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Dr. Jimmi Clay is a fictional character from the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC
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soap opera ''
Doctors'', portrayed by
Adrian Lewis Morgan. The actor joined the cast shortly after his role in ''
Holby City'' came to an end. Morgan was a fan of the soap and was pleased to audition for a regular part. He made his first appearance during the episode broadcast on 5 September 2005 and has gone on to become the programme's longest serving cast member. Upon his introduction, Jimmi is portrayed as being recently separated from his wife and being new to the medical profession. Jimmi has
obsessive–compulsive disorder
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental and behavioral disorder in which an individual has intrusive thoughts and/or feels the need to perform certain routines repeatedly to the extent where it induces distress or impairs general ...
(OCD) and Morgan carried out his own research into the disorder to help his portrayal. He later admitted that Jimmi's OCD had begun to impact his own life.
Producers introduced the character's former wife shortly after his arrival, and he later established relationships with detective
Eva Moore
Eva Moore (9 February 1868 – 27 April 1955) was an English actress. Her career on stage and in film spanned six decades, and she was active in the women's suffrage movement. In her 1923 book of reminiscences, ''Exits and Entrances'', she des ...
(
Angela Lonsdale) and
Cherry Malone
'' Doctors'' is a British medical soap opera which began broadcasting on BBC One on 26 March 2000. Set in the fictional West Midlands town of Letherbridge, the soap follows the lives of the staff and patients of the Mill Health Centre, a fictio ...
(
Sophie Abelson
Sophie Abelson is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Cherry Clay in the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'' from 2009 to 2012. For her role as Cherry, she received a nomination for the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer.
Lif ...
), the latter of whom he married. After "a bit of a lull" concerning storylines, Jimmi became the focus of a major storyline which sees him wrongfully arrested and imprisoned for several months. The storyline saw a specially built prison set and Morgan was excited to be given the storyline as it felt different for himself and the soap itself. Morgan has received several award nominations for his portrayal of Jimmi, including Best Male Dramatic Performance at the
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV and has been presented by Phillip Schofield since 2006. The trophies gi ...
, and in 2020, he was announced as the winner of the Male Acting Performance award at the
RTS Midlands Awards
The Royal Television Society (RTS) is a British-based educational charity for the discussion, and analysis of television in all its forms, past, present, and future. It is the oldest television society in the world. It currently has fourteen r ...
.
Casting
Adrian Lewis Morgan joined the cast of ''
Doctors'' in 2005, shortly after appearing in ''
Holby City'' as nurse
Liam Evans.
He told Kris Green of
Digital Spy that he knew some of the casting directors from his time working on ''Holby City'', and admitted that he was a fan of the show before his casting, having watched it during his college years, so he was pleased to audition for a regular part.
Comparing it to his previous roles, Morgan said: "As far as TV's concerned, this is a bigger role for me dialogue-wise. With ''Holby'', I had a smaller part so
owit's more work and it's very fast. The way we film is very quick so you do spend a lot of the spare time you have off work actually working so it's not really spare time, you're learning scripts but it balances itself out."
Morgan has gone on to become the soap's longest serving cast member.
Development
Characterisation
Morgan described his character as "very charming, fairly new to the profession and just split up with his wife. I would say that he's a good doctor, and he suffers with
OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)."
Morgan carried out some research into OCD to help his portrayal, which included watching television documentaries and speaking with his father, who was a senior social worker.
Jimmi's backstory also established that he suffered the death of his mother and has
claustrophobia
Claustrophobia is the fear of confined spaces. It can be triggered by many situations or stimuli, including elevators, especially when crowded to capacity, windowless rooms, and hotel rooms with closed doors and sealed windows. Even bedrooms wit ...
.
In 2011, Morgan explained to
WalesOnline
Media Wales Ltd. is a publishing company based in Cardiff, Wales. As of 2009 it was owned by Reach plc (formerly known as the Trinity Mirror Group). It was previously known as the Western Mail & Echo Ltd.
History
The ''Western Mail'' was fo ...
's Rachel Mainwaring that Jimmi's OCD had impacted his own life and he often catches himself checking car door locks and light switches.
He commented: "I suppose it's inevitable that I am like him as I've been playing him so long."
