EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH NATHALIE EMMANUEL AND SAM DARBYSHIRE

Fletch and Sasha have been experimenting with dangerous drugs, and their habit is quickly spiralling out of control. Wanting to look cool and continuously looking for a new high, they seem to be getting into deep trouble. We caught up with Sam Darbyshire and Nathalie Emmanuel to talk about what it's been like to play this role...

Fletch and Sasha have both been well behaved characters so far, how has it been for you as they have begun to change and you both have big storylines?

Nathalie: Well I suppose no one has really taken much notice of Sasha and Fletch so far. I think one of the reasons they have started taking drugs is because they think it will make them look cooler, and I think the HOLLYOAKS producers are demonstrating that drug addiction is something that can happen to anyone, which I think is a really important message.

We've done a lot of research and it can easily happen to someone who has a background like Sasha. It doesn't matter how strong you are it only has to take one thing to take over your better judgement.

Sam: Yeah I think one of the first times the audience saw them taking drugs was when Fletch was in the park and he smoked a spliff to impress Ste.

Because the storyline is about such a sensitive issue do you feel that there is a lot of pressure on you both?

Sam: Yes, definitely.
Nathalie: I definitely do, I have worried about it loads because my up-bringing has been so separated from anything like this. I personally would be far too scared to do drugs because you hear so many awful stories, so the storyline is really out of my comfort zone because I've never experienced anything like it.

Sam: We did visit a rehab centre too, didn't we.
Nathalie: Yeah we did and the patients there were telling us about all the different drugs, and I had to ask them to use the correct names for them because I just didn't have a clue. They were laughing at me because I'm so naive about it all.

Sam: Yeah and as well I think it's the kind of thing you have to be careful with because you could offend someone. There have been a lot of times when the scripts have had to be changed. It's difficult because what we do has to be believable but it has to show the bad effects too. Like Fletch and Sasha obviously love the way the drugs make them feel, but we have to portray the really bad stuff too.

Nathalie: Yes, like how it is affecting our relationships with our family and friends. The storyline is going to show the real tough side of taking drugs and how it changes your personality and takes over your life.

There are lots of stories in the media about celebrities who are on drugs, what do you think about this?

Sam: Actually, I think my character is a bit 'Pete Doherty' with his guitar and stuff.
Nathalie: It actually makes me quite sad that these people have such talent and they just throw it away.
Sam: I think the thing with people like Pete Doherty is that he has always said he doesn't want to be a role model and that he doesn't think people should look up to him.
Nathalie: Yes but I think that if you are famous and want people to like your music then you have a responsibility and you're a role model whether you like it or not. For some reason it seems to be almost accepted in the music industry but at the end of the day you are paid to do a job which you are not doing because you're on drugs.

So far Sasha and Fletch have move from cannibis, to speed, to heroin. Are we going to see their drug habit escalate further?

Sam: I think so far it's just been experimenting and trying stuff out, but we are filming scenes at the minute which show the escalation of their drug taking.
Nathalie: We will be seeing more of the effect that it has on your life. I think it's really important that HOLLYOAKS show their habit spiralling out of control and the effect it will have on their lives.

Would you like to see Sasha and Fletch come out the other side of this or do you think a more dramatic ending is needed?

Nathalie: I think that I care about this storyline enough that if the producers said that I was going to be killed off at the end of it, then I would just accept that. Obviously I don't want to leave though.
Sam: Yeah for the sake of the storyline, if it's going to be necessary, but obviously we don't want to leave.
Nathalie: I'm not sure what will happen to Sasha and Fletch yet, Sasha has a lot of support in her family but Fletch doesn't seem to have any.

Watch HOLLYOAKS - weeknights on Channel 4 at 6:30pm - to find out what happens next with Sasha and Fletch.

For information and advice about drugs, check out Channel4.com/Health.