School-based drama Waterloo Road comes to
91Èȱ¬ ONE, Thursday 9 March 2006
Jill Halfpenny plays Izzie Redpath
Give a description of the character
you play:
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Izzie is a teacher at Waterloo Road and the mother of two
teenage girls. She was a former singer and dancer and is a free spirit
at heart. She is warm, open and feisty… and in love with her best friend!
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Describe your character in three words:
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Spontaneous, creative, feisty.
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What do you like about Izzie?
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Izzie let's her heart rule her head and I admire that.
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What do you like least about Izzie?
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Izzie has her moments of being very stroppy.
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Would you like your character if you met them?
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Yes, I would like her spirit.
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What are Izzie's life values and do these differ from your own?
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She is unconventional in her thoughts and actions which is not like me
but she believes love is the most important thing in life and I have
to agree.
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How are you similar or different to Izzie?
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I don't have children and couldn't imagine having them so young.
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Does your character have a love interest?
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Izzie tries to fight the feelings but she is in love with Tom who is another
teacher at the school. Unfortunately Izzie is best friends with
Tom and his fiancé Lorna - which makes it a bit tricky!
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Why do you think Izzie is attracted to Tom?
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Tom and Izzie are attracted because they both have similar outlooks on
life. They are both spontaneous and free-spirited and they make each other
laugh.
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Which character at Waterloo Road does Izzie relate to best?
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Tom for all the above reasons.
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Do you think you would make a good teacher?
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I don't think I would be patient enough to be a teacher.
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What school did you go to?
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St. Edmund Campion and St. Augustines.
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Which aspect of school did you enjoy the most?
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Dinnertime! I never truly enjoyed school until my A Levels
- I did enjoy doing the school plays though.
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What was your favourite subject and why?
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English Literature and Music were my favourite subjects.
I loved reading new books and plays and really enjoyed learning about
music and listening to different instruments.
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What was your least favourite subject and why?
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I always thought Geography was pretty boring but maybe
it was just my teacher.
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What were your school reports like?
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Pretty good actually. I was never a problematic kid. I was well-behaved and got good grades but I definitely talked too much.
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Can you remember any of the descriptions used in your school reports to describe you?
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Talkative, attentive, lively.
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Did you have to wear a uniform?
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My uniform was a black blazer and skirt/trousers with white shirt and black/gold/red tie.
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Did you have an inspiring teacher?
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I had a primary school teacher called Mr Nesbitt. He used
to get us to read books and poetry out loud and he would say "taste
the words". I loved his enthusiasm and his love of drama.
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Have you ever had the opportunity to teach?
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No.
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Do you think you could teach?
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I think I could teach but I'm not sure I could do it full time.
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What sort of student were you?
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Keen and inquisitive!
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Have you continued to study in any form?
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I haven't done any further learning but I would love to learn a language and think I will at some point. I also want to learn to play the guitar.
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How did you do at school?
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I did well at school. Nine GCSEs and three A-levels.
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Do you still keep in touch with anyone you were at school with?
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I recently got back in touch with some school friends which is nice. You tend to lose touch as you progress through life.
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Have you ever been a victim of bullying?
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Yes.
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Any words of advice to kids who are victims of bullying?
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Stand up to your bully, not physically but use your inner-strength to let them know you won't stand for it.
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How do you think you would do if you went back to school?
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I think I would enjoy it more and push myself harder.
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Were you good at sport at school?
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I always loved P.E and really enjoyed learning new sports.
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How do you keep in shape nowadays?
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I keep in shape these days by going to the gym.
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Where were you born and brought up?
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Gateshead.
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Where do you live now?
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East London.
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If you had to teach what subject would you like to teach most?
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English Literature.
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What were your first impressions of arriving at the Waterloo Road set?
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My first impression of the Waterloo Road set was that it was cold and empty. It's strange being back in school but feeling no sense of anxiousness or worry or fear of it.
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Were the classrooms and corridors of waterloo road the same as when you were at school?
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They looked pretty much the same.
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Do you see similarities between waterloo road and a school you know or attended?
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Yes there are a few similarities. I went to an inner-city comprehensive where there was a cross-section of backgrounds, like Waterloo Road.
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Describe the staff room at Waterloo Road:
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The staffroom is really quite cosy. There are lots of chairs and last
time I was in there, there was lots of free chocolate but I bet it's not
always like that.
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Do you think Waterloo Road is a realistic portrayal of a school?
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So far I think it is.
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What was your favourite school term at school and why?
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Summer because I looked forward to the 6 week holiday.
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How did you spend your school holidays?
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My school holidays were spent on family trips or playing with friends.
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Did you have a Saturday job?
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Yes, I had lots of different restaurant jobs and worked at fast food places.
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Do you have brothers and sisters and were you at school together - if
so how was it?
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I was at school with my two sisters. I can't remember seeing them
much but it was nice to know they were there.
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Can you remember how much pocket money you used to get?
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50p a week.
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Did you ever go on a school trip?
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We went to France for a school trip and I got caught buying alcohol by
my French teacher! She wasn't happy as I had tried to hide it in some poor
guy's garage. Anyway I got told off and that was the end of it.
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Were you naughty at school?
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Not really. And when I was I made sure I wasn't caught!
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What was the worst thing you did and did you get caught?
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The worst thing I did was I got told off for being somewhere I shouldn't
have been and I couldn't stop laughing. The more cross the teacher became
the more and louder I laughed.
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What age did you leave school?
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18 and then I went to drama school in London.
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What was your first professional acting role?
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My first acting role was playing an urchin in a production of Sweeny Todd
at the Newcastle Playhouse.
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Were you a member of the drama club at school?
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I did go to a drama club outside of school.
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What role are you best known for?
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Kate in Eastenders.
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What is your favourite storyline coming up and why?
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I'm looking forward to seeing how the Tom/Lorna/Izzie triangle works out.
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What have you enjoyed most about filming Waterloo Road?
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I work with some great people (both cast and crew) which is really important.
It's also been good fun playing a mother which I've rarely done.
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Have you any long term goals or ambitions for the future?
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I would love to work in film. I want to work with Emma
Thompson, Julie Walters and Lesley Sharp.
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