Faye Morton
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| Faye Morton | |
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| First appearance | 9x17, "Into the Dark", 2007- |
| Portrayed by | Patsy Kensit |
| Information | |
| Occupation | Ward Sister, Keller Ward |
| Spouse(s) | Lucas Michaels (divorced) Donald Hewson (deceased) James Wilson (deceased) |
Faye Morton (prev. Michaels; Hewson; Wilson) is a fictional character in the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Patsy Kensit. The character first appeared on January 30, 2007 in the episode "Into the Dark" - Series 9, Episode 17 of the program. Kensit had made a former unrelated guest appearance on Holby City's sister show Casualty in 2001.
The character's role in the show is that of mysterious femme fatale - seemingly meek and shy but with a murderous past,[1] and little aversion to deception and theft.[2] Her introductory storyline (shot on location in Dubai) in which she kills her husband and leaves for Holby, proved so popular that Kensit was shortlisted 'Best Actress' in the 2007 TV Quick and TV Choice Awards for her portrayal of the character within three months of arriving on the show.[3] However, the dramaticism of the character's storylines and the manner in which they reflect upon real NHS nurses has come under heavy criticism.[4]
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[edit] Creation
[edit] Background
Faye Morton was one of six new characters to join Holby City's cast in Series 9.[5] Since Series 8 Episode 10 "The Long Goodbye", and the departure from the show of its Maternity ward, the series has focused on three central wards - two surgical wards and an Acute Assessment Unit. Prior to the introduction of the character of Faye, there were just two Ward Sisters between these three wards - Chrissie Williams and Kyla Tyson. This imbalance was redressed with Faye's arrival and fast promotion from Bank Nurse to Sister of Keller Ward.[6]
Early publicity for the character gave her name as 'Eliza Clark'. It is unknown at what stage in creation this changed to 'Faye Morton' - while Faye was the name announced by the BBC with the news of Kensit's casting in December 2005,[7] the actress was still referring to her character as Eliza as late at November 2006, when interviewed for the Inside Soap Yearbook 2007.[8]
[edit] Casting
Although Faye did not first appear on-screen until February 2007, the announcement that Patsy Kensit had been cast as the character was made on December 14, 2005.[7] Holby City's Executive Producer Richard Stokes and Series Producer Emma Turner said of Kensit's casting: "We are delighted to confirm that Patsy Kensit is joining the cast of Holby City. She's a talented and popular actress who lights up the screen."[9] Kensit herself commented,
| “ | After two fantastic years at Emmerdale and ITV, I'm thrilled to be offered the opportunity of joining Holby City at the BBC. I'll really miss all my friends and colleagues at Emmerdale when I leave next August but look forward to living and working in London full time. Holby's a brilliant show.[9] | ” |
Kensit also spoke of the forty-five minute commute to work on Holby as a deciding factor in her move from her previous role in ITV soap Emmerdale - the long journey to and from filming the latter show cutting heavily into her time available to spend with her two sons.[10] She described Faye as her dream role,[11] and revealed that in preparation for portraying the character, she spent three days shadowing a real nurse,[12] as well as witnessing open heart surgery at University College Hospital, London, in order to bring realism to the part.[11] Kensit said of the experience:
| “ | I wanted to throw up. First of all I stood in the corner but in the end I couldn't get close enough ... nurses are incredible women. They're doing this job for next to nothing and do it with such love and care... I couldn't do it, I'd get too emotionally involved, I don't think I could cope.[13] | ” |
In 2001, Kensit had made a guest appearance in Series 16 of Holby City's sister show Casualty, appearing as a domestic abuse victim in episode 14, "Happily Ever After".[14] She gave what TV critic Ian Hyland billed "a convincing performance",[15] before moving on to a long term role in Emmerdale.[16] Prior to this move into television roles, Kensit had predominantly worked in films, but explained upon joining the cast of Holby:
| “ | Making films isn't for me any more because I'm an old girl in that world ... I've been very lucky, this is something I grew up doing, in television there's so much satisfaction ... I'll stay as long as they want me, I feel like I've come back home.[13] | ” |
The Daily Mirror's television critic Jim Shelley has noted that Kensit's casting in the role follows a recent trend of Holby City producers for hiring established actors, including comedian Adrian Edmondson and Jesus of Nazareth star Robert Powell.[17]
[edit] Development
[edit] Personality
Initial publicity for the character stressed her enigmatic origins, with the BBC billing her "a nurse who has more than a few secrets to hide and an attitude that cannot fail to ruffle the feathers of her colleagues."[18] This was reflected in her first on-screen appearance, whereby she simply arrived at Holby City Hospital one day and requested that registrars Jac Naylor and Joseph Byrne help her secure a nursing position without having to officially mention her previous employment in Dubai.[19] How the three characters had come to meet and what had occurred between them was not revealed until two months later,[1] and to present, the character very rarely references her own past.
