Article from Teletext.

While she's a new face in The Bill, Bernie Nolan's heart is still very much with ailing C4 soap Brookside where she spent three years until recently.

Bernie, 42, plays Sgt Sheelagh Murphy from tonight, but her thoughts are with Brookie, where she played hairdresser Diane Murray, killed off three months ago.

She says: "It was a big wrench to leave and there were a lot of tears. I really enjoyed my time there and I am close to many of the actors."

Now Nolan fears that November will see the end for the soap, which was moved from primetime to Saturday afternoons last year due to falling ratings.

"It will come off unless another channel picks it up. I hope someone sees the wonderful actors there and that it just needs good plots to get back on its feet," she says.

"It got up to 8m viewers not that long ago but then it nosedived."

Nolan had to have a long, hard think before deciding to join The Bill.

The actress, married to drummer Steve Doneathy and mum to Erin, three, said: "We had a lovely place in Lytham St Annes and we were close to most of the family so it wasn't an easy decision.

"But it's been great, the cast and crew are just as nice as the people at Brookie. Now Steve and I are house-hunting and we hope to buy a place in Surrey."

While filming some of her first scenes for The Bill as Sgt Sheelagh Murphy, the actress took a nasty tumble.

She says: "I had an accident and fell flat on my face onto concrete - I thought I'd broken my nose and cheekbone but luckily I just ended up with a big bruise.

"I was black and blue and everyone was very caring but I just had a bit of make-up on and I carried on. I did not take a day off as I'm someone who thinks the show must go on."

Bernie Nolan reckons her Bill character Sgt Sheelagh Murphy will be Sun Hill's agony aunt.

She says: "She is very much a mother hen as she brought up her siblings as her parents died young. Everyone tells her their problems.

"But, like myself, she has a bad temper and doesn't suffer fools gladly. She helps Eva (Diane Parish) find her missing daughter but goes mad after she tries to help PC Klein off drugs and he lets her down."

Nolan insists acting, not singing, is now her priority.

When she was with the Nolan Sisters, the group had seven Top 20 hits - including I'm In the Mood For Dancing - between 1979 and 1982 but she has resisted teaming up with them again.

She says: "They're re-releasing a new version of I'm In the Mood but I'm more keen on acting and I have plans to do a solo album. So I don't think there'll be a reunion for me."

But the actress still enjoys plenty of family get-togethers in spite of her busy schedule filming The Bill in London.

Of the other Nolan Sisters, she says: "Linda and Denise are both in London and in different productions of Blood Brothers, so I see them a lot.

"Ann and Maureen are still performing as the Nolan Sisters and Colleen, who was on This Morning and Fit Club, is busy with TV work.

"But we all went back to the family home in Lytham St Anne's for Christmas."