Richard Madden is Ashley. Young, handsome, and a bit of a lad - he thinks he has it sussed, knows how to play the game, and always keeps his cards close to his chest. His only problem, as a gay bloke who doesn't actually like other gay blokes, is that he's never in the biggest game of them all. We caught up with Richard to chat about Ashley, and what it was like filming the series...
It's not often that actors encounter dead bodies when researching a television role, but that is exactly what Richard experienced on a night out with the Ambulance Service. 'I spent a Friday night observing an ambulance crew to find out what they go through during a shift, how they feel, what they talk about,' explains Richard. 'The whole experience was exciting, moving and strange.'
'For me it was a real life experience. Exhilarating. We arrived at a call; a woman in her 30s, an alcoholic. She was dead in her flat. I had seen a dead body before, my gran, but this was the first dead person I'd seen whom I was detached from and it was an odd situation. It was also weird watching how the police and ambulance men acted around this body because they see it every day. It was really useful for me in terms of the job and where the comedy actually comes from in extreme situations.'
Richard admits, 'There is a level of shutting down because you have to get on with the job and keep your head clear. I realised for the people the EMTs are arriving to help it is a huge deal but for them it's another job and then they are on to the next call out. These things filter into your brain though. I still see that dead woman's face sometimes, and think that she had kids. It can be scary.'
'His sexuality - that's what interested me in the part,' says Richard. 'He is gay and it is not an issue for him at all. He is gay with no problems or hang-ups about it at all. But he's as straight as the other two in every other aspect, and these two push him on it just as straight men who don't know much about the gay life.'
Richard adds: 'In reality these characters would probably never spend time together but they are forced to in this job and they have settled into a dynamic that does work. So they do rub each other up the wrong way but there is also a great deal of affection which comes out in that masculine way of piss taking but through that you get to know them and to realise who cares about who.'
'The other two are very funny comedians and have very different backgrounds to me but as an actor I try to push myself to try new things, and this was definitely a big challenge for me,' admits Richard. 'It has helped me learn about who I am and where my strengths and talents lie. I am certainy more confident with the comedy element now and you do have to be on your guard all the time around Kayvan and Rhys. I've found another beat and have learnt a lot from working with them.'
