Rodger Corser knows what it’s like to have a child in hospital and fear that there’s something seriously wrong.
A trip to Emergency with his son Dustin – the youngest of his three children with actress wife Renae Berry – turned into a week on a ward.
”Nae and I had our youngest boy in there,” Rodger tells TV WEEK.
”Sometimes it takes a while to get to know what’s going on. I think that not knowing is every parent’s nightmare. When you start running scenarios in your head, from best case to worst case, it’s incredibly scary. And no-one ever likes to see their kids distressed.”
Doctor Doctor possibly doubled his popularity.
(IMAGE: TV Week)Dustin’s story had a happy ending, with him leaving hospital after what was ”definitely a tough week” for the family.
Now, Rodger is telling other people’s hospital stories through his new role as narrator of RPA.
The factual series, filmed at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, ran from 1995 to 2012, then took a break of more than a decade before being revived.
Rodger says the series ”really sings” when it goes on a journey with people over multiple episodes.
”You have time to get to know who these people are,” he explains.
”You’re not just seeing them for that couple of hours in emergency, you’re seeing them over weeks and sometimes months of treatment.”
A picture of concern for his patients.
(IMAGE: Supplied)He says the people featured in the series are ”really quite brave.”
”They’re letting TV cameras into consultations with their doctors when they’re getting some pretty heavy news for the first time.”
Rodger knows the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital well.
Zipporah, his daughter with singer Christine Anu, was born in the King George V hospital, which is now part of RPA. Rodger says the birth took place in a birthing suite.
”We wanted to do that instead of be on the ward, which was a good choice for us,” he says.
”But it was a long time ago now – she’s nearly 21!”
In 2022, Rodger hosted reality show The Traitors.
(IMAGE: Ten)Back when Zipporah was born, Rodger was just starting his career in TV, starring as Peter Johnson in McLeod’s Daughters.
Since then, he’s played doctors in several shows, including Dr Hugh Sullivan in Home And Away, Dr Hugh Knight in Doctor Doctor, and Dr Richard Harris in Thai Cave Rescue.
”Without doctors, I wouldn’t have had a job for a long time,” he says with a laugh.
Rodger was the romantic lead in Doctor Doctor, with a string of love interests over the five seasons.
But he’s never been too keen on the ”romantic aspects” of his job.
”They’ve always been confronting,” he admits.
”Especially if you do anything that’s full-on romantic scenes or sex scenes, or anything like that. No-one really looks forward to those parts of it.”
Rodger with his actress wife Renae…
(IMAGE: Instagram)Having turned 50 in February, Rodger is welcoming the opportunity to do different things in his career.
”Whatever is on the horizon, new challenges, if that’s because of age or whatever, I simply look forward to it.”
Turning 50 has also made Rodger more conscious of his health – at least a bit.
”I can’t say the birthday celebrations were on the good side of lifestyle choices,” he laughs.
”I think there were a few drinks consumed over the weekend.”
He says Renae, who is ”much healthier” than he is, is trying to get him to be a bit more conscious of what he’s eating.
”I have bursts of being healthy because I’ve got to trim up or get fit for a role,” he explains.
”Then you go, ‘Oh, now I’ll reward myself,’ and the pizzas and burgers and everything can come back into your diet.”
…and his sons Dustin and Budd.
(IMAGE: Getty)For Rodger, being a dad to Budd, 12, and Cilla, 11, as well as Zipporah and seven-year-old Dustin, is a powerful reason to look after his health.
”I didn’t have my kids as early as my parents did – I’ve still got kids that are in primary school,” he says.
”I’ve still got to be a fit dad for a few years to come.”
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