Morgan also said that he shares some personality traits with his character, but he pointed out that they have very different styles, as he prefers casual clothes, while Jimmi is often seen dressed in a suit.
Roz Laws of the ''
Birmingham Mail
The ''Birmingham Mail'' (branded the ''Black Country Mail'' in the Black Country) is a tabloid newspaper based in Birmingham, England but distributed around Birmingham, the Black Country, and Solihull and parts of Warwickshire, Worcestershire a ...
'' observed that Jimmi is "a favourite with patients and colleagues".
Relationships
Producers introduced the character's wife
Amanda Clay (
Emma Samms
Emma Elizabeth Wylie Samuelson MBE known professionally as Emma Samms, (born 28 August 1960) is an English actress and TV host, known for her role as Holly Sutton on the American daytime soap opera '' General Hospital'' and as the second actre ...
) in late 2005.
Amanda, a complementary therapist, is older than Jimmi, which Samms initially found flattering, until the other characters were scripted to show their disbelief at Jimmi being married to her.
Jimmi and Amanda's marriage is strained and she allows him to "fool around" with other women, as she believes that he will stay with her.
Amanda leaves after falsely claiming that she has cancer.
Samms reprised the role in 2018 as Amanda returns to Letherbridge following the death of her husband.
Samms told ''
Inside Soaps Allison Jones that Amanda initially wants to see how Jimmi is doing and does not let him know she is back straight away.
She also said: "Amanda is actually in a very desperate place, and she needs help."
It emerges that she is in "a bitter dispute" with her late husband's children over the will.
In 2007, Jimmi receives a new love interest in detective
Eva Moore
Eva Moore (9 February 1868 – 27 April 1955) was an English actress. Her career on stage and in film spanned six decades, and she was active in the women's suffrage movement. In her 1923 book of reminiscences, ''Exits and Entrances'', she des ...
(
Angela Lonsdale). Series producer Peter Lloyd was a fan of the couple, saying: "They're so good together; we could never keep them apart for long, could we? Or am I just being soppy? Any excuse to hear that lovely Lewis Morgan voice!"
He also believed that Morgan and Lonsdale's good working relationship came across well on-screen. Lloyd was keen to explore Jimmi's commitment issues with the relationship and hinted that things would "get very dark for Jimmi and Eva.
Writers later established a romantic relationship between Jimmi and his colleague
Cherry Malone
'' Doctors'' is a British medical soap opera which began broadcasting on BBC One on 26 March 2000. Set in the fictional West Midlands town of Letherbridge, the soap follows the lives of the staff and patients of the Mill Health Centre, a fictio ...
(
Sophie Abelson
Sophie Abelson is an English actress. She is known for portraying the role of Cherry Clay in the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'' from 2009 to 2012. For her role as Cherry, she received a nomination for the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer.
Lif ...
). Jimmi saves Cherry from drowning in a lake and gives her mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, leaving her "smitten" by his selfless act. Cherry has been developing feelings for Jimmi for a number of weeks, so when he visits her in the hospital, she asks him out on a date and he accepts. Abelson and Morgan filmed the lake scenes in a tank at
Pinewood Studios. Lloyd named it the year's biggest challenge, and he said he was proud of the way Abelson and Morgan pulled it off. The characters were married two years later. In the lead up to the wedding, Cherry becomes a
bridezilla
A bridezilla is a bride whose behavior is seen as demanding or unreasonable. The word comes from bride + -zilla.
* ''Bridezillas
''Bridezillas'' is an American reality television series that airs on WE tv and debuted on June 1, 2004. It chronicl ...
as she wants the perfect wedding, while Jimmi worries about the cost.
The day before the wedding,
Zara Carmichael
Dr. Zara Carmichael is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'', portrayed by Elisabeth Dermot Walsh. Zara was introduced as the new general practitioner at the fictional Mill Health Centre on 4 June 2009 and remained a re ...
(
Elisabeth Dermot Walsh
Elisabeth Dermot Walsh (born 15 September 1974) is an English actress, known for her role as Zara Carmichael in the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''. In 2015, she won Best Female Acting Performance at the RTS Midlands Awards for her portrayal of Zar ...
