Casualty's Charles Venn discovered sister's tragic death while filming
Casualty star Charles 'Chucky' Venn has opened up about the heartbreak he faced while filming the hit BBC medical drama. On the show, Charles' character, paramedic Jacob Masters, is known for supporting his colleagues, but one day saw the roles reversed.
Just two days before the 52-year-old was due to take annual leave from his work, he found out that his sister had tragically died. Despite the heartache he was facing, London-born Charles carried on with his filming commitments, with his pals, whom he describes as a family, rallying around him.
When asked about the most challenging aspect of being on a medical drama, Charles told the Mirror: "It's about being switched on and delivering when the camera says 'action'. You might be all over the place in rehearsals, just figuring it out, mapping out what's going on and how you're going to deliver this. But when the camera rolls, you deliver because we're presenting a show for our audience.
"We're humans like everybody else, and then we go through what we go through. Speaking for myself, I've had challenges and still somehow being able to deliver, that's the hardest challenge."
Charles, bravely went on to add: "In my case, when my junior sister passed away, unexpectedly, this would have been three years ago on June 7. I was in my hotel room. I had to go to work the next day. She officially passed away around 4am. I had two days at work before I was due to go home.
"In my insane mind, I thought I could get through those two days. I really thought I would. It was still very raw in my head and my brain. I came to work, I was subdued, anybody who knows me would tell you I'm lively, full of energy, but I was very subdued, and it was still reeling, what just happened was very raw.
"I believe I got through the scene, I think I did, someone asked me 'Are you ok?' in my dressing room and of course, I wasn't. They were kind enough to let me go home. But it's the that same thing of despite what's going on, the challenges, being able to put that to the side and deliver a performance, play the scene, play what's required for the character to tell his story - that's the biggest challenge."
Charles, who has also appeared on the likes of EastEnders and Strictly Come Dancing, first burst onto Casualty on July 18, 2015, and since then, has become a firm favourite amongst fans and his colleagues. "I never foresaw that," he said of being on the show for a decade.
He added: "It's such a familiar feeling here and you feel as though you're not going through anything on your own. There's always someone to talk to and that's beautiful, it's really refreshing, somewhat rare. Any changes, interfaceable, it doesn't matter. As a team, guaranteed, we'll get through it together."
But one change his team has faced, Iain Dean and Teddy Gowan have left the paramedic station in hopes of joining the H.A.R.T team, leaving Jacob to work more closely with Jan Jenning and Indie Jankowski. "It's weird, no matter what, the show must go on," he said, adding: "They're now focused on that department.
"I think in some ways, if Jacob's situation was different, he'd have probably jumped in as well. I still think he's as fit as any of those guys. I'll hold the fort while those guys do their things over there." One role that fans have taken to their hearts is Jacob's bond with student medic, Indie.
"Indie, played by Naomi, she's a wonderful actress," he gushed. He added: "Since she came on board, she hit the ground running. Jacob almost views her like a little sister, it's that kind of fatherly role whenever she feels she may need. He's there for that, Naomi and I have really embraced that, whenever we see moments like that, we try to place weight on those moments. Once again, it goes back to camaraderie and a family-esque environment, work-wise. It can be testing and stressful working in a high-demand job as a paramedic because of all the things that you can encounter.
"And seeing someone like Indie, who's still learning as she's going along, she's flawed, she makes mistakes – we all do but obviously her inexperience, her's are somewhat more pronounced." Although the show has never shied away from touching on serious topics that many experience, one close to Jacob's heart, is his son Blake's schizophrenia.
"It's been eye-opening," Charles said of the storyline. He continued: "Eye-opening to the audience but it's eye-opening as well to myself and of course, the wonderful David Ajayi who plays Blake. It has been a real journey. On one hand, I enjoyed it but of course, at the same time, it can be harrowing.
"David is such a wonderful visual actor that when he performs having an episode, a manic schizophrenic episode, it is very much an in your face kind of performance. And he's unrelenting when he does go into that mode. When you speak to David, he's the polar opposite of Blake, he's a transformative actor – it brings it even more home, the fact that he has to go to that place himself to really deliver.
"It's been a great journey, a really powerful journey. I've really enjoyed working with him." This season, Supply and Demand, sees the emergency department and the paramedics battling the harrowing reality of opioid addiction, with a dodgy batch of heroin circulating.
"We're somewhat used to dealing with these heavy, hard-hitting storylines," Charles explained, adding: "That's one of the magical qualities of Casuality, it's strength is in really having the stones face head on, difficult storylines, coercive control, men facing it, Covid-19, when it was very raw, the aftermath of that wretched time in our history.
"And this mass drug overdose, drug shortage, the NHS being brought to its knees for a time. It's all of these things which are very raw and touch a nerve because people are going through this right now as we speak. So in this instance, with drug overdoses and unfortunate suicides and misadventures, it's tough.
"I won't mention names but there are some people who are experiencing or have experienced situations close to home, so it is quite raw in that regard. It goes back to that family-esque environment that we have here. A lot of shoulders have been cried upon dealing with these issues."
One situation that left Jacob torn, was Blake's schizophrenia medication being unavailable due to shortages, leading Jacob to look online for other solutions. He said: "As a father, that was difficult to watch. We as actors, we have to capitalise on those moments to bring as much truth as truth as we can to us to a scene. Yeah, when we were going through those scenes, it was it was hard."
Charles hinted that upcoming episodes will see questions being asked. "These drug shortages really spill into areas it shouldn't be. I don't want to sound too cryptic but let's just say, fingers are going to be pointed at certain people. Accusations being made, that's going to lead to some frictitious circumstances and situations. Lines are being crossed, friends are going to be facing off."
Casualty airs tonight at 8:50pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
If you need support for your mental health the following resources are available
The NHS Choices website lists the following helplines and support networks for people to talk to.
Samaritans (116 123 in UK and Ireland) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year. If you prefer to write down how you're feeling, or if you're worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.
Childline (0800 1111) runs a helpline for children and young people in the UK. Calls are free and the number won't show up on your phone bill.
PAPYRUS (0800 068 41 41) is a voluntary organisation supporting teenagers and young adults who are feeling suicidal.
Mind (0300 123 3393) is a charity based in England providing advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
Students Against Depression is a website for students who are depressed, have a low mood or are having suicidal thoughts.
Bullying UK is a website for both children and adults affected by bullying.
If U Care Share is a suicide prevention and postvention support charity. For free confidential text support text IUCS to 85258.
James' Place provide free, life-saving treatment for suicidal men, and those identifying as male, in the North East. Men can refer themselves or be referred by a professional including those working in health and community services, or by a friend or family
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