Weddings could also be literally the kiss of death for a character. A gunman opened fire at nurse Julie Holland's wedding, while Liz Kennedy was electrocuted by a faulty lamp after returning from hers. Not all the actors left in such a dramatic fashion though. Many characters simply disappeared from the screen, being referred to from time to time to give the impression they were still in the hospital. Some would return to the screen a few months later as if they hadn't been away, while others simply ceased to be mentioned at all.
Surely many a patient lay desperate for medical attention while a young doctor ushered a petite nurse into store cupboard or examination room for a "chat". Some of the busiest Romeos of all were Chris Piper, Peter Holland and Ben Fielding, who between them broke the hearts of many of their colleagues, patients and viewers!
At the hub of all this activity was Ada Simmonds, the gossipy, but maternal kiosk lady. The kiosk proved an excellent place for characters to discuss ongoing plotlines while Ada fixed them a sandwich, thus bringing the viewers up to date on the action. It was also ideally placed to witness any emergency admissions to the hospital, including a worryingly high number of staff members (which meant many medical storylines weren't complicated by the addition, or expense, of other actors).
Many of the younger cast members were former models taking on their first acting roles. This bevy of beautiful youngsters was counterbalanced by a group of older and more experienced actors playing the Hospital's authority figures, most notably the feared Sister Scott, Sister Jeffries, Dr Shaw and of course, Ada Margaret Simmonds. While the young docs and nurses came and went, many of the older cast stayed for all, or most, of the show's run.
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