) goes into premature labour and Cherry delivers her son, which changes things for couple. Abelson explained, "I think it just puts everything into perspective for Cherry and Jimmi. Their main concern is whether Zara and Daniel's baby will survive."
The marriage is soon tested by Jimmi's desire to start a family and Cherry's affair with
Daniel Granger (
Matthew Chambers
Matthew Guy Charles Chambers (born 20 August 1968) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Daniel Granger in the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''.
Early and personal life
Matthew Guy Charles Chambers was born in London on 20 August 19 ...
), which he threatens to reveal. A month later, Abelson departed the cast to pursue new roles.
On-screen, Cherry and Jimmi's marriage "implodes", as Jimmi discovers the affair. He initially "holds it together", but he loses his temper when he learns that Cherry has secretly been taking contraception, despite their plans for a family. Abelson found the scenes "quite excruciating" to play out, knowing that Jimmi had been innocent throughout the storyline and was unaware of the truth. She said: "I felt really sick and uncomfortable, which obviously is how Cherry felt too."
Talking to Daniel Kilkelly of Digital Spy, Abelson explained that towards the end, Cherry had started to realise that her idea of the perfect marriage was not what it initially was. Abelson also thought that it was interesting that Cherry and Jimmi were put together, saying they were "always two very different people".
Hermione Pitman (Rebekah Manning) became Jimmi's love interest in 2014. After Zara turns down his romantic advances, Jimmi struggles with the compulsion to wash his hands. He attends an OCD support group and meets "kindred spirit" Hermione. Jimmi likes the "outlandish" ways she uses to deal with her condition. The relationship ends when Jimmi learns Hermione has kissed his friend
Al Haskey
Dr Al Haskey is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'', portrayed by Ian Midlane. He first appeared during the episode broadcast on 13 November 2012. His storylines in the programme have included stalking Jas Khella (Vineeta ...
(
Ian Midlane
Ian Midlane (born 2 February 1976) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Al Haskey on the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''. For his performance as Al, he won the award for Best Comedy Performance at the 2018 British Soap Awards.
Ca ...
). Still affected by Cherry's betrayal, Jimmi tells Hermione that he cannot forgive any infidelity. He also realises that they making their illnesses worse by being together.
Nephew
Jimmi is shocked when nephew
Will Hurran (Robin Morrissey) turns up on his doorstep and the pair catch up, with Jimmi offering him a room in his house. Will does not know Jimmi has OCD and his messy habits annoy Jimmi. Will introduces Jimmi to his girlfriend
Erin Anderson (Laura Ainsworth), but when she flirts with Jimmi, he begins to suspect they are not a real couple, and that Will is gay. The pair stay at
Emma Reid
Dr. Emma Reid is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'', portrayed by Dido Miles. Emma made her first appearance on 2 October 2012, and since her arrival, her storylines in the soap have included her romances with character ...
's (
Dido Miles
Dido Miles is an English actress. She is known for her role as Emma Reid on the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'', for which she has won two awards for at the RTS Midlands Awards. From 2001 to 2002, she starred in the CBBC children's series ''Oscar ...
) bed and breakfast, and Emma tells Jimmi that she believes that Will and Erin are a real couple.
However, Will later reveals that he is gay and that Erin is his best friend. After a long shift, Will goes back to Jimmi's house, leaving his belongings scattered around, not knowing Jimmi has just cleaned. Jimmi snaps at Will, who makes fun of Jimmi for cleaning so much. Jimmi opens up about his OCD and Will agrees to take more consideration with the house. Will tells Jimmi that he is going on a date, who is shocked to learn that Will is seeing
Ben Galadima (Michael Fatogun), Jimmi's colleague.
Arrest and imprisonment
Towards the end of 2019, the character was the focus of a major storyline that saw him arrested for heroin possession.
Following a shift as forensic medical examiner, Jimmi is approached by the Major Crime Squad who ask to search his car. They find a large amount of heroin and take him into the station for questioning. A show spokesperson told Allison Jones of ''Inside Soap'' that Jimmi is left "speechless" by the discovery, as it is the last thing he was expecting them to find.
