Stuart Kavanagh has a chat with TV star Emma Hamilton and discovers she truly has a taste for Broken Hill
As regular readers will know, the RFDS TV show cast and crew have been in Broken Hill filming for the second season, and we took the opportunity to sit down with actor Emma Hamilton who plays Dr Eliza Harrod in the hit program which has just started its second season.
Ms Hamilton has also starred in hit TV shows including The Tudors and Mr Selfridge.
“I’ve had the chance to play some interesting women and when the chance to come back to Australia arose, I jumped at it. Australia is my first love, after all it is where I am from,” Ms Hamilton told the Truth.
“And when the opportunity came up to play Eliza, I was so excited because I had grown up watching the original series of The Flying Doctors and I’d always dreamt of being part of a show that showcased this beautiful country of ours.
“I think all of us were over the moon to hear that we had the opportunity to do a season two. We had such a wonderful time shooting the season one and we are all completely in love with Broken Hill,” Ms Hamilton told us.
Although she had been to the Silver City before to shoot season one, it was an entirely different scenario this time around with no Covid restrictions.
“For season one we, like much of Australia, were very much in lockdown. Our bubble was magical in a way, because usually when you shoot a show on location, people will fly in and fly out for their scenes. It built an incredible bond between all of us. It is just a special thing.”
That bond, and love for Broken Hill, made it an easy decision for the majority of the cast and crew to decide to stick around for the whole four-month shoot this time around, says Ms Hamilton.
“Even though we had the option to come and go as we are no longer in lockdown, we mostly stayed because it is so lovely here and we have such a great time together.”
Ms Hamilton’s time spent in Broken Hill has enabled her to become familiar with some iconic spots in and around the Silver City.
“The Deli is very popular with everyone – their coffee is great, and I just love Rags. I love their chicken salt. Before I left last time, I bought some chicken salt to take home with me to Victoria.
“And I love the Living Desert. I go up there a lot, just to walk and read lines. I find it so peaceful hiking out there. Just to be out in the great expanse, it is so peaceful.”
This season of RFDS sees Ms Hamilton’s character still in London to begin with, but it doesn’t take long for her to be drawn back to the town and the people she developed such a strong bond with.
“I like that Eliza’s journey isn’t a straight line. It gives me an opportunity to kind of dig deep with her and continue to learn new things about her, which is part of the joy of acting.”
Keep up with Ms Hamilton as Dr Eliza Harrod on RFDS on Channel 7 on Tuesday nights, following The Voice.
