Bloods star Samson Kayo explains real-life paramedic inspiration behind show
Bloods star and co-creator Samson Kayo has opened up about how his real-life training as a paramedic helped to inspire the new show.
The Sky One comedy sees the Truth Seekers star take on the role of tough-acting paramedic Maleek, who is partnered with over-friendly divorcee Wendy (Absolutely Fabulous' Jane Horrocks). Despite being complete opposites, the pair soon become reliant on each other.
Opening up exclusively to Digital Spy, Kayo recalled his own experience in the ambulance service, admitting he actually ended up "stumbling" into acting afterwards.
Related: Watch the first trailer for Samson Kayo's Bloods
"I was going to be a paramedic before I started acting," he revealed. "I did the whole training thing. I applied for it at the job centre. In those times, the role was ambulance support driver, where you drive the paramedics around to various 999 calls.
"Whilst doing that, you can train to be a paramedic. So I was going to do that. That was what was next for me. And then I stumbled into acting, and thought to myself, 'Alright. Well, sweet. Since I'm in here now, I might as well play the character.'"
Talking about how Bloods came about, Kayo continued: "When I had a meeting with the guys at [producers] Roughcut and they said what would I want to do? What do I want to create? I was like, 'Well, you know, I was going to be a paramedic, so it'd be nice to explore that world and shed some light on it, and see the bright side of paramedics – the funny side of them – while also taking the job very seriously.'
"And that's when we came up with Bloods."
Related: Truth Seekers star Nick Frost says cancellation is "massive kick in the willy"
The star went on to explain why the series is formatted as a comedy rather than a drama, noting: "There's a saying: if I don't laugh, I will cry. It's a lot of that. We kind of went with that sort of energy.
"We also stay true to the amazing job that it is. Saving lives is an incredible thing to do. We had to showcase that, but also touch on their personal lives, and showcase that they are actually human. They drink the same pints that we do, you know?"
Bloods airs on NOW and Sky One, with all episodes available now.
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