McDonald & Dodds stars remember their first ever roles in EastEnders
From Albert Square to leading McDonald & Dodds together.
Jason Watkins and Tala Gouveia are back for McDonald & Dodds season 4 – for what will likely be another string of perplexing Bath-set mysteries.
While the pair hold a beloved slot in our TV schedules as their detective duo in the cosy crime drama, they coincidentally both got their first roles in a very well-known soap.
Having both started out with their first roles in EastEnders, the pair reflect on their initial acting gigs in this week's issue of Radio Times magazine.
Speaking about their roles, Gouveia revealed: "I was Nurse Green – every time a character was shoved down the stairs, she’d be called in. EastEnders always rang me just as I ran out of money!"
Watkins also revealed: "I played Gerry Fairweather – he represented the yuppie tide of 1987. He was an obnoxious trader with a Porsche, a Psion Organiser and a mobile phone, who drank in The Dagmar. Angie Watts [Anita Dobson], who worked there, punched me and said, 'I’m leaving and I ain’t coming back.'"
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The fourth season of McDonald & Dodds is set to be released soon, having kicked off filming in Bath last year. The series, of course, follows Watkins and Gouveia as DS Dodds and DCI Lauren McDonald, respectively, a pair of detectives that couldn't be further apart in terms of personalities.
While Lauren has had experience working in London and is a little more hard-nosed because of it, Dodds is a lot more shy and doesn't mind simply doing the paperwork. The mismatched duo has proven popular with viewers, with the series now in its fourth run.
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Speaking about their hopes for the series, Gouveia said: "Now that we have the format, it’s fun to break it a little bit, which is what we do in the new series. To keep bringing in young and hungry directors is really important."
Similarly, Watkins added: "The increasing scale and having big stars playing great characters is exciting. Our lovely relationship should always evolve and be stretched by the material."
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As usual, this season will also be home to a slate of new guest characters including Lost in Space's Toby Stephens, Lydia Leonard (Gentleman Jack), Daniel Lapaine (Catastrophe), Dipo Ola (Landscapers), John Gordon Sinclair (Gregory’s Girl) and Ace Bhatti (Line of Duty).
Returning main cast also includes Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) as Chief Superintendent Ormond and Charlie Chambers (EastEnders) as DC Goldie, with Bhavik C Pankhania (World On Fire) joining the cast in the new role of DC Lee.
McDonald & Dodds season 4 is coming soon to ITV1. Catch up on ITVX.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
