggle with the things they've been handed because they're both trying to find solutions in their own way."
What does Nina want to do?
"Nina imagines just taking off with the baby, going somewhere else and doing it on her own. But, of course, that's not gonna work. That's when Matteo suggests not having any sort of relationship but co-parenting. But that's not gonna work either."
Why not?
"Nina's head is in a mess because Matteo is the love of her life. If this was their first child, it would be a happy time. But with their past tinged with sadness, being parents all over again is going to be complicated."
She could easily let her heart rule her head though…
"Yes, she could, but she doesn't and that takes guts. But Nina's a proper grown-up, she really is quite ballsy. I'm not a hugely mature person at times but the difference between myself and Nina is that she never settles, she really holds out for what she wants, whether that's in her professional or personal life."
Later that day, when a patient's condition deteriorates, however, Matteo's suddenly hit by grief for his lost son, grief he's never let out. Can Matteo and Nina reunite?
"Nina’s been waiting for Matteo to just be honest with her. After all these two have been through, it seems there’s still enough love there to base a whole new cycle of life on."
Holby City continues on Tuesdays at 8pm on BBC1.
