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There was a slight language barrier, and as usual there were Brits who only spoke English, but other people who spoke French, Dutch and Afrikaans. Through all the different languages their stories were relayed to us. I was with Laurie (Duval), who is from Belgium and speaks Flemish, which is very close to Afrikaans. A lot of people spoke English as well which enabled us to get a sense of who they were, which was exciting. The South African crew were brilliant, as when we had to move sets everyone pitched in moving equipment. There was a great camaraderie.
What are your personal experiences of going to Africa?
They were a bit of a mixed bag. Johannesburg was edgy. We were told not to leave our gated complex, but I think that was purely a precaution. I think everyone has heard horror stories about the city, about car jacking and kidnappings. When I go away I usually like to visit local cafes and get a feel of the place, but I wasn’t able to do that. We stayed in a beautiful complex which catered for everything, but I felt like I didn’t get a real view of the place. When you speak to people about it, they do say it is a little dangerous and you have to drive everywhere, but when you get into the heart of the city, it’s definitely got a really vibrant atmosphere. It was work though, and therefore I had to look after myself and make sure I was not trawling the bars and getting lost. So I didn’t get a very educated view of Johannesburg. After filming I flew to Cape Town, which is beautiful and much more relaxed. I was by the ocean which always makes for a relaxed environment. As you walk around, the people are extremely friendly, the food is amazing, the architecture beautiful and the beaches are fantastic! It made me really want to go back to Africa. It has so much to offer and so much diversity. You could just travel around and around, and never feel like you’re in the same continent. I was amazed at how inexpensive it was over there, so I lived it up, going to nice restaurants and having fabulous wine while paying so little for it.
Are there any funny stories from your time filming there?
A comedy moment, which they may have got on film, was when I was handed a baby who is supposed to have gangrene. It was weird being handed this baby from a mother I couldn’t communicate with. Usually, when we’re filming with a baby we get to talk to the mother to reassure her that we’re half sane and not going to drop the baby. In this case, the baby was thrust into my arms and half way through the scene he started to urinate all over me!
Is Jeff pleased to come back to The Royal after his stint in Africa?
I think that the situation in Africa becomes so dangerous that he has to leave and doesn’t have much choice in the matter. If he could, he would have stayed out there and continued with the work, which is so absolutely different to being a GP medic in the hospital back home. He was literally saving lives by the minute in Africa. It was a desperate situation, they didn’t have clean instruments or even the basics, so any work that he was doing was worthwhile and vital.
He brings a little girl, Nkeshi back from Africa with him. How does he cope with her back in Elsinby?
It’s a kind of crazy situation, he doesn’t really have time to think about it. He’s in Nigeria and he just kind of scoops her up after promising her dying mother that he will look after her. It was her dying wish that he’d make sure she was safe. He just can’t leave her in such a war- torn area. Before he knows it, they’re on the plane together on the way home!
What do his colleagues think about his decision to bring Nkeshi back to the UK?
They think he’s insane and quite honestly he is! He’s taken this girl completely out of her environment and away from the people she’s used to and dropped her into a bizarre situation without thinking anything through or getting the proper paper work. He’s smuggled her into the country! He hasn’t even gone through the proper channels to bring her back. I think everyone thinks he’s gone a bit mad. Also, it could jeopardize his career. He’s really taken a chance as he could be seen to be bringing in an illegal immigrant!
Last series, Dr Goodwin got quite close to Dr Makori. Now that he’s back will romance blossom?
I think going through the situation in Africa his head is all over the place, I don’t think he’s given romance much thought. Although whilst he’s been in Africa he’s been working very closely with Dr Duval. They were both thrown into this intense situation and they developed a kind of relationship which was primarily about providing support for each other. I think anything that was on the horizon with Dr Makori before he left has kind of washed away by the time he comes back.
Why does he decide to go back to Africa?
He can’t settle back into GP life. He finds the bureaucracy of the country and all the red tape hard to cope with. The whole situation of being back in a frivolous and greedy society, knowing that people in Africa have nothing and are dying on their feet. He finds it a real struggle to fit back in. He realises his skills can be used at a much greater level elsewhere. Also, he’s formed a bond with Nkeshi and she has to go back.
Midway through this series, we see Jeff Goodwin saying goodbye to The Royal. What made you decide to leave?
This is my fourth series and I’ve had brilliant storylines since I arrived. It felt like the right time to leave. It’s been really busy and I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve done. To be an actor, a really exciting part of the job is what’s coming next and what lies just around the corner. The Royal definitely propelled me as an actor, playing a doctor was something very different to anything I’ve done before. Being in control of the situation in the doctor’s consulting room, and the stunts I’ve had to do have been brilliant. I feel like I’ve grown within the context of the show and it felt like the right time to move on.
Will we see Dr Goodwin back at The Royal in the future?
I never say never, I don’t know how long he will last in Africa, whether its six months or six years.
What have you enjoyed the most whilst filming this series?
That would probably be Africa. It was such a joy. I feel so privileged to have had such a fantastic opportunity. It was really an amazing experience. What I found strange was that in the mornings it was so cold. It was almost zero degrees and we were freezing, but by midday it was absolutely boiling hot!
What are you’re plans now that you have left The Royal?
I’m working on a couple of plays in Northampton, one of them is a production of Twelfth Night, which is great. It’s nice to do some Shakespeare after doing TV for so many years. The other play is called Soap. It’s a satirical ‘tongue in cheek’ look at soap operas where soap has gone crazy, and it’s a lot of fun! After that I’m hoping I’ll be working on an independent film set in Liverpool. It’s always good to be back in my hometown. It’s a film about gangland culture and it’s a complete contrast to The Royal.
Picture Credit: Copyright
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