Kennington News

Exclusive By Kate Jackson Kate.Jackson@Mirror.Co.Uk 20/06/2007

ICE cool, confident and definitely sexy... Amita Dhiri made her mark as Milly, the spirited lawyer in cult 90s drama This Life.

But despite her success, her parents were convinced their beautiful daughter was destined for something altogether seedier.

The fact that Amita was the first Asian actress to take a lead role in a major British TV drama hadn't impressed her French mother Antonia nor her Indian accountant father Vinod.

"My mum was worried This Life was my first step into porn. Then all my father's clients started congratulating him on it and he thought it must be OK then."

Very OK... and today their actor daughter is attracting a new band of admirers as a steely detective in The Bill.

But astonishingly, as the petite and beautiful actress takes centre stage again in a television drama, she admits that for years she could barely bring herself to look in the mirror, let alone watch herself on TV.

"I hated how I looked as a child," says Amita, now 41. "It's been a huge journey for me. Being half brown and growing up in the 1970s wasn't the easiest thing. I just looked different to everyone else."

It's difficult to imagine now but in her 20s, the pretty mum-of-two used to hide away under baggy jumpers and jeans, usually borrowed from her boyfriend, Bradley Carroll, who is now her husband.

"I was about two stone heavier when I met Bradley and he lovedthat. But I wouldn't necessarilyhave taken that out in the world with me," she says. "I never used to wear make-up. It was only after I'd been in the business a little while and got used to having my make-up done for me that I started to enjoy it."

Now Amita says she is thankful that she overcame her crippling self-consciousness, as she feared she could have passed on her own insecurities to her daughters, Maeve, nine, and Edana, three.

"I grew up and enjoyed being a woman," she says. "And thank God I did because I could have really screwed them up. If I'd had them younger, I probably would have, because I had real problems with the way I looked."

Despite her doubts about herself, Amita has never been tempted to go under the knife.

"I never got my teeth fixed or had bigger boobs," she says.

"I don't think it gets you more interesting roles. It's a slippery slope. But, yes, there is a certain pressure to look as good as you can." And gradually, she has become able to watch herself on screen.

"I'm getting better because it's important that I see what I do and maybe next time do it differently," she says.

Bizarrely, it was her extreme bashfulness which led her into acting.

"There are two extremes. I was paralysed by shyness and then I was doing something where you pretend to be someone else," she says.

Even now, she admits her job still makes her nervous.

"It's like a parachute jump. Once you've done it, that takes you a certain way towards feeling good about yourself, then you're fine - until you have to do it again..."

Amita shot to fame in 1996 as lawyer Milly Nassim in This Life, starring alongside Andrew Lincoln, Jack Davenport and Daniela Nardini.

The show, which followed the group of young professionals through their career and relationship troubles, became an instant hit.

It finished after two series but, earlier this year, the cast reunited for This Life +10-a one-off show.

Since This Life, Amita has taken on small roles in programmes such as Judge John Deed, Holby City and Silent Witness as well as parts in the theatre.

Now, she's back as TheBill's no-nonsense cop DC Grace Dasari. Her arrival at Sun Hill caused a stir last week and tonight she continues to flex her muscles as she investigates a serial rapist.

"Grace is an interesting character. She's spent a lot of time in special projects and now she's come to Sun Hill to meet people, to start doing police work on the ground.

SHE'S fine to solve the crimes and do interviews but she hasn't worked with victims before."

As part of her research for the role, Amita spent time shadowing Kennington police in South London and had a lesson in driving a patrol car.

Her own life has been relatively crime free - except for one terrifying experience when two girls pulled a knife on her and demanded money.

"I was about 22 and had my rent in my pocket, about £280," she says. "I wasn't going to part with it because I thought, even if you give it to them, it doesn't stop you being hurt.

"So, I did what any self respecting actress would do - and pretended to have learning disabilities.

"I said I'd take them home for a biscuit and walked all the way back up to my flat. They must have lost interest by the time we reached my place and walked off.

"It didn't make me scared to go out, but for about six months I was quite anxious."

Today, the Bill's tough six-days-a-week filming schedule is a shock to the system and Amita finds it tough to be apart from her girls.

Her husband, Bradley, who runs an e-greeting website, has taken over most of the parenting duties, like going to sports day and parents evening.

Her time now is precious - so Amita admits her social life has had to take a backseat.

"I have no friends now," she says. "My time is spent working and with my family."

THIS LIFE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

MUCH loved as hunky Egg, Andrew Lincoln, 33, went on to play Simon Casey, an original cast member of Channel 4's Teachers. He also starred opposite Keira Knightley in Brit flick Love Actually and in ITV1's supernatural drama Afterlife. Andrew is now considering a number of options but has nothing definite in the pipeline.

AFTER playing arrogant Miles, Jack Davenport, 34, went on to work in Hollywood where he has starred in The Talented Mr Ripley, The Libertine and the Pirates Of The Caribbean trilogy. His next appearance on the small screen will be in a leading role in Swingtown, a new American series due to be aired on CBS.

THE sexually fearless Anna Forbes was such a powerful character that Daniela Nardini - who brought the part to life - moaned recently that she has been typecast in similar roles. The 39-year-old is currently a full-time mum to her two-month-old daughter, Claudia, and expects to go back to work later this year.

JASON Hughes has taken on a variety of roles since his time as This Life's troubled Welshman Warren Jones. The 36-year-old's TV CV includes Casualty and Waking The Dead. But now he is best known as DC Ben Jones, John Nettles's sidekick in IT V1's Midsomer Murders, and is currently filming his second series.

SINCE playing the slightly dippy secretary Kira in This Life, Luisa Bradshaw-White, 31, went on to further TV stardom as nurse Lisa Fox in Holby City, a part she had from 2001 to 2005. The one-time child star of Grange Hill is currently taking a break from her acting career.

AFTER playing Jo, Steve John Shepherd, 33, managed to secure a number of small parts in high-profile films including From Hell which starred Johnny Depp, Star Wars Episode II and Layer Cake. He was last seen appearing alongside Liza Tarbuck in the ITV comedy series, Bonkers, in March this year.

FERDY, played by Ramon Tikaram, 38, was missing from the This Life reunion - as the cast assembled for Ferdy's funeral. His career is still going strong though and he has appeared in TV dramas such as Silent Witness. He's also appeared in cult comedy The Mighty Boosh and Mischief Night, which was released on DVD in April.

The Bill is on ITV1, 8pm, tonight

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