Judge Rinder is called to the bar Dale newbie’s Woolpack plan for TV pal
EMMERDALE’S new recruit Louisa Clein wants to lay down the law at the Woolpack by bringing in Judge Rinder.
The actress – Maya Cavanagh in the ITV soap – is best pals with the telly barrister.
Not only did Robert Rinder set Louisa up with her husband Jeremy, he was even best man at their wedding in 2011.
Now she reckons one way of repaying him would be to get him a part on Emmerdale and call him to the bar in the show’s local.
She said: “Robert has been fantastic. His knowledge of the TV industry is extensive so he’s been helping me through it with fashion tips. He’s always been a rock in my life.
“I’m trying my best to tempt him on to a soap. He’d be great on Emmerdale.”
It’s not the first time Louisa, 39, has been linked to a TV legal eagle. In BBC drama Judge John Deed, she played the title character’s rebellious daughter Charlie.
But her friendsip with real-life lawyer Robert, 40, goes way back. The pair were introduced by mutual pal Benedict Cumberbatch so she could shadow Robert for her Judge John Deed role.
Sherlock star Benedict was one of Louisa’s fellow drama school students along with Michael Fassbender, Tom Hardy and Tom Hiddleston.
But all of Louisa’s A-lister buddies back her move to soaps.
“There’s no snobbery,” she said. “Working on a soap is a massive eye-opener, seeing how hard everyone works. The schedules come out so fast that you have to train your brain to learn quickly. All my contemporaries were extremely excited and supportive of me.”
She added: “Soaps are an incredible place for women of all ages because it’s following real life. It’s an amazing platform.”
Maya arrived in Emmerdale at the end of June and is already causing a stir. There’s a potential romance with David Metcalfe, played by Matthew Wolfenden, but his ex Tracy might throw a spanner in the works.
Louisa said: “I’ve been thrown straight in. Maya has come out of a destructive relationship which has left her needing support and comfort. She’s going into the relationship with David with hope. She really likes him.”
Mum-of-three Louisa says her family have all become Emmerdale fans. “When I heard about the audition we started watching and got gripped. Now the kids think, ‘Mummy, why are you doing a funny accent?’”
But she added: “It’s really important for my kids to see me working. I want my girls to see that mums can work.”