A whole host of NHS employees from Newcastle hospitals are enjoying taste of primetime TV stardom after Geordie Hospital launched on Channel 4.
News of the new fly on the wall documentary series broke in December, with TV viewers and ChronicleLive readers excited at the prospect of getting a behind the scenes look at the hard work that goes on inside the city's hospitals.
Everyone from porters to surgeons and dental surgeons and life saving medics to sewing room workers will feature in Geordie Hospital, with the first episode going out at 8pm on Monday, January 17.
READ MORE: Sunderland mum brave's decision to save sister's life on Geordie Hospital
Channel 4 promise we'll see plenty of interesting characters on screen, as well as the life saving impact they have on the patients they treat.
As viewers lap up Geordie Hospital, we profile the staff members who make up the cast.
Geordie Hospital cast
Allan Wood - Operating Department Orderly
Allan swapped being a roadie for his favourite bands on tour for a job with the NHS in 1978 and has held the same job ever since.
Talking about his job, the now 62-year-old says: "Well, I come to work around 7.45am and I am here until it ends – doesn’t matter if it goes on and on – I am here to stay.
"My role is to set up the theatre trollies for my department, to make sure there is enough oxygen, scrubs for staff to wear, to go through all the trays to make sure there is the right equipment there before the operation starts. I know my job inside out, back to front and backwards."
Dr Emma Simpson - Consultant in children's cardiovascular intensive care medicine
Emma, 45, who works at the Freeman Hospital, plays a key part in Geordie Hospital's first episode when she and her team perform a heart transplant on Kitt, a youngster who was one of the UK’s first patients to have the mobile Berlin Heart driving unit (which operates the pump assisting blood flow to the heart) fitted, enabling him to leave hospital grounds for the first time in months.
A key goal for Emma and her colleagues at the Freeman Hospital is to reduce the stress and impact of a long-term hospitalisation on children and their families by offering them mobility and autonomy in their daily lives in the hospital environment.
When she’s not at work, Emma is a keen cyclist and enjoys King Fu.
Colin Wilson - Consultant transplant surgeon
In episode 1, Channel 4 viewers will see Colin perform a live kidney transplant on Kimberly whose kidney function had severely deteriorated due to her diabetes leading to kidney failure.
We see her receive a kidney bravely donated by her older sister, Debra.
Colin, 47, says he was keen to get involved in the filming to help promote the importance of live donation and how giving a kidney to a loved one can make such a difference to that person’s life.
Talking about is decision to return to the North East, having first worked for Newcastle hospitals in 1999, Colin said: “I’ve worked all around the UK but always came back to the North East and ended up pursuing my career at the Freeman Hospital.
"I can quite honestly say that the level of enthusiasm, expertise and real care for patients here is unmatched anywhere else.”
Isma Iqbal - Consultant Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon
Another member of the cast who is featured in episode 1, Isma removes a tumour from 76-year-old Terry, that is damaging his eyesight.
Using a camera and special instruments, Isma teamed up with neurosurgeon Ian Coulter to remove the tumour and patch up the area operated on.
Isma, 40 started working at Newcastle Hospitals in 2005 where she did her foundation and specialist training, and she has been a consultant for two years.
Talking about her job at the Freeman, Isma, who enjoys hiking and pilates in her spare time, said: "“I enjoy working here as everyone is really friendly, helpful and basically like an extended family."
“I have had some fantastic mentors and colleagues here which makes me feel like I work in a supportive environment.”
Reverend Captain Katie Watson - Head of Chaplaincy
Katie joined the Newcastle team in 2007 and was appointed Head of Chaplaincy in 2020.
Talking about her job, Katie said: "I enjoy working within a Trust that is so diverse and forward thinking. No two days are ever the same which means I never know what a shift is going to bring.
"I spend a lot of my time journeying alongside patients, relatives and the staff, be that on the wards or in the chapel of rest.
"I have the privilege of being with people at the very best and the very worst of times. I enjoy coming to work every day and am proud to be a part of a team that values and supports me."
Poppy Jingles - staff welfare hound
Kate's dog Poppy is sure to be a huge hit with viewers.