In terms of attitude, the character is generally reluctant to draw attention to herself - worrying about being recognised by Kyla Tyson's policeman husband Harvey following her arrest,[20] and cooling off her developing relationship with Cardiothoracic Registrar Sam Strachan when led to believe he had been gossiping about their tryst.[21] However, she has been seen to be highly principled with regard to her career, and was the only member of nursing staff to refuse to join union action in episode "Countdown". Her lack of fear in challenging Staff Surgeon Thandie Abebe's patient care in episode "Leap of Faith", regardless of negative reaction of her colleagues, led Consultant General Surgeon Dan Clifford to promote her on the spot to the position of Ward Sister.[6]
In discussing the character, The Daily Express described her as "Gregarious...likes a gossip, but she's emotionally vulnerable",[22] while Holby actress Tina Hobley compared her to her own character, Chrissie Williams, explaining that "Faye is a quieter character all round who will do anything for an easy life, whereas Chrissie likes to stir up a bit of drama. I think she sees Faye as a goody two shoes."[22] A darker side to the character's personality has also been explored, from her calm reaction to her husband's death,[1] to her moral ambivalence at stealing a ring left to Jac Naylor in an attempt to win favour with Joseph Byrne.[2]
[edit] Relationships
Currently, the character's relationship history prior to arriving in Holby remains largely an enigma. Although the BBC state she has been married three times,[23] only her most recent husband James has ever been mentioned on-screen. While it was never explicitly shown to be so, it was heavily implied in flashback episode "What Lies Beneath" that Faye was responsible for his death.[1] Commenting on this aspect of her character, Kensit explained that:
| “ | So there’s a scuffle and he pins her against the wall and practically tries to rape her. He ends up dead. It’s the way she deals with it — she coolly steps over his body and leaves. It turns out similar things have happened before. It’s a wonderful part.[24] | ” |
Shortly after arriving in Holby, the character began a tentative relationship with Cardiothoracic Registrar Sam Strachan. The situation soon escalated into a love triangle, with Sam reigniting his former relationship with Faye's colleague, Matron Chrissie Williams. Kensit said of the relationship in August 2007, as the storyline was ongoing: "For Faye, Sam is not Mr Right, simply Mr Right Now. But Faye is not as sweet as she looks - there's a streak of toughness there... It's all going to get very messy!"[25]
Upon discovering Sam's infidelity, the character terminated their relationship, and has now most recently been romantically linked with Joseph Byrne. Kensit has confirmed that Faye "has a soft spot for (him)",[11] although it has been questioned whether she is more interested in him, or the inheritance he recently received following his father's death.[26]
In terms of friendships, the character immediately got along well with Acting Sister Kyla Tyson, and supported her through the death of her husband and loss of her son to foster care.[27] Holby actress Tina Hobley, who plays character Chrissie Williams, has also commented: "I'd like there to be more development with Chrissie and Faye's relationship as they've only really had Sam as a common interest up until now. I just hope its friendship that develops, because I can't bear all that bitchy cat-fighting stuff."[22]
[edit] Storylines
Faye arrives in episode "Into the Dark", requesting that Registrars Joseph Byrne and Jac Naylor, help her gain employment as a Bank Nurse without having to give details of her most recent employment history. During her first few months at Holby City Hospital, Faye remains close to Joseph, but does not get on well with Jac, who she speaks to sternly about her close relationship with Joseph’s father, Lord Byrne. In episode "What Lies Beneath" , flashbacks occur to the trio’s meeting in Dubai. Faye’s husband James reveals to her that he has lost her life savings of £50,000, ruining her plans of buying a nursing home in England. The pair fight, and as James forces himself upon her at the top of their staircase, the scene cuts away. An indefinite period of time later, Faye descends the stairs calmly, and steps over James’s dead body.[1] Although she is questioned by police over James’s death, she is not charged.
