Joanna Page has been lighting up the small screen this year with The Syndicate and Gates but now she is throwing her support behind the Wet Nose Week campaign with Pedigree.
We caught up with the actress to chat about the campaign, why she got involved and what lies ahead for her.
- You are supporting the Wet Nose Week campaign with Pedigree so can you tell me a little bit about it?
I’m working with Pedigree to launch Wet Nose week which is launching on 8th October and is basically working to educate dog owners on the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle for their dogs.
Pedigree launches a report which found that a lot of dog owners don’t feel they know enough about which foods are bad for their dogs, I mean I’m certainly guilty of giving my dog Daisy the odd grape because she just loves to play with them, but I found out that they can cause kidney failure in dogs which I never knew!
But Pedigree are using this Wet Nose Week to get dog owners to just pay a bit of attention, in a fun way, to their pet’s nutrition and wellbeing.
They have this great website uk.pedigree.com/wetnoseweek where you can do some simple checks to see how healthy your dog is, it’s just simple checks like checking their weight, their nose, skin and coat etc and they are really easy, simple checks that can be done to make sure you’re taking care of your dog.
- How and why did you get involved with the campaign?
Well I have my little Jack Russell, Daisy who is now 12 and I just want her to be around for as long as possible. She’s just my world and she really does mean the world to me.
I just thought this campaign as so important because a lot of dog owners just love their dogs so much and give in to those puppy dogs eyes with treats and sometimes it just needs a bit of education about what is ok for them and not going to be damaging for their health.
- You are a huge dog lover yourself so how much is this campaign close to your heart?
It’s so important, I just love dogs and they really do give us so much comfort and love and I just think it’s such a big thing to make sure we look after them too.
They really are a big part of the family and Daisy really is my baby which is why I felt this campaign was something I wanted to get involved with.
- We are also going to be seeing you back on the big screen with Nativity 2: The Second Coming so can you tell me a little bit about the movie?
Yes, of course. I’m really excited about it coming out, it’s the sequel the Nativity which was with Martin Freeman. It’s coming out in November and it’s so Christmassy.
I play David Tennant’s wife, who is 9 months pregnant so when we filmed it I had to wear a huge pregnant belly which was so warm I loved it!
Mark Wootton plays Mr Poppy and it was all improvised, which I love, you just never know where it’s going to go. I can’t wait to see it.
- You take on the role of Mrs Peterson in the film so what was it about the character and the script that appealed to you?
I just love improvising! It’s so exciting and really funny. When I met Debbie, the director, I was just in love with the idea and the fact that there’s no script.
I liked the idea of playing the nice, supportive pregnant wife too. It’s quite liberating not being tied to a script.
- David Tennant and Jessica Hynes are on the cast list so how did you find working with them - it looks like a fun set to be on?
They are both really funny and lovely. We would be filming late into the night as we just kept on going and laughing.
I love David, he’s so witty and he had me in fits of giggles. Jessica is just a brilliant actress, she’s so talented.
- We have seen you in The Syndicate and Gates so how do you go about choosing you acting projects?
To be honest for me I just love acting. It all depends on if I like the script or the character. I really loved filming the syndicate as it was exciting to play someone serious and give a dramatic, heart felt performance.
That, and being in Leeds was amazing as James (my husband) was filming Emmerdale up there so we got to spend time together which was so lovely.
- You are best known for you comedy work so how drawn were you to The Syndicate because it was so different to what we have seen you in before?
I loved it. Before Gavin and Stacey I used to do a lot of dramas but then Gavin & Stacey was so successful that I became known for comedy.
It was nice to film the syndicate and not worry about having to crack a gag. I could concentrate on being dramatic and really getting my teeth into it.
- You have mixed you TV and movie roles of late so how do you find that the two mediums compare/differ?
I don’t look at TV, film or theatre as that different. To me, if I love the thought of a role, that’s what’s appealing. I don’t really consider them at all that different. Except for the catering - film catering is better than TV!
- Do you plan to stay with TV or are movies where you really want to be?
I don’t mind, I don’t ever plan. I like not knowing what’s next for me. Acting is my passion so I don’t care if it’s a movie or a TV series.
I love the feeling of family that you get in this industry, whether it’s on a film set where you see each other concentrated for a period of time and then all go off your separate ways when it finishes or with a TV set where it’s like a gang. As long as I'm acting I don’t care what I do.
- Finally what is next for you?
Well there’ll be the premiere for the Nativity 2 film and then I don’t know what I'm doing next year. I love the excitement of not knowing what’s coming next.
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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