'I Might Annoy The Viewers!'

Former EastEnders star Maddy Hill on her joy at playing a pedantic paramedic and why she’s now a qualified HGV driver…

- Emma Bullimore

As fans will know, Casualty has its fair share of rule breakers skulking round the ED, so it makes a welcome change to meet a character who is determined to do everything by the book.

But some rules are made to be broken and newly qualified paramedic Ruby Sparks is soon driving everyone round the bend with her inflexible approach on a nightmare first shift.

Luckily, off-screen, Maddy Hill, 28 – who played Nancy Carter in EastEnders from 2014-2016, and won a Best Newcomer National TV Award for the role in 2015 – has had a lovely introduction to the Saturday night medical drama and fitted in with her new castmates straight away.

Chatting to TV Times on a rare day off, her enthusiasm for the job is infectious. Here, she reveals all about her extensive preparations for the role, and why you might not like her new character…

What can you tell us about Ruby?

She’s the polar opposite of Nancy Carter! She’s very pedantic and rule-abiding – the kind of character I haven’t really played before. I’ve always wanted to play someone who does everything by the book because I think there’s a lot of comedy in it. Audiences always warm to characters who play the hero and trust their instincts, but there’s absolutely none of that with Ruby, so she might really annoy the viewers!

She certainly winds up her fellow paramedics Sam and Iain doesn’t she?