Irish vet sets tongues wagging
in Emmerdale
 By
Trevor O’sullivan
An Irish actor is currently setting viewer’s pulses racing with
his role as the suave vet in Emmerdale.
John Nayagam from Tullamore in Co. Offaly is among a new breed of Irish
actors playing leading roles in a number of British dramas.
His role as the silky smooth vet Hari Prasad has shaken up the sleepy
Yorkshire Dales and is a major break for the six-foot Irishman whose mother
is Irish and whose late father was Indian.
His character is an old university friend of local vet Paddy and he is
now a partner in Paddy’s practice.
Before his stint on Emmerdale John trained as an actor in New Zealand
and America. He has had small roles in Doctors and Dalziel and Pascoe
but his latest role is one he particularly enjoys.
He said: “We are exploring the character and giving him a few more
colours. He was originally painted as a two-dimensional character to start
with, a kind of charmer, but we didn’t know too much about him.
“Now we are learning more about his dark side and what he is willing
to do to get on in life and what he himself wants.”
Another Irish star enthralling British audiences is Victoria Smurfit who
stars in Lynda LaPlante’s acclaimed detective drama Trial and Retribution
on ITV.
The 10th film in the series has just debuted and the actress — best
known for being part of the Irish Smurfit dynasty — says she’s
warmed to her character despite her faults.
She said: “Would I necessarily want to go and have a long weekend
with her in a small room? Not really.
“As a woman she’s tough, closed and rather icy. I actually
think she is quite afraid to let life in.
“If she allowed herself to think about how little she has in her
life she’d probably implode.
“But I love the fact that I’m allowed to play flaws. She has
unattractive personality traits which, let’s face it, is much more
real. I’m allowed to be a cold, tough bitch because it’s human.”
Everywhere you look on British television lately Irish actors are thriving.
Channel 4’s hit series Shameless recently added Newry-born actor
Michael Legge to its cast.
Hollyoaks also added some Irish charm to its recipe with the inclusion
last year of 25-year-old West Belfast actor Gerard McCarthy.
And with the recent news that BBC’s Rough Diamonds will focus almost
entirely around Irish actors it has never been a better time to be Irish
on British TV.
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