Mo Effanga

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Mo Effanga
Holby City character

Chizzy Akudolu as Mo Effanga
First appearance

"Double Bubble"
22 May 2012
Portrayed by

Chizzy Akudolu
Information
Occupation Cardiothoracic surgical registrar
Family Adele Effanga (sister)

Maureen "Mo" Effanga[1] is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, played by actress Chizzy Akudolu. She first appeared in the fourteenth series episode "Double Bubble", broadcast on 22 May 2012. Mo is a cardiothoracic surgical registrar and a member of Holby's transplant team. She was introduced along with two other regular characters by the show's then executive producer Johnathan Young, who wanted more "truthful and complicated" characters in the series. When Akudolu read the character breakdown for Mo and learned that she was on the transplant team, she knew she wanted the part because she was passionate about organ donation as her brother had had a kidney transplant. The actress met with a heart consultant to help her prepare for the role.

Mo is portrayed as having a bubbly and warm-hearted persona. Although her personal life is often "disorganised and chaotic", Mo's work life is more structured and she is an excellent doctor. Mo arrived at Holby heavily pregnant and it emerged that she was acting as a surrogate for a friend. Mo's storylines have often developed through her close friendship with nurse and transplant co-ordinator Jonny Maconie (Michael Thomson). Exploration of the character's backstory began when her younger sister, Adele (Petra Letang), was introduced. Akudolu has won and been nominated for several awards for her portrayal of Mo. The character has also been central to a controversial storyline in which she ignored the wishes of a donor's mother. The NHS Blood and Transplant revealed that several people had asked to be removed from the donor register as a result of the storyline.

Development

Creation and characterisation

“ A passionate believer that our bodies are merely on loan to us, Mo is generous, plain-speaking and warm-heated. As a transplant specialist she builds long term relationships with her patients and goes the extra mile to ensure their very best care. She arrives at Holby with ally and best mate, Jonny. ”

—BBC Online.[2]

On 29 March 2012, it was announced that three new regular characters would make their debuts during Holby City's fourteenth series in May 2012.[3] Actress Chizzy Akudolu joined the cast as Mo Effanga, alongside Catherine Russell as Serena Campbell and Michael Thomson as Mo's best friend Jonny Maconie.[3] Mo joined the show as registrar cardiothoracic surgery.[3] Of the new characters, the show's executive producer. Johnathan Young, commented "These are three very talented actors and I am delighted to welcome them to the cast. There are some dramatic and exciting storylines coming up on Holby City over the next few months and I know our new additions will have an immediate impact."[3] Young later stated that he had wanted to introduce more "truthful and complicated" characters to the series like Mo.[4]

Akudolu's agent gave her the character breakdown for Mo and when she read that Mo was on the transplant team, she knew she had to get the part.[5] She told Katy Moon from Inside Soap that she was passionate about organ donation as her brother had a kidney transplant.[5] To prepare for the role, Akudolu went to a hospital and met with a heart consultant, who showed her how to use the instruments. She was also shown how to stitch by a woman in the show's prosthetics department.[6] Mo's first episode was broadcast on 22 May 2012.[7]

BBC Online describe Mo as having a "disorganised and chaotic" personal life, and a talent for finding disastrous men.[2] Akudolu concurred, saying that while Mo's personal life was a bit of a mystery, she did have a messy home life and she dates men who are not good for her.[5] Akudolu later stated that Mo's work life was "the be-all and end-all for her", it may not be perfect, but it has more structure than her home life.[8] Moon observed that Mo was a "bubbly" person and "warm-hearted".[5][7] She also commented "If Mo is half as much fun as actress Chizzy Akudolu who plays her, we'll be in for a treat!"[7] Young thought Mo was a brilliant combination of "an excellent doctor but a chaotic person".[4] He added that on occasion Mo makes difficult decisions without thinking them through.[4] Akudolu's co-star Thomson branded Mo "tough" and said she does not like being told she is in the wrong.[9]

Friendship with Jonny Maconie

"Viewers should also look out for Mo's friendship with Jonny – it's something that's vitally important to them both, and I think it's great having that dynamic in our cast. It's not about romance or a love story, it's two people who have a really close friendship."[4]

—Producer Johnathan Young on Mo and Jonny's friendship. (2012)

Mo was recruited to work at the Holby transplant centre along with her best friend, nurse and transplant co-ordinator Jonny Maconie (Thomson). Shortly after their arrival, Mo and Jonny perform a "domino operation", where they take a donor's heart and lungs and transfer them to two different recipients.[5] When asked how she got to know Thomson, Akudolu told David Collins from TV Choice that she sent Thomson a message on Facebook saying hi, after her suggestion of a weekend away in Paris was turned down by the producers.[6] Akudolu continues by saying that she and Thomson clicked when they met and knew they needed to get their character's relationship right.[6] Thomson revealed that he and Akudolu were close and said there was almost a family quality to their working relationship. He admitted that on occasion they irritated each other, so were either fighting or hugging, which helped with what they were doing on camera.[9]

