Casualty spoilers follow.
Student paramedic Indie Jankowski has slotted effortlessly into the Casualty team, but she’s been hiding big secrets from her colleagues.
She has been struggling financially since her grandmother’s death, and this week, she treats a patient in prison who turns out to be none other than her estranged dad.
“We’re not sure what the nature of their relationship is in that first scene, so it’s quite sinister,” actor Naomi Wakszlak explains about the tense meeting as Indie tries to keep her past under wraps. “He’s desperate for her to acknowledge him, and she’s silently begging him not to drop her in it.”
Naomi sat down to chat with us about joining the Holby gang and working with Martin Hancock (aka Spider from Corrie) on this dramatic new story.
BBC
Hi Naomi! How does Indie react when Jacob tells her about the callout at the prison?
“She’s terrified she’ll be exposed, because she knows there are plenty of opportunities at the prison for Jacob to find out she has a personal connection. She’s desperate to appear competent and wants her work colleagues to trust that she’s a good paramedic.”
What is Indie’s relationship like with her dad at this point?
“It’s been a disappointment. She’s spent most of her childhood trying to see the best in him and to maintain a solid relationship, but he’s been in and out of prison.
“When she went to university, she had made peace with the fact that she’s not as important to him as he is to her, which is horrible. She’s still hoping he’ll do the right thing, but I doubt he will…”
BBC
Why does she want to hide this secret from her colleagues?
“Indie has spent her whole life hiding the parts of herself that make her different from her peers – her academic differences, her financial differences, and her home life.
“She wants to prove herself and thinks she needs to mould into the best version of herself in order to be respected. She wants to be relied upon and accepted.”
What has it been like working with Martin Hancock, who plays Indie’s dad?
“Unlike Indie and Samuel, Naomi and Martin get on like a house on fire! He’s been great to work with. He brings such vulnerability to Samuel, and for Indie, that vulnerability makes her want to give him a second chance, despite the red flags.
“We’re very lucky to have Martin. We giggled a lot – even in prison!”
For more from Naomi on Indie’s career so far, pick up Inside Soap – out now.
Casualty airs on Saturday nights on BBC One and now streams first on BBC iPlayer, where episodes are released at 6am on the day of transmission.
Read more Casualty spoilers on our dedicated homepage
