'Doctors' star Sophie Abelson talks Cherry, Jimmi wedding: Interview

Doctors regular Cherry Malone gets the happy day she's been waiting for next week as she ties the knot with partner Jimmi Clay.

Cherry is thrilled as she finally exchanges her vows with Jimmi (Adrian Lewis Morgan) on Tuesday, but in the build-up to the wedding, she has to contend with an eventful hen night and supporting Zara Carmichael (Elisabeth Dermot Walsh) when she goes into labour at work!

Digital Spy recently caught up with Sophie Abelson, who plays Cherry, to hear about what's in store.

What was it like to film Cherry's wedding episode?
"It was quite exciting, especially in the build-up to the wedding, because it actually felt like I was getting married in real life! I had dress fittings and trials for hair and make-up, so it was all of the things that you have when you're planning a real wedding.

"Filming the actual ceremony also felt quite real, as all of my colleagues were there to watch and they're good friends of mine in real life. It was a really fun day at work."

What can we expect from the scenes that are coming up?
"The wedding episode is a big one for the show, and there is such a build-up to the big day as well. You'll see that it's also closely intertwined with Zara's storyline. So for Cherry, Jimmi, Zara and Daniel, there are some big episodes coming up. I'm really glad that Doctors went all-out with these storylines for the two couples, as they've definitely given them their full virtue.

"I've seen the wedding episode and I think it all pays off. It was all filmed out on location in a big castle, and it was a lovely venue - the grounds were beautiful. It's quite glorious!"

Soap actors often say that on-screen weddings can be quite tiring due to the long filming days. Was that the case here?
"Well, here at Doctors, we film so fast because we have so little time. It's hardly ever the case that we're waiting around between scenes. Ian Barber, who directed the episode, was so well-organised - and so were all of our crew.

"The whole team worked together really well, so when it got to the actual day of filming, it all ran quite smoothly. But I have to admit, by the end of the day, I was a little bit bored of the big heavy dress!"

Did you have any input into Cherry's choice of dress?
"I really trust our wardrobe department, so I always leave it to them. If I started getting involved, I'd probably choose something that was to my taste - which is quite different to Cherry's! It was better to keep it out of my hands, so we could stay true to the character.

"The viewers will also see that there's two dresses involved in the storyline. The dress that Cherry has chosen doesn't end up being the one that she wears on the day…"

We've seen Cherry get very stressed about the wedding!
"She's a pain in the backside, isn't she? She is bridezilla, and she just seems to get worse and worse. I think it's because it's something that she's been dreaming about ever since she was a kid. So she's been getting a bit carried away about the whole thing.

"However, everything that happens in the build-up to the wedding ends up putting things into perspective for Cherry. Once she gets involved in Zara's situation, she gets a wake-up call about what's important and what's not. When it comes to the wedding day, bridezilla has been washed away."

What can you tell us about Cherry helping to deliver Zara's baby on the day before the wedding?
"Well, if Zara could choose any one person to be there while she's giving birth, I think Cherry would be at the bottom of the list! But Cherry is the only person in the whole surgery who's there to help her, so that provides a lot of comedy and a lot of drama too.

"It's very interesting, because in the build-up to Zara going into labour, Cherry's hen night takes place and three years of tension that she's had with Zara comes to a head. Something happens on that hen night which causes the animosity between them to explode. So it'll be interesting to see what happens when Cherry is having to help Zara through the labour."

Do you enjoy filming those rivalry scenes between Cherry and Zara?
"I love it! It's great, because the characters are so different - they're at opposite ends of the spectrum. There have been a few moments where they've softened towards each other, but those haven't lasted for very long! Once they've been through the labour scenes, we'll have to wait and see whether it changes their relationship."

Cherry and Jimmi have had their ups and downs, but do you think they've put their dramas behind them now?
"Well, this is soapland and I don't think any couple can ever be totally comfortable! There always has to be some room for drama. When it comes to the wedding and the build-up to it, a lot of the drama is going on with other characters, but for Cherry and Jimmi it's a happy day and everything runs quite smoothly.

"However, we have to remember that the two characters are very different, and I know there are mixed opinions over whether they're well-matched or not. Those underlying tensions are always going to be there and will creep up from time to time…"

How are you finding life at Doctors in general?
"I really enjoy it. It's such a nice family atmosphere here. Other soaps have 50 or 60 cast members, but there's a only a small group of us here, so there's no competition. On other soaps, people are probably fighting for storylines, but we don't have that because we all get our fair share and each year there'll usually be one big thing that happens to us. I've learned so much from Doctors."

> Read more Doctors chat from Sophie Abelson in Soap Scoop

Doctors airs Cherry and Jimmi's wedding on Tuesday, February 14 at 1.45pm on BBC One.