australian television information archive

Disturbing role

FLETCHER Humphrys' new job can be more than a little disturbing.

The new addition to Seven's medical drama All Saints joined the cast four months ago and already has had to deal with some nauseating sights.

"We just finished an episode where a young male who was painting on scaffolding, falls and he's impaled on a pole," Humphrys says. "So that was stuck straight through him which was very interesting. It looked so real that you just wanted to go up and ask the actor if he was feeling OK."

Humphrys plays ambulance officer Alex Kearns, one of the show's new guard brought in after a raft of departures.

Alex replaces Ben Markham (Brian Vriends) as Scott Zinenko's (Conrad Coleby) ambulance partner on the road.

Humphrys says he's having a ball on the show, though he was nervous at first.

"I was a bit scared about joining such an established cast, to be honest," he says. "It was like the first day of school but they were just fantastic."

Humphrys says Alex is a likeable lad just arrived from country Australia who "calls it as he sees it". Quirks and family problems follow him to his new job.

Humphreys is best known for playing Martin Pike in Neighbours and Brett "Brick" Buchanan who recently died on McLeod's Daughters.

His film roles have included parts in Chopper, Guru Wayne and, most recently, Razor Eaters and an American made-for-TV movie The Junction Boys starring Tom Berenger.

Humphrys says he is looking forward to being challenged in his new TV role but hopes no one "actually thinks I could save their life" off-camera.

• All Saints, Tuesday, Seven, 8.30pm

By Jennifer Dudley
April 17, 2003
The Courier Mail