I’ve played a vet, a doctor.. but now I am looking forward to being a normal mum
Actress I’ll miss my pals in Shieldinch but I have to put my little girl first
Doctor Annie Jandhu says her final goodbyes to Shieldinch on Tuesday after an action-packed three years in River City.
But having filmed her final scenes weeks ago, Dawn Steele admits she’s already getting under the feet of her six-year- old daughter.
The actress agreed to leave Shieldinch behind to be nearer Coco and her husband Paul Blair in Whitstable, Kent.
Dawn, 42, who starred in Wild At Heart and Monarch Of The Glen, has no doubts the decision is the right one but admits it is a leap into the unknown.
She said: “We were on the school run this morning and she said to me, ‘ What job are you going to do next mum? A vet? A doctor?
“I said, ‘ Well, I’ve played a vet in Wild At Heart. And I’ve just played a doctor in River City. I think she’s bored of me already. She’s like, ‘ When are you going back to work?’
“It’s what is really weird about acting. I have left a job where you have great storylines, you get on with everyone, you’re well respected and now you are back at home and there’s nothing happening.
“You have to adjust from being full on, flat out working to then going back to your normal life and the school run.
“But that’s kind of what I was craving. I am at that point where it is, ‘What’s next?’ and that is always a bit scary but it is exciting as well.”
River City was never going to be a long-term project for the actress because of her domestic circumstances, although she is no stranger to working here. Having grown up in Glasgow, she studied at the then RSAMD before winning the role of Lexie MacDonald in Monarch Of The Glen. She also appeared in historical drama The Key and supernatural series Sea Of Souls as well as f ilms including The Debt Collector with Billy Connolly and Gregory’s Two Girls. S h i e ld i nch was a kind of homecoming, working with cast and crew she knew already. She said: “If I was staying in Scotland, I would be staying in the job. It’s such a shame because I really enjoy it, love everyone on the show and I had a lovely time but it just got a bit much – the travelling up and down.
“It is quite a full-on job. There was a point where I hadn’t been home for three weeks and kids are only young once and it goes so quickly.
“River City have been brilliant. They have tried to make it as easy as possible for me with travelling and scheduling. They did all they could but it’s quite a big disruption in your life.”
That said, it’s nothing compared to her character. Dr Annie Jandhu arrived as the wife of Sanjeev Kohli ’s baker AJ. She has gone through an affair, divorce and marriage into the Murdoch crime clan.
She leaves in fear of her life, being tracked down by a vengeful Lenny
Murdoch and daughter Amber and testing her loyalties with her screen husband. It remains to be seen if she will leave alive.
She said: “They have left it, let’s say… open. I can’t really say much more but it is very clever what they have done and, of course, in a soap anything can happen.
“I think River City has made me a better actor. We are very used to getting pages the night before. Jordan Young and I have done scenes where we are looking each other in the eye with absolute fear – at times, it has felt like doing a play.
“You get through 16 pages of dialogue and you get home at 8pm with another 16 pages to learn. It is relentless, it is challenging and I really enjoy that.
“It is fast and sometimes you wish you had another go at it but it’s always going to be like that on a soap. It has definitely made me more instinctive. It’s made me even more able to access emotions quickly. I can pick things up quicker, read quicker, learn quicker.
“It has made me more confident, in a weird sort of way, even though I am old. I go into new things thinking, ‘Yeah, I can do this.’”
Not all viewers appreciate the edgy drama on offer in River City but Dawn has loved her time on the soap.
She said: “If you look on Facebook, you get some saying, ‘ What does that doctor do – she never does any work?’ Really? Is that what you want to see? It is high drama and because it is only on once a week they pack a lot in.
“They have really pushed me as an actor and given me lots of big stories. She has been through a lot but you don’t want to see her just speaking to people about their bunions.”
Her time on River City coincided with big changes in her own life. While her character was getting married, so was Dawn. Her hen night and wedding to fellow actor Paul coincided with filming.
She said: “Not one wedding but two. I enjoyed filming that. It was just such a big, great dramatic storyline.
“That was a highlight, as was working with Jordan. He is such a lovely man and a very good actor but the main highlight would be the cast and crew, who are brilliant.
“At my leaving do, I had this big speech ready but didn’t get to say it because I just cried. We had such a nice time and that’s what I’ll miss most.
There was a point where I hadn’t been home in three weeks
“But Scotland’s a small place and we’ll see each other again, I am sure.”
She is open to all offers and having enjoyed the pace of River City would be more than open to shows of a similar nature such as Casualty, Holby City or even EastEnders, which are closer to home.
She would also like to get back on stage but, in the meantime, she’s content being at home with her daughter.
She added: “Time is precious and it does go quickly. I’m just enjoying it.”