“I miss The Bill – but I love Hollyoaks!”
Lisa Maxwell reflects on her Sun Hill days – and tells us why playing gritty Tracey is a dream…
These days, Lisa Maxwell is busy wreaking havoc as Tracey Donovan in Hollyoaks.
But for viewers who followed ITV police drama The Bill, Lisa’s law-abiding character DI Samantha Nixon was the polar opposite…
“I miss the authority that came with playing Sam – you don’t get that much say in real life!” laughs the 53-year-old actress, who was in the show from 2002 to 2009. “My husband Paul [Jessup] used to hate getting into a taxi with me. I’d come home from work having spent the whole day pretending to be a senior detective, and talk to the cab driver like I was directing a PC!
“One of the great things about doing
The Bill was that the women could do their own stunts,” adds Lisa. “As a 5ft 2in blonde, it was great to be shown how to tackle a 6ft bloke to the ground!”
Inside Soap is thrilled when we’re invited to a Sun Hill reunion in London. After chatting to other members of the cast, we sneak off for a one-to-one with Lisa, who has since enjoyed various acting roles and been a Loose Women panellist.
“I’ve always said that doing that show wasn’t a job – you don’t put down ‘Loose Woman’ as an occupation on your passport form, do you?” jokes the star. “When I left the panel, it was the right move for me. It lulled me into a really lazy way of life as it was such a fun job. If I hadn’t made that change then, I might never have gone back to acting.”
With that, Lisa took on the prestigious role of Judy Garland in the national theatre tour of End Of
The Rainbow, and also popped up in Eastenders as David Wicks’ girlfriend, Naomi (see right). The actress has since picked up a recurring guest part in
Hollyoaks as Tracey – and she loves it! “It’s so difficult working with such a wonderful young cast, and having to be such a miserable and horrible character to them all!” giggles Lisa, who is mum to 17-year-old Beau. “As an actress, it’s hard to age sometimes, but Tracey’s look is right for the character.
“After playing Judy Garland, I really fancied a character who wasn’t in any way pretty or attractive,” adds the star. “And then I read this very negative story that quoted me saying the makeup department put rubbish in my hair for the part. But the truth is, we laugh about the fact that poor Tracey is in the make-up chair for 10 minutes – it doesn’t take me long to look rough!”
Lisa lives in Gloucestershire, so the flexbility of being able to pop in and out of the show suits her down to the ground – and she’s very happy.
“You’ve got to be when you’re in your 50s,” she tells us. “I remember a time in my life when I would go anywhere and do anything just to perform – but I’ve moved to an area that is commonly known as ‘the valley of lost ambition’, so that may have had an effect on me!
“I have a really lovely little network of family and friends, and if I work too hard, I don’t see them,” continues Lisa. “Denise Welch lives next door, and Carol Vorderman came to me last Christmas and the one before. Who knows what the future will bring? Generally speaking, if I’m offered a job that is exciting and sexy, I’m up for it!”
Watch The Bill from the beginning for the first time – starts 14 August on Drama or catch up on UKTV Play