When Jonny began a relationship with Jac Naylor (Rosie Marcel), Mo felt pushed out, especially because Jonny started lying to her.[10] Mo was upset when Jonny maintained the lie about missing their annual barbecue because he was visiting a relative – when he was actually with Jac.[10] The pair are brought back together again when they save the life of a patient who is a Jehovah's Witness, and refuses to have a transfusion because her religion forbids it.[10] An Inside Soap columnist observed that with Jac around, it would not be long before the "feuding friends" share another spat.[10] When asked how Jac reacted to Mo, Akudolu noted that she was not very welcoming and believed it was because she saw Mo as a threat. Akudolu continued "She's another woman and another surgeon. So as far as she's concerned she doesn't want to get to know Mo. But also because Jonny and I have such a close relationship, she wants in on it, and it makes her vulnerable."[6]

A couple of months later, Jonny and Mo had another falling out and a patient's life was put in danger as a result.[9] Things between the friends were already difficult following Jonny's break up with Jac, but they fought further when Jonny discovered Mo was having an affair with married bartender Albie Cheshire (Andrew Greenough).[9] Thomson explained that while Jonny loved Mo, he could see that the affair would not end well. He was aware that she had a history of being attracted to men who were already in relationships, and had seen her "bounce from one disaster to another."[9] Jonny and Mo's issues impacted on their professional lives when Jonny disobeyed Mo orders that a transplant patient must stay in bed.[9] Jonny allowed the patient to go to the chapel and she collapsed, leading Elliot Hope (Paul Bradley) to realise that there was trouble between Jonny and Mo. Elliot then threatened to remove them from the transplant team.[9]

Pregnancy

Prior to her first appearance, Moon commented that Mo would have "a big secret" that would keep viewers guessing.[7] When she arrived at Holby, Mo was heavily pregnant.[5] Tara Lo (Jing Lusi) initially assumed that Jonny was the baby's father, but Mo assured her that he was not. She refused to reveal the true identity of the father and Akudolu said it was a secret.[5] Akudolu also commented that the pregnancy would not slow Mo down.[5] The actress told Moon that she loved wearing the prosthetic baby bump on set and that it made her feel broody.[5] Wanting to work until she was ready to give birth, Mo went into premature labour during a shift at the hospital.[8] Initially, Mo thought she was suffering Braxton Hicks contractions, but it soon became clear that the labour was real.[11] Akudolu explained "With Mo if she could, she would have the baby, then go back to work the next day. It's her first child and she knows nothing about childbirth, but she thinks she can just give birth and everything's going to be fine and she'll be back to normal."[8]

The truth about Mo's pregnancy was also revealed when she went into labour. It transpired that Mo was acting as a surrogate for her birthing partner Sorcia Winters (Susannah Corbett), the baby's biological mother.[11] When Sorcia cannot be found, Jac stepped in as Mo's birthing partner. Mo gave birth to a boy and then gave him up to Sorcia.[11] Akudolu compared filming the birth to a workout, saying it was tiring. She spent a day and a half filming the birth and said she looked "rough" because her make-up was not touched up and her hair was a mess.[8] Akudolu thought that the scenes looked real though, since anyone giving birth was not going to look glamorous.[8] Akudolu was offered a tear stick during filming since she had never cried on-screen before; however she turned it down and cried for real as she wanted "to tap into the emotion of the scene."[12] Young said having Sorcia's baby was "a wonderful thing to do", but did not think Mo had thought about the emotional consequences.[4] Akudolu added that following the end of the storyline there would be a new Mo.[8]

Family and future

Further exploration of Mo's fictional backstory began after her younger sister, Adele (Petra Letang) was introduced to the show in January 2014.[13] Adele is a healthcare assistant assigned to AAU. Mo was not initially aware of Adele's arrival and was surprised when she bumped into her sister in the corridor. Mo was convinced Adele would not last in a serious job, knowing her sister was not a serious girl, and bet Adele would not be strong enough to cut it at Holby.[13] Series producer Simon Harper commented that while Mo loves her sister, she is not exactly delighted at having her work at the same hospital.[14] Harper told Digital Spy's Daniel Kilkelly that Adele's arrival was a "major curveball" for Mo and explained "What's really nice about it is that, on paper, Mo is the sister who's done better and come good – but Adele has a wonderful talent of making them feel like children again. That makes Mo feel slightly undermined, so there's that to watch out for."[15] While Mo was focused enough to become a surgeon, Adele spent her life being "a bit of a drifter".[13] However, Moon observed that both women were cut from the same cloth and Letang agreed, saying that Adele and Mo were both feisty.[13]

