All Saints: articles


Chris Gabardi and Wil Traval

Chris and Wil are happy with the new set

All set to go

The staff of Ward 17 diagnose their new home

As All Saints fans say goodbye to Ward 17 for the last time, Chris Gabardi (Dr Vincent Hughes), Wil Traval (Dr Jack Quade) and new cast member Natalie Saleeba (as nurse Jessica Singleton) walk us through their new home, the emergency department.

“The new set is fantastic. It’s rare you work on a set that has a roof!” Chris explains. “Often they are quite disjointed.”

The new set is based on the design of an actual emergency department.

“It’s so incredibly detailed, all the equipment and all the bits and pieces are real and accurate,” Chris says.

“There’s a real sense of space too,” Wil adds. “It feels more like a hospital. There’s always something going on beyond the people you see in front of the camera.”

Natalie Saleeba

“It even smells like a hospital”

For newcomer and self-confessed hospital-hater Natalie, the first day on set was a little confronting.

“I don’t like hospitals. I walked in and said: ‘Of goodness, what am I doing to do? It even smells like a hospital here!’”

But all three agree the attention to detail allows them to slip into their characters more easily.

“The set has great depth to it. When I’ve done theatre and the set has been very detailed, it helps your performance and this is the same,” Chris explains.

Wil and Natalie both spent time in hospitals before starting their roles.

“I visited two emergency wards and spoke to interns and doctors,” he says.

“And I went to Sydney’s Liverpool Hospital just to observe,” Natalie adds.

But will viewers notice the new set?

“Visually, fans will notice the difference,” Chris says. “Sometimes when shows are revamped you can lose the essence but I don’t think that’s what has happened here.”

“I hope viewers will embrace the change because I think t has been beneficial for the show,” he adds. “What we have now is a much more visually exciting show to watch.”

By Monique Butterworth
Pictures: Adam Taylor
April 04, 2004
New Idea