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Has Terri finally got her man?

Steamy love scenes between Mitch and Terri may please many All Saints fans — but according to Georgie Parker, filming them proved to be a little difficult thanks to her pregnancy!

Hiding a pregnancy on TV is never an easy task — but when you throw in a couple of love scenes it can become almost impossible, as All Saints star Georgie Parker has discovered.

"It was weird because I am so pregnant... it was a bit funny," says Georgie of her character Terri Sullivan's passionate love scenes with Dr Mitch Stevens in the return of the hit Seven Network series this Tuesday (October 3) following a break for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.

"Erik and I get along so well and we're very comfortable together, so it wasn't weird that we had to kiss. But it was crazy trying to disguise my belly at 26 weeks and attempting to make it all look very sexy!"

As Georgie's pregnancy could not be written into the storyline — unlike that of co-star Joy Smithers, who, like Georgie, is due to give birth this week — the All Saints producers reworked the filming schedule to accommodate her condition.

"John Holmes [Seven Network head of drama] and Jo Porter [All Saints producer] have been amazing," says Georgie, who is married to scriptwriter Steve Worland. "They never once made me feel like it [the pregnancy] was an inconvenience. They were excited for me and gave me as much time off as they could."

Trying to hide her expanding stomach was a strange experience for Georgie — particularly whenever she and Joy, who plays Mitch's new wife Rose, were filming a scene together.

"Joy was allowed to be pregnant in some episodes and not in others," she explains. "Showing her belly and hiding mine if we were doing a scene together was interesting. I mean, there was just no hiding it... I showed pretty quickly!" In an attempt to disguise things, Georgie did "a lot of folder acting" (holding folders in front of her stomach) as well as being shot close-up — with limited success.

"It's hard not to act pregnant when you are," she admits, candidly. The love scenes between Mitch and Terri are bound to have All Saints viewers pit her and Rose against each other.

"They already do that," Georgie claims. "All that people say to me is, 'Why didn't you say anything at the wedding?'. They were disappointed, and a lot of them wish that Mitch hadn't married Rose. On the other hand, I think a lot understood why he did. Terri wasn't available.

"With Terri no longer a nun and the marriage between Mitch and Rose under considerable strain, it looks like many viewers will get what they've been waiting for — Terri and Mitch as a couple! Of course, this is met with some resistance from Rose.

"Rose has a big problem with Terri, and you get a clash between them, which is good drama," Georgie says.

"When Rose starts to accuse Terri, Terri panics and wonders whether to tell Mitch. But Mitch doesn't see this side of Rose — he only gets the dutiful, loving wife. Terri and the audience see that other side of Rose, and Terri finds herself in a bit of a dilemma."

Georgie won't say whether the love scenes between Mitch and Terri will result in the doctor and his wife heading for the divorce court. However, Mitch and Terri will remain close, whatever the outcome.
"Regardless of what else has come to play in their relationship, they've always had a friendship," Georgie believes.

"They understand and respect each other. Whatever tension there may be, they can always go back to each other.

"Besides, if you answer all the questions in one episode you lose the tension and have to come up with something else to keep things interesting!"

By Erin Craven
Photos: Fiora Sacco
Week of Sept 25, 2000
TV Week