Faye worries her colleagues will find out about her arrest when she is recognised by Harvey Tyson, the policeman husband of AAU‘s Acting Sister Kyla Tyson.[20] Faye and Kyla strike up a friendship, and Faye supports Kyla through her domestic abuse ordeal at the hands of her husband, his subsequent death, and the loss of her son to foster care.[27] Also during this period, Faye resists the advances of hospital lothario Sam Strachan, and impresses General Surgical Consultant Daniel Clifford with her approach to patient care - leading to an on the spot promotion after a clash with Thandie Abebe in episode "Leap of Faith".[6]
Fellow nurse Donna Jackson aspires to set Faye up with Sam Strachan, and the pair agree to go for a drink. Faye is the only member of nursing staff not to follow union action in episode Countdown, earning her the approval of Connie Beauchamp, the mother of Sam‘s daughter Grace. In episode "Damned If You Do", Sam surprises Faye with a gift of a diamond necklace, but also begins cheating on her with his old flame, Chrissie Williams. Faye terminates their relationship upon discovering his infidelity, and turns her attention to Joseph, who had tried to warn her about Sam's indiscretion. She supports Joseph when he is tormented by Jac about the relationship she had had with his father prior to his recent death, and goes as far as to steal back a ring once promised to Joseph, which Jac received in Lord Byrne's will. Joseph however is upset by her casual theft, and declines when she later asks him out.[2]
On 11th December 2007, Faye was shot in the back with a crossbow by STI Clinician Tim. Tim opened fire in Holby after being ignored and ridiculed about his STI warnings. Martha and Zoe were also shot. Faye survived the shooting, as did Martha.
Faye recently revealed to Joseph that she was married before James to a man named Donald. She explained that the large sums of her money that James had gambled away had been left to her by Donald. She also told Joseph that Donald was a lot older than she was and claims he died of cancer. Faye also told Joseph that the police think that two of her husbands dying is suspicious and they are not letting the enquiry drop.
When Faye's stepson Carl Hewson blackmailed Faye for money, she took Jac's advice and refused to give him anything. He was later beaten up by loan sharks and died in theatre. Faye then got a phonecall from her first husband (Lucas) and she rushed off to meet him. They had a private meeting, witnessed by Jac. When Jac tried to warn Joseph that Faye was up to something, she crashed her motorbike and was left unconsious. Before this, however, Faye spotted Jac leaving...
[edit] Reception
Despite arriving on the show on January 30, 2007, in May, less than four months later, Patsy Kensit was shortlisted for the Best Actress award in the 2007 TV Quick and TV Choice Awards for her portrayal of the character.[3]
While Holby City averages around 5.5 million viewers per week,[28] the two episodes most central to the character to date have averaged much higher. "What Lies Beneath", the flashback episode in which the character was seen to kill her husband in Dubai drew ratings of 6.32 million.[29] The character's introductory episode, "Into the Dark" drew a high of 7 million viewers,[30] with the episode also receiving higher than average media coverage - including a front cover and inside spread featuring Kensit discussing her new role in the week's edition of the Radio Times.[12]
The Liverpool Echo selected the character's introductory episode as a televisual 'Pick of the Day',[31] with the Daily Mirror's TV critic Jim Shelley selecting her arrival as a highlight of the week,[32] while the Sunday Mirror described her debut as "sensational".[33]
The character has continued to receive higher amounts of publicity than usually attracted by Holby City characters. The 11 August 2007 edition of Total TV Guide featured Kensit, Tina Hobley and Tom Chambers on its front cover, appearing in character to promote their love triangle storyline,[25] while the September 1, 2007 Daily Express television supplement again featured Kensit and Hobley on its cover, with an inside feature on the same storyline.[22] It was also reported on August 19, 2007 that the introduction of the character and Kensit's joining the cast has "boosted the series' appeal",[34] to such an extent that for the first time, a Holby City calendar has been commissioned. The report stated that "An insider said: 'Patsy has really set the show off this year, and what better way to thank the dedicated fans?'"[34]
The character of Faye specifically, and all the nursing staff characters in Holby City generally came under heavy criticism in the July 2007 edition of the Nursing and Midwifery Council magazine.[4] The publication discussed the topic of nurses in popular culture, and the negative impression of the nursing profession conveyed by fictional nurses. With a promotional image of Kensit as Faye adorning the front cover, the magazine asserted:
| “ | The "did she, didn't she", story of the Dubai murder of Faye Morton's partner in Holby City recently demonstrates the ease with which writers can attach terrible storylines to a caring profession. Nurses who become prostitutes to pay the bills, nurses who kill their husbands, nurses who abuse the system to get their own way - Holby City has always been a hotbed of slanderous storylines. Good people doing bad things makes excellent entertainment... The bald fact is that real life nurses doing their jobs well just aren't that entertaining.[4] | ” |
This criticism was echoed by The Daily Mirror, who, commenting on an interview Kensit had given to publicise the show and her role with Jonathan Ross, suggested that 'reality' was not a term that could be applied to Holby City's portrayal of nursing.[35]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e "What Lies Beneath". Holby City. BBC. 2007-03-27. No. 23, season 9.
