AS
tough-talking DS Debbie McAllister, The Bill's
Natalie Roles has been raped, had a lesbian affair and used sex to get what she
wants.In her four years at Sun Hill station, she has manipulated the men by sleeping with them, and kissed a woman for her own ends.
But in real life Natalie, 34, says she's been so busy working she didn't have time for a relationship.
Only now, just a month after filming her final dramatic scenes, is she dating again.
Smiling coyly she says: "I don't want to say too much as it's early days. But I can tell you he is an actor who I met through friends. And he's definitely not on The Bill. Going out with someone on the show would be horrible, like sleeping with my brother." (see previous article)
As she bows out this week, viewers will see Debbie having a one-night stand with DCI Jack Meadows. "Debbie's definitely seen more action than me," says Natalie. "Starring in the show takes up so much time. Getting up at 5.30am and filming until late is not ideal for your love life."
Although she'd never kissed a woman before, Natalie wasn't fazed by her on-screen kiss with co-star Rae Baker, who played new recruit Juliet Becker.
"When I saw it in the script I laughed. But I had no idea how much controversy it would cause. I realised the fuss when I went on RISE TV. There was a massive picture of me kissing Rae and I thought, Oh my goodness, I have done that on national television."
"But to me it was no big deal. I'm an actress and that's my job."
Natalie also found it funny that her last conquest was Jack Meadows, played by Simon Rouse. "Simon and I haven't always seen eye to eye," she admits. "If I was going to sleep with anyone in Sun Hill it wouldn't be him. We've had our ups and downs, but we do get on now."
Having spent so long playing a police officer she has strong views on the real- life force: "I think we are moving towards a time when all our officers will have to be armed like they are in the US. That's something I really don't want to see happen."
Natalie
is one of those lucky people who don't have to diet. She puts her slim figure
down to a high metabolism and yoga, although she admits she used to
trampoline... in her underwear. "That was a phase I was going through. No
one can see you trampolining and it's very invigorating and makes you feel very
free.""I'm going to take up cycling. You never know, you might see me doing that in my underwear as well!"
She says she drinks green tea as it's an anti-oxidant to clean her system and makes sure she eats lots of organic meat and vegetables. Having left the show, she now looks very different from her hard-nosed character. She has blonde highlights in her hair and even some green streaks: "For four years I had to keep my hair the same and couldn't change anything about my appearance. For me leaving The Bill is a time for change. I felt very strongly it was time to move on."
She has already filmed a part in Holby City, in which she plays a pregnant woman. "It was great to get that so soon after The Bill," she says. "It made a real change."
Is she worried she'll be type-cast as a bitch?
"In The Bill you get to show lots of different sides to a character. I don't think I will be type-cast, Anna Friel played a lesbian and she has gone on to do lots of different things."
"I want diversity in my career and I don't think that will be a problem."