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From saint to sinner

In the new season of All Saints, will Terri Sullivan be judged by past habits?

Georgie Parker has a confession to make - she's thrilled the wicked ways of her All Saints alter ego will be revealed in the drama serial's 1999 season.

Nursing unit manager Terri Sullivan's holier-than-thou demeanour will be stripped away and her sinful past exposed in episodes which are sure to set tongues wagging.

"I won't give too much away," Georgie teases, "but it's something the audience is going to go ballistic over!"

Woman's Day can reveal that handsome cast newcomer Erik Thomson, who plays Dr Mitch Stevens, holds the key to unlocking Terri's secrets.

When he begins to walk the wards, confrontation between Mitch and Terri becomes inevitable.

"He lets the cat out of the bag - that they used to have a sexual relationship and he preferred her when he knew her in the past as opposed to now," Georgie says with a wry chuckle.

"They had a full fledged relationship and it's clear he still has feelings for her, and I think she does for him, too."

"We're not talking about Terri breaking her nun's vows or anything, but the audience is going to love it because it raises all sorts of intriguing and contentious issues.

"Does she still have feelings for this man? Does he still feel for her? And if they do, what happens? What are they going to do about that?"

As Georgie points out, despite Terri's strict Catholic upbringing, she didn't take her vows until she was in her early 20s. There was plenty of opportunity for Terri to have a sexual history before accepting God as her first love. Georgie

"It's normal and necessary because she was a young woman," Georgie adds.

"Unfortunately, people have very set opinions. If they were brought up in a Catholic school and taught by nuns or have any history with nuns, then they really want them to be elderly women who are almost like the third sex.

"But it's very evident from the nuns I spoke to that they are women. A lot go through the stage of wondering, 'Have I made the right choice? Or should I get married and have a family?'

"Just because you take your vows and say, 'I'm going to dedicate my life to God,' doesn't mean you can't pretend those feelings aren't there in your life and in your body.

"I believe Terri made the decision to become a nun because she was afraid of quite a few things - but she genuinely does have a full-on relationship with God.

"That's why I like Terri so much, because she is so dedicated. She's also a pretty strong and passionate woman, so I think the audience is really going to go for this."

By Di Stanley
December 28, 1998
Woman's Day



Georgie and Steve

Home for the holidays

Georgie Parker salivates at the memory of her late grandmother's butter brandy ice-cream melting on the Christmas pudding as the family huddled around, waiting to devour the tasty treat.

"It was just divine, and was the only thing with alcohol in it that I can remember really loving," says the 34-year-old actress, who wouldn't dream of indulging in such a kilojoule-laden dessert at any time other than Christmas.

She laughs and adds, "Anyway, you always eat too much at this time of year!"

Georgie can't remember a time when she hasn't made it home for Christmas. This year, the Parker clan is trekking down to the New South Wales country town of Harden, near Yass, to the home of Georgie's sister, Vicki Fairfield-Smith.

Georgie's current beau, screenwriter Steve Worland, will join in the festivities.

"I love Christmas," enthuses the bubbly actress. "It reminds me of family feeling good about each other, putting their differences aside of just getting together, no matter what.

"I know they say Christmas is the worst day of the year for the family to get together and argue, but all I remember is the laughter. We're pretty good-humoured.

"And I think giving at that time of year is special in itself. It's a lovely tradition."

As a child, Georgie's Christmas pillowcase always bulged with presents to fuel her dreams.

"We had pillowcases, never stockings, stuffed with gifts and we were big on ones we could use," she tells Woman's Day.

"Because I loved ballet and theatre, I always got six ballet books, and then, as I got older, movie books and books on British theatre.

"It was pretty obvious to anyone who knew me that dancing and acting were the only things I could do, and the only things I prided myself on doing. I wasn't academic."

One present Georgie already knows is under the tree is a five-week production break from the All Saints set. After a rigorous year, in which the critically acclaimed series consolidated its audience, the time off is just what Georgie needed from Santa.

By Di Stanley
December 28, 1998
Woman's Day