St George’s is used to its fair share of medical emergencies but it enjoyed drama of a different kind when hit ITV drama Broadchurch filmed there last year.
The award-winning stars of the show David Tennant and Olivia Coleman descended on Tooting along with a 30-strong crew in September to film scenes for the ongoing second series.
And to ensure medical accuracy in the scenes, which featured Tennant’s character having a pacemaker fitted, St George’s own Advanced Theatre Practitioner Felicity advised the crew throughout the day.
“I had a brilliant day and David Tennant and Olivia Colman were lovely to work with – as were the rest of the crew,” Felicity said.
“The first surprise was walking into the Day Surgery Unit to discover it had been transformed from the place I attend work Monday – Friday into an unrecognisable arrangement of huge TV monitors dotted all over the place
“There were huge snake-like cables trailing over the floors, an enormous spotlight outside the building – and lots and lots of people that I didn’t know.”
As is often the way with filming shoots, there was a lot of waiting around as scenes were set up, but Felicity says she had good fun with the crew – and evidently was quite taken by Tennant.
“It was slightly frustrating when the director occasionally decided that ‘artistic license’ freed him to do exactly the opposite of what I’d recommended!” she said.
“All in all I had a brilliant day, and sticking ECG dots and plasters to David Tennant’s hairy chest was quite amusing as well!”