- ^ a b c "Care Of Duty (Part 1)". Holby City. BBC. 2007-10-02. No. 51, season 9.
- ^ a b 2007 TV Quick & TV Choice Awards. TV Quick (May 2007). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ a b c Jaegar, Andy, “Stitched Up? The portrayal of nurses in popular culture.”, Nursing and Midwifery Council Magazine (England) (no. 21): 30, July 2007
- ^ Holby City Series 9. holby.tv. Retrieved on 2007-10-05.
- ^ a b c "Leap of Faith". Holby City. BBC. 2007-04-24. No. 28, season 9.
- ^ a b "Patsy Kensit to join Holby cast", BBC.co.uk, December 14, 2005. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ “What a year for... Patsy Kensit”, Inside Soap (England) Yearbook 2007: 58, November 2006
- ^ a b Holby City - Gossip. BBC.co.uk (December 14, 2005). Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
- ^ "Patsy Kensit joins Holby City cast", Excite. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
- ^ a b c Holby City - Interviews. BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ a b “Patsy Plays Nurse”, Radio Times (England), February, 3 - February 9, 2007
- ^ a b "Patsy Kensit reveals all about her new role", Monsters and Critics, April 20, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ "Casualty" Happily Ever After (2001). IMDb. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
- ^ Ian Hyland's TV week: GORE BLIMEY.. HERE'S PATSY. Sunday Mirror. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
- ^ Patsy Kensit. IMDb. Retrieved on 2007-08-14.
- ^ Jim Shelley (3 October 2007). How to make a BBC medical drama. The Guardian. Retrieved on 2007-10-04.
- ^ Patsy Kensit joins Holby. holby.tv (14 December 2005). Retrieved on 2007-08-27.
- ^ "Into the Dark". Holby City. BBC. 2007-01-30. No. 17, season 9.
- ^ a b "Is There Something I Should Know?". Holby City. BBC. 2007-04-03. No. 25, season 9.
- ^ "Close Relations". Holby City. BBC. 2007-06-14. No. 35, season 9.
- ^ a b c d Smith, Kate, “Holby City showdown”, Daily Express Saturday (England): 10, September 1, 2007
- ^ Holby City - Characters. BBC.co.uk. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ "From wild child to content mum", The Sun, March 24, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-27.
- ^ a b “TWO HOT TO HANDLE”, Total TV Guide (London, England: H Bauer Publishing): 5, August 11, 2007
- ^ Your Top 5 Episode Comments: 25 September 2007. BBC. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ a b "Trust". Holby City. BBC. 2007-05-27. No. 31, season 9.
- ^ Weekly Viewing Summary. BARB. Retrieved on 2007-08-10.
- ^ Weekly Viewing Summary w/e 01/04/2007. BARB. Retrieved on 2007-08-10.
- ^ Weekly Viewing Summary w/e 04/02/2007. BARB. Retrieved on 2007-08-10.
- ^ Tansley, Janet, “Tonight's TV”, Liverpool Echo (Liverpool, England), 6 February 2007
- ^ Jim Shelley. "UP", Daily Mirror, February 6, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ Kevin O'Sullivan. "BUMMER", Sunday Mirror, February 4, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
- ^ a b "Holby City calendar may be on cards", Excite, August 19, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-08-26.
- ^ Jim Shelley. "D'OH!!", Daily Mirror, 24 April 2007. Retrieved on 2007-10-10.
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