Georgia Taylor Interview

After four amazing years on CASUALTY, Georgia Taylor bows out of CASUALTY this weekend along with co-star Ben Turner. But she leaves behind the legacy of being one of the show’s most popular characters to date. With some great storylines and acting performances behind her, she will be greatly missed on the show by her fans. holby.tv talk to Georgia about her time on the show.

You’ve been on the show for four years, why have you decided to leave CASUALTY?

I’ve had an amazing four years on the show but felt ready to tackle some other roles and new challenges. It was important for me to go out on a high and not have the audience get bored of ‘Ruth’!

Did CASUALTY’s move to Cardiff have any influence in your decision to go and have you been up to visit the new Set?

The move to Cardiff did not influence my decision to leave the show as I’d already made the decision about a year ago. It felt special to leave in the last episode shot in Bristol and I wish the show continued success in it’s new home in Cardiff. I have visited the new set and it’s much bigger with lots of new areas to shoot in which I’m sure the cast and directors will find both challenging and inspiring.

What will you miss most about working on CASUALTY?

I will definitely miss the people the most. It’s such a wonderful show to work on because everybody really looks after each other, there is a real sense of being a little community and a huge amount of humour on set!

Are you pleased at how your character has progressed during your time on the show?

Yes Ruth’s ‘journey’ over the last few years has been fascinating to play and I felt that the producers and writers really invested in the character. It’s certainly never been dull!

Ruth is a popular character with holby.tv fans, why do you think she has such a strong fanbase and what feedback do you get from viewers about her?

I’m not sure why Ruth is popular with the viewers as she’s certainly not the cuddliest or most lovable of characters! I suppose people respond to a character who is flawed as it makes them, at times, unpredictable but also human. Viewers are generally very positive about her and just want to see her be happy!

What have been some of your most memorable storylines to play?

I would say Ruth’s breakdown and sectioning were the most memorable scenes to play. It was incredibly challenging and exhausting but I felt so supported by the cast and crew and the response that the episode got was extraordinary. I’m very proud to have been part of a storyline with the spotlight on mental health.

Ben Turner also leaves CASUALTY with you, have you enjoyed playing Ruth & Jay’s romance and are you pleased that you had your exit storyline together?

I have LOVED working with Ben Turner over the last few years. We have an easy, natural chemistry as friends and despite the sometimes dramatic nature of our scenes we always managed to have a laugh! It was nice to be able to portray a slightly softer side of Ruth and Jay brought that out in her. It felt perfect that we should leave together.

What was your last day on Set like? Did you get any nice leaving gifts?

Our last day on set was slightly odd because Ben and I stayed on for an extra week’s filming as the rest of the cast took their summer break. This meant that they weren’t around on our last day which in some ways may have been for the best as I’m sure I’d have been a blubbering mess! They did spoil us both rotten before they left though with leaving drinks, gifts and hilarious home-made videos.

Who do you hope to keep in touch with from the cast now that you’ve left?

I will keep in touch with most of the cast in one way or another. Lucy Gaskell (who played Kirsty) and I have been friends for years as we went to school together so we’ll continue to be in touch. I’m also very close to Sunetra Sarker, Hasina Haque, Jane Hazelgrove, Michael French and Christine Tremarco and see them all whenever I can. To be honest I have soft spots for all of them including the gorgeous Tony Marshall, Suzanne Packer, Derek Thompson, Steve Miller, Will Beck, Matt Bardock and Charlie Dale who I’ve known for years…….so basically all of them! What’s exciting about this business is you never know when you’ll bump into people again on future jobs. Oh and of course it goes without saying that Ben and I will stay in touch!

Have there ever been any funny/ pranks or embarrassing moments on set that you can share?

It’s difficult to remember specific moments as there have been so many but I have to say my most favourite thing is when Suzanne(Tess) gets the giggles! She is the consummate professional most of the time and a superb actress but when she corpses there’s nothing to do but join in. I have fond memories of getting the giggles so uncontrollably that I had tears streaming down my face!

What would you like to do in the future career-wise? Have you got anything lined up?

I’m open to most things to be honest! I would very much like to do some more theatre if the right project comes along and am just keen to explore characters who are different to Ruth. I’ve just finished filming a guest on ITV’s ‘Lewis’.

Who or what inspired you to become an actress?

I can’t single out a particular moment which inspired me to become an actress but I did have a wonderful Drama teacher at high school and she always encouraged and supported me.

Finally, do you have a message for fans of holby.tv who have supported you through your time on CASUALTY?

I would just like to say a huge thankyou to the fans of holby.tv for taking this dysfunctional, messed up, ambitious and often bitchy character to their hearts! It’s so lovely that the fans saw past her hard exterior and saw the frightened little girl underneath it all. Also, part of the reason that the producers kept getting Ruth and Jay back together was because the fans responded to them together so well ….so thankyou!!