Casualty newcomer reveals the reason why she was apprehensive about joining the show

EMBARGOED 09/04/24 Siobhan goes into shock when she realises what she's done!

(Image credit: BBC Studios)

Casualty newbie Melanie Hill has opened up about her reservations about playing the role of Clinical Nurse Manager Siobhan Mackenzie in the BBC show.

The actor, who has recently joined the Casualty cast, revealed in a new interview that she's a "bit of a hypochondriac" therefore being part of the team at Holby "probably not the best part to be playing."

The actor joined the cast of the hit medical drama at the start of 2024, but has already won over fans of the medical drama with her no-fuss approach.

Speaking to the Express, Melanie explained that after witnessing some harrowing moments in A&E herself, the violent incidents, where the producers and writers are shining a spotlight on verbal and physical assults within the NHS, in the script for Casualty weren't a big surprise to her.

She told the publication, "I wasn't really surprised because I have had various times when I've been in A&E waiting rooms and I’ve seen things. So it wasn't too much of a shock to me."

Before going on to say that she has learned a lot more about the "medical stuff," which has been "fascinating". The actor continued, "But I'll tell you what I have learned and that's all the medical stuff. That has been fascinating because I'm really interested in that side as well.

"So I'm learning about symptoms and diseases and I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. So probably not the best part to be playing," she laughed, "but I have really enjoyed learning about that."

Embargoed 19-03-2024 Siobhan is less than discreet when she tells Rash what she thinks of Patrick in Casualty. — (Image credit: BBC Studios)

She continued, "I take my hat off to the paramedics because they have the hardest language and I'm continually in awe when they come in and do the massive speeches of what is actually going on with the patient. Luckily, I just get to stand there and listen to the stuff that nurses do and calculate and stuff like that.

"So I don't really have to do the bulk of all that - it's mainly, obviously the doctors on call and the paramedic."

Tune in next week on Saturday 13th April to find out what's next in store for the residents of Holby ED.

Casualty airs on BBC One — check out our guide to every episode for all the latest news and spoilers.

Viewers can also now tune into Casualty at 6 am on the day the show airs on BBC iPlayer.

Lauren is the former Deputy Digital Editor at woman&home and became a journalist mainly because she enjoys being nosy. With a background in features journalism, Lauren worked on the woman&home brand for four years before going freelance. Before woman&home Lauren worked across a variety of women's lifestyle titles, including GoodTo, Woman's Own, and Woman magazine. After starting out working for a local paper in Yorkshire, her journalism career took her to Bristol where she hunted out stories for national papers and magazines at Medavia news agency, before landing a job in London working as a lifestyle assistant.

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