After eight years in Hollyoaks, Gemma Merna has revealed that she'll be leaving and tackling different endeavours.
In a new and exclusive interview we chat to Gemma about her time as Carmel McQueen on the soap, Jeans For Genes, what the future holds and more.
Gemma Merna for Jeans For GenesFirst of all Hollyoaks - eight years! How has the whole experience been?
Oh it's been fantastic. It's been so enjoyable, I've met some fantastic people, played an amazing character, and learned everything to do with acting, to do with TV, everything there. It's such a great place to learn because everyone's so willing to help.
And fans have been so supportive of Carmel, she's a fan favourite...
Yes, they have. I've just got absolutely amazing fans and I couldn't wish for anymore really, because everybody does love her so much, and I'm really lucky, about that.
What have been your favourite moments or scenes to film?
Probably Calvin's death - the flashforward episode that we did six months in advance - and then went back. I think that was one of the highlights of the show. Such a great character and great actor - Ricky (Whittle) - being killed off, but in such an impact where it effects the whole McQueens, and I think that is something that everybody remembers about Hollyoaks, and it does stand out.
Can you tell us a little bit about what to expect from Carmel's final scenes?
Well I'm not allowed to say too much about that. I'm sure I'll be able to do more interviews in the near future to tell you a little bit more but all I can say is it's an amazing exit, and I couldn't wish for anymore, and everybody needs to keep watching!
And what led to the decision to leave Hollyoaks, was it just to pursue other ventures?
Yes. Probably the beginning of the year I felt I'd done everything possible with Carmel and experienced so much with her, and I didn't want to get to the point where I was repeating storylines and just staying there. The time comes when you're an actress and I think you know when a character's done with. She's kind of done everything and you don't want people to stop liking her, and think she's boring. I've always said Carmel's like Raquel from Coronation Street and I think those sorts of characters, they've got to be in a soap a short amount of time - not forever - for them to stay as an impact character. It's like Raquel now still being in Coronation Street, it wouldn't be the same. From my childhood I always remember that character with Curly, and that's what I aspired Carmel to be as well.
Sarah Lancashire's an amazing actress, you can see all the things she's gone on to and she's gone against everybody saying she wouldn't play any other character, and look at her now, she's just unreal, I really do look up to her, as a comedy actress myself, moving into more serious stuff and tackling some other storylines and other characters that I can get my teeth into.
Gemma MernaYou are launching a new business venture later this year, what can you tell us about that?
I am! Again, I'm not allowed to tell you too much, but it's very exciting. It's something very close to my heart and it's something no other soap star or any other celebrity has done, and it's one of those things that could take me across the world launching it. But, my home's England and I love it so much, being up North as well, but yeah it's an amazing opportunity and I just can't wait for everybody to see it really.
How much pressure do you feel going down that route?
Not too much really, because I just think, you've got to do what makes you happy and what's working for you, and that's what I felt like. I wanted to put my focus into this business venture at the moment and then move on and tackle some new characters hopefully next year.
You're an ambassador for Jeans For Genes, why did you choose to get involved with this organisation?
Number one, it's a fantastic charity, it really is. And it's all for people with genetic disorders as well which is quite a taboo subject I think, not many people talk about it.
One in 25 children in the UK are born with a genetic disorder and, it's not really spoke about. Every other charity is quite out there, isn't it?
So what Jeans For Genes wanted to do is make a big deal about it, get a lot of celebrities involved which they have done, there's been a lot of celebrities wearing their favourite genes and that's being publicised, and then on Friday September 19, we want everyone in work, everyone who wears suits all day and aren't comfortable, wear their comfiest jeans and donate, and support the charity. I think it's such a great idea for everyone to do that, because everyone loves being in their comfy jeans don't they?
That's why I wanted to support it, for all the children out there and parents as well that have to deal with it every day, I think it's a really important charity to get the support from celebrities to publicise it.
How can people get involved and help out?
Everything's available on the website jeansforgenes.org, and you can donate there and get a free fundraising kit as well.
What have been some of your biggest challenges in your career to-date?
Well, just really number one, my biggest challenge was creating Carmel. I kind of created her myself from day one going into the audition, dressing like her and putting this character in front of Bryan Kirkwood and Dorothy Andrew at the time, and saying: 'Here I am', basically.
As Bryan said, lovely in his briefing about me leaving - Carmel wasn't in their sights to have in the show, then I came in, created this character and put her right in front of his eyes, and he wanted obviously to put her in the show and get writers writing for her, so that has been the biggest challenge, to keep up there.
I don't think I realised when I joined what position I was in really. I'm just a hard worker and wanted to get in there, get my scripts and make everything perfect. The first year was a whole whirlwind, joining the show, becoming a McQueen, winning a Soap Award within my first nine months for Best Comedy. It was just unreal, and yeah, completely peaked for my first year! (laughs)
I've got some amazing memories from this time in my life. Hopefully I'll be able to make some new memories, just as big on other projects.
So is it more grittier stuff you want to go in to?
Yeah, I think being in a soap for so long, all the storylines are so dramatic and quite not true to life! (laughs) I'd love to do a Northern-based drama, get back to my roots, maybe some period stuff, and just completely change and not be anything like Carmel, and just show the world something else, and prove to myself I can create these other characters as well. So yeah, I'd love to do a little two, three-part drama in something, that'd be my dream, so hopefully next year if I'm lucky enough to even get seen by the amazing casting directors that cast these things, it'd be great to start learning a new venture and new way of acting in a way.
Gemma is supporting Jeans for Genes Day 2014 which will be held on Friday 19 September. Please sign-up and order a free fundraising kit at www.jeansforgenes.org or call 0800 980 4800.
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