Jimmi initially waives his right to a solicitor, as he believes the situation is a misunderstanding, but soon accepts that he is in trouble. The spokesperson said, "He agrees to a solicitor and tries to be more compliant – yet his nightmare is far from over..."
Meanwhile,
Valerie Pitman
Valerie Pitman is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera '' Doctors'', portrayed by Sarah Moyle. Valerie was introduced as a temporary receptionist at the fictional Mill Health Centre on 15 October 2012. Valerie is depicted as a kind, no ...
(
Sarah Moyle
Sarah Moyle (born 14 September 1969) is an English actress, known for her roles as Linda Fawcett in various stage productions of ''Jerusalem'' and Valerie Pitman in the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''. Moyle also portrayed the recurring role of Caro ...
) has to open the Mill for the police to conduct a search, and Jimmi makes his situation worse by talking to a witness, which is a breach of his bail conditions. The storyline revisited part of the character's past, as he is brought before a judge that he has clashed with before.
Morgan explained that he was "excited" about Jimmi's storyline, as it was very different from what the show usually does. He admitted that things had been quiet for Jimmi storyline-wise, calling it "a bit of a lull for him", so he hoped the viewers would "get on board" and enjoy the storyline.
Jimmi spends Christmas in prison and Morgan told Jones that this makes his "downward spiral" worse. He also commented that "he's not doing brilliantly well."
Morgan explained that a lack of visitors and being cut off from his friends takes its toll on Jimmi, who begins to feel alone, saying "he's lost faith in everyone around him."
The prison scenes were filmed on a specially constructed set, which meant Morgan spent a lot of time away from the rest of the cast. He also kept away from the Mill and Campus sets, which helped him to understand Jimmi's feelings of being alone.
Relationship with Maeve Ludlow
Writers paired Jimmi with nurse prescriber
Maeve Ludlow (
Clelia Murphy) in 2022. Simon Timblick of
What to Watch
''What's on TV'' is a weekly television listings magazine published by Future PLC.
Overview
''What's on TV'' is a weekly UK television magazine. It publishes features, TV listings, news and gossip from soap operas, as well as puzzles and compet ...
noted that it had been a while since Jimmi "last enjoyed a bit of romance".
Their initial scenes see Jimmi comforting Maeve, who is stressed about trying to get her mother into a care home. Maeve "practically bites his head off" due to her stress, but later apologises for her harsh attitude.
An ''Inside Soap'' writer noticed that the pair had good chemistry together, and observed that it "sizzles" when they find themselves working together late one night.
A power cut brings them closer and they attempt a kiss, but they end up banging heads, leaving an "embarrassed" Jimmi to confesses all to Al.
The pair later flirt, but are too afraid to make a move on each other, so after "a gentle push from some of their co-workers", they decide to go on a date together.
Their relationship "continues to blossom" when Jimmi surprises Maeve by taking her to crazy golf for their second date, where her competitive side emerges.
Reception
For his portrayal of Jimmi, Morgan was nominated for Best Daytime Star at the
''Inside Soap'' Awards in 2010 and 2015. He was included on the longlist for the Best Actor accolade at the 2015
British Soap Awards
The British Soap Awards (BSAs) are an annual awards ceremony in the United Kingdom which honours the best moments in British soap operas. The ceremony is televised on ITV and has been presented by Phillip Schofield since 2006. The trophies gi ...
. The following year, Morgan was nominated for Best Male Dramatic Performance. In 2019, Morgan and Ian Midlane were nominated for Best On-Screen Partnership. In 2020, Morgan won the Acting Performance – Male accolade at the
Royal Television Society Midlands Awards.
Abelson said there was "quite a mixed response" from viewers to the pairing of Cherry and Jimmi, as he has a lot of fans, and the female viewers were "quite precious" about him.
Jimmi's kidnap at the hands of two patients was not a popular storyline with viewers, who said the show had "lost the plot and it was too ridiculous." However, executive producer Will Trotter revealed that it contributed to a ratings increase.
References
External links
Jimmi Clayat
BBC Online
BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and BBC Sport, Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, t ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Clay, Jimmi
Doctors (2000 TV series) characters
Fictional British medical doctors
Fictional characters with obsessive–compulsive disorder
Fictional therapists
Male characters in television
Television characters introduced in 2005