Title: Heartbeat Christmas Special
Date of transmission: Sunday 19th December 1999
Channel: ITV
Charlotte's role in programme: Guest Star
Deep within the North Yorkshire Moors National Park area of north-east England lies the picturesque little moorland village of Goathland. This village was to be Charlotte’s destination during August of 1999, when she made her acting debut in the special Christmas edition of the long-running and hugely popular TV series ‘Heartbeat’. Most of the location filming for the series takes place here, against the spectacular backdrop of the wild, heather-clad moorland. Find out more about this spectacular and scenic area by clicking on the link above.Much coverage was given to Charlotte’s acting debut in the UK television press, and we’d like to thank Nadine of Nadine’s Heartbeat Haven for kindly searching her archives to provide the press material and scans on which this article is based. Those wishing to know more about Heartbeat can visit Nadine’s site by clicking on the link above, where much interesting and useful information about the show, and it’s characters, actors and filming locations may be obtained.
On the subject of her experiences while filming the show in Goathland, Charlotte
remarked:
"It’s been really good fun, even though it’s my first acting job. I wasn’t nervous, maybe a bit worried at first, but it’s turned out really well, and I like it". She continued "I’ve learned so much from the others. Phyllis Logan, who plays my Mum, has been really helpful and the cast and crew have been so friendly".  "I’m used to being in front of a camera it’s just like performing only there’s more to say and my photographic memory has really helped with the lines. I did a couple of acting lessons, but that’s all"."Working on ‘Heartbeat’ is like being part of a big family and for the two weeks we’ve been here we’ve been part of that family. I’ll really miss playing football with the crew."
So how did Charlotte expect her school friends to react to her acting debut?
"I know my friends will rib me," she joked "but people are entitled to their opinions. As long as some people find it entertaining, I don’t really care about the critics. I know what I can do. I always read what’s written about me - good and bad and I don’t believe either. If you believe the good you’ll get a big head and if you believe the bad, you’ll get depressed, so I take it all with a pinch of salt." She concluded "acting in ‘Heartbeat’ has been a good experience for me - I’ll know what to expect next
time."
And what did co-star Phyllis Logan, playing Charlotte’s on-screen Mum in the show, make of this remarkable child prodigy soprano?
"Just wait till you hear her sing!" she enthused, obviously as impressed as the rest of us by Charlotte’s talent. She continued "it really didn’t feel like I was acting with someone who hadn’t acted before. Charlotte’s an outgoing girl, and confident in a lovely way and because of that, she’s good at what she does, and that shows in her acting."
Charlotte is pictured above on the front cover of TV Choice magazine with veteran character actor and show regular Bill Maynard, who plays lovable rogue Claude Greengrass. Charlotte is also pictured (right) with actress Phyllis Logan, and (below) with show regulars Fiona Dolman and Jason
Durr.
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