The star of the India-based hospital drama reveals five secrets from the set

GOOD KARMA HOSPITAL

Tomorrow, 8pm, ITV

1

My character, Ruby Walker, is a doctor at the overstretched hospital. When I do a scene with medical procedures I ask my dad, an obstetrician, for advice. He came on set the day of a big caesarean scene, and he kept saying, ‘That’s not how it’s done.’ Wheniuseda laryngoscope [a device for looking down the throat] on a prosthetic newborn, he said, ‘If you did that on a real baby you’d take his jaw off!’

2

We use amazing locations in Sri Lanka to film. I’ve been on a tea plantation and this week’s episode was filmed by Koggala Lake near Galle – there were lizards and baby crocodiles. Being on location rather than a set helps you get into the moment more.

3

Ruby’s in a relationship with Dr Gabriel Varma (James Krishna Floyd) but there’s a spanner in the

works now his former love has turned up. James and I get on well and have a Whatsapp group with Sagar Radia, who plays junior doctor AJ Nair. I’ve also started an arts podcast called Rule Not The Exception and James was the first guest.

4

As a child, one of many things I wanted to be was an artist or a set or costume designer. I’m always sticking my nose into the art departments, being curious. I paint, as well – I did a portrait of the make-up artist’s grandma as her end-offilming gift. My mum is a painter too and did a portrait of James.

5

I’m a qualified yoga teacher and I held a class for the crew at a villa we use. I’m really into fitness – I’m a personal trainer too – and often I get up at 4.30am to work out before filming, although I once unfurled my yoga mat to find a scorpion inside!

Gabriel and Ruby