Nine-year-old springer spaniel Poppy, a rescue dog, is involved in ‘pat and chat’ and ‘mooch with the pooch’ sessions for staff who need some care and well being time.
A natural with those in distress, she’s an adored and popular team member across the trust sites, including the restaurant at the Freeman Hospital, whose black pudding she is particularly fond of at chaplaincy team breakfasts!
Rachel Atkinson - Paediatric staff nurse
Rachel qualified as a paediatric nurse from the University of Manchester in 2017 but moved back home to be closer to her family.
She initially joined the Newcastle team on an inpatient ward, caring for children with respiratory illnesses but after around 18 months Rachel joined the day case surgery ward at the Great North Children’s Hospital.
On the subject of filming, Rachel explained: The filming was really interesting, it was great to see things from the film crew’s perspective – things that are run of the mill, every day parts of our job were so impressive to them."
Discussing her hopes for Geordie Hospital, keen swimmer and knitter, Rachel said: "I’m really proud to be part of the show, I hope it will showcase the amazing work we do and all the real people behind everything that happens here.
"Everyone I work with throws 100% of their energy into looking after their patients and I really hope that comes across on screen."
Sean Marshall-Kellie, Urology nurse
Sean, 32, is the clinical nurse specialist for stone disease, the first role of its kind in the region.
Putting his patients at ease is a big focus for Sean, who explained: "I have a massive personality and relaxed attitude to things. I am often doing very intimate procedures on people, so it is important to put people at ease.
"I am able to have a laugh and distract the patient. I make fun of myself and I use that as a technique."
He added: "I always say to people, “If I don’t look scared, you don’t have a reason to be scared”.
On how filming went, Sean commented: "Filming was very good fun – I really enjoyed it. It was a welcomed distraction, as it quite a difficult period of time.
"Here in Newcastle we have ground-breaking treatments and technologies, and we don’t scream about it. We do a lot in Newcastle, and it will be good to show off this fantastic work."
Jeremy French - Consultant surgeon
Discussing what it felt like being on camera for Geordie Hospital, Jeremy, who started his career at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital in 1996 as a junior doctor said: "Maybe that is my part as a surgeon being in the theatre! Also my sister, who is a teacher, is in amateur dramatics and put on many productions – so maybe it is in my blood!!”
He added: “The film crew were brilliant and made me feel at ease. I was actually introducing other surgeons from the directorate to the production team and they started asking me questions and then asked me if I want to take part.
“I felt it was important to show a positive portrait of the hospital and was very honoured to contribute.”
Naeem Sooro - Consulant Urologist
Having qualified in 1982 in Pakistan, Naeem has been working at Newcastle Hospitals since 1987 and has been a consultant since 1998.
As the lead in Robotic Surgery Newcastle, he had lead the biggest robotic surgery programme in the UK with a team of 25 surgeons delivering more than 4,000 robotic surgery operations across 8 surgical specialities.
Geordie Hospital viewers will see Naeem perform minimally invasive surgery for a patient who was donating their kidney as part of a living donor procedure.
Abbey Johnson, Dental Nurse
Abbey joined the dental team as an apprentice 8 years ago, and after 18 months she qualified as a dental nurse and has never looked back.
She describes herself as a ‘people person’ and loves to come to work, and in her words: “it isn’t about the teeth, it is about the people.”
Andrew Bowey - Consultant orthopaedic surgeon
Andy, 40, is a consultant orthopaedic in spinal surgery looking after children and adults with deformity, scoliosis and abnormal curvatures of their spine.
He also covers acute trauma, tumours and infection around the spine and sees patients in clinics as well as performing operations.
Phil Henman - orthopaedic trauma surgeon
Phil Henman is an orthopaedic trauma surgeon at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.
Opening up on the reality of filming Geordie Hospital, he joked: "One point I remember is repeatedly saying goodnight to a theatre orderly who actually, had gone home several minutes earlier.
"Or wobbling slowly on my bike, in order to get the ‘perfect shot’."
Once Geordie Hospital's first episode has gone out on Channel 4 on Monday, the whole series will be able to binge watch on All4.
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