When asked about what was coming up for Mo, Harper replied that Mo would begin to question herself professionally, but assured fans that she was not leaving the show.[15] He also explained that the chemistry between Mo and Mr Thompson (Ben Hull) is something that needed resolving and they would be doing something about it one way or another.[15]

Reception

Accolades

For her portrayal of Mo, Akudolu won Best Newcomer at the 2012 Black International Film Festival Music Video & Screen Awards.[16] At the 2012 BEFFTA Awards, the actress won Best Actress in the TV category.[17] She was also nominated in the Emerging Talent and Young Shooting Star category at the Screen Nation Film & Television Awards.[18] In 2013, Akudolu was nominated for Best Actress at the BEFFTA Awards.[19] She was also included on the longlist for Best Newcomer at the 18th National Television Awards.[20]

Critical response

A reporter for the Daily Mirror observed that Mo was "desperate to get back to normal life" after giving birth and thought it might be too soon.[21] The Daily Mirror's Jane Simon thought Jonny's attempt to play cupid for Mo was not very good, commenting that it would be "very hard for Mo to see Mr T in a romantic light" since he delivered her baby.[22] A writer for the Daily Post stated that with Jac away, it was Mo's turn "to wow us" with her cardio skills.[23] The writer also commented that it would not look good if Mo was unable to save a woman's only surviving child and added "when a donor heart becomes available, standard procedure goes out the window. National Transplant Week was just a fortnight ago, so you can bet the people at the NHS Organ Donor Register will be appalled by Mo's actions."[23]

The Daily Post writer's prediction came true when the show was accused of scaring off organ donors, following the storyline in which a mother withdrew her consent for her daughter's heart to be donated, only for the operation to go ahead.[24] NHS Blood and Transplant revealed that several people had asked to be removed from the donor register as a result of the storyline, which they branded "misleading" and "wholly inaccurate".[24] The episode saw Mo ignoring the mother's wishes when she tried to stop the operation.[24] The end of the episode saw Mo and Jonny argue about the rules that she had broken, with Jonny telling Mo that she could lose her job.[24] NHS Blood and Transplant said the storyline made organ donation out to be "a callous utilitarian process in which donors are commodified".[24] While the BBC apologised for the storyline, they added that Mo would face the consequences of her actions in the future.[24]

A Chester Chronicle reporter said that Jonny could "count on Mo to interfere" during his problems with Jac.[25] Jamie Downham from Yahoo! TV UK & Ireland placed Mo reaction to her kiss with Sacha Levy (Bob Barrett) at number seven on his list of the funniest moments from Holby City, commenting "Not exactly what you want to see when you've just smooched someone, Mo's horrified face looks like she's accidentally got off with a rottweiler."[26]

References

  1. ↑ Director: Jennie Darnell; Writer: Lucia Haynes (14 January 2014). "Intuition". Holby City. Series 16. Episode 14. BBC. BBC One. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03q4fl9.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Mo Effanga". BBC Online. Retrieved 17 January 2014. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Nissim, Mayer (29 March 2012). "'Holby City' adds three new regulars in May 2012". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 January 2014. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Kilkelly, Daniel (7 August 2012). "Exclusive: 'Holby City' gossip from producer Justin Young – interview". Digital Spy. Retrieved 17 January 2014. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 Moon, Katy (19–25 May 2012). "I knew I had to get this part!". Inside Soap (20): 34. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Collins, David (15 May 2012). "Chizzy Akudolu Holby City". TV Choice. Retrieved 16 January 2014. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Moon, Katy (1 May 2012). "A New Era for Holby!". Inside Soap. Retrieved 16 January 2014. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "Holby's Chizzy: 'Giving birth on TV is a workout!'". What's on TV. 13 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2014. 
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Moon, Katy (10–16 November 2012). "Jonny could lose Mo and his job!". Inside Soap (45): 39. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 "Friends reunited". Inside Soap (35): 26. 1–7 September 2012. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 "Call the midwife!". Inside Soap (29): 27. 21–27 July 2012. 
  12. ↑ Butterfield, Janelle (15 July 2012). "Getting to know... Holby City's Chizzy Akudolu". Reveal. Retrieved 17 January 2014. 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 Moon, Katy (11–17 January 2014). "After EastEnders I thought my TV career was over!". Inside Soap (1): 45. 
  14. ↑ Kilkelly, Daniel (25 November 2013). "Exclusive: 'Holby City' gossip and teasers from producer Simon Harper – part one". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 Kilkelly, Daniel (27 November 2013). "Exclusive: 'Holby City' gossip and teasers from producer Simon Harper – part two". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  16. ↑ "Black International Film Festival presents 6th annual MVSA". Black International Film Festival. Archived from the original on 5 May 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2014. 
  17. ↑ "BEFFTA Awards 2012 winners announced in a star-studded ceremony in London". Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts. 27 October 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2014. 
  18. ↑ Olufowobi, Helