‘He's so under her spell…'

Charles Venn on the challenges and importance of his character’s latest storyline

- ELAINE REILLY

As fans of Casualty know, the BBC1 medical drama never shies away from tackling tough and sensitive subject matter.

And this Saturday, a special episode will see senior nurse manager Jacob Masters and his partner, locum nurse Tina Mollett, take centre stage as their domestic abuse storyline reaches a powerful climax.

In recent months, Jacob (played by fan favourite Charles Venn), on the rebound from clinical lead Connie Beauchamp (Amanda Mealing), has thrown himself wholeheartedly into a relationship with Tina (Adele James).

But while, on the surface, their romance seems to be going well, viewers now know that Tina is a mistress of manipulation, and her true colours are about to be exposed.

Here, in an exclusive interview, Charles, 48, tells TV Times about the challenges of portraying Jacob in such an important story...

What were your thoughts when you heard about this storyline?

I couldn’t understand it initially – Jacob in a coercive, toxic relationship. But then I read up on the facts. A lot of men go through this, more than we realise, and I thought, ‘Okay, this is a challenge.’ It has been tough to play; harder than I thought it would be.

Given that Jacob is usually such a strong and confident character, do you think this will help highlight that it can happen to anyone?