While filming the second season of feel-good British drama The Good Karma Hospital in Sri Lanka, Amanda Redman, who plays the tough, seen-it-all Dr Lydia Fonseca, celebrated her 60th birthday.
It was a time to reflect on a long and successful career she was once told might not extend past the age of 40.
“There are definitely more roles for older women these days,” Amanda, who starred in UK drama New Tricks for 10 seasons, tells TV WEEK.
“I remember an actress of 40 telling me, ‘Make the most of it, because when you reach my age you’re not going to work.’
“That’s changed hugely. There’s still a way to go, but it’s getting better.”
The cast of The Good Karma Hospital.
Amanda also thinks it’s refreshing to play a character who still has an evident sex life.
“It seems people think that once you reach 50 you become sexless, especially as a woman,” she explains. “That’s just not true.
“I’m delighted it’s represented in this show between Lydia and Greg [Neil Morrissey].”
She adds: “I’m not interested in watching younger people having sex on screen, and I’m not interested in watching people my age do it either, but it does happen. We do still have sex at our age.”
Amanda with Neil Morrissey, who plays Lydia’s partner, Greg.
The series takes a grittier tone this season. In the opening episode, Lydia decides Dr Ruby Walker (Amrita Acharia) is ready to perform her first surgery. But when a storm causes a power cut, Ruby faces an agonising test of her medical skills.
In later episodes, the hospital team must deal with horrific injuries in the aftermath of a collapsed building. And Lydia assists a patient she suspects may be a victim of domestic abuse.
“I’m an ambassador for SODA [UK support group Survivors Of Domestic Abuse], so it’s a subject close to my heart,” Amanda says.
“Women get beaten up all over the world. The difference is that in India, the resources open to women are virtually not there. They have centres and places of refuge, but they’ll always concentrate on keeping the marriage together, because it’s the culture.”
“I’m always affected by my time there,” Amanda says.
Although set in India, the drama is filmed in Sri Lanka, in and around the city of Galle. The cast and crew were startled one day when two busloads of Australian tourists turned up.
“I didn’t know that where we filmed is now on the tourist trail until the coaches arrived!” Amanda laughs.
“They took lots of photos of the set and also had some taken with the cast.”
For Amanda, filming the series has left her with a greater appreciation of her own life back in London.
“It’s all about karma in Sri Lanka, so they have an acceptance about what they have because it’s OK,” she explains. “In their next life, they might come back as a maharajah [a Hindu prince or king].
“I’m always affected by my time there. I find their outlook humbling – and it makes me feel guilty about grumbling about anything in my own life.”
The Good Karma Hospital returns to ABC this Saturday, 7 April at 8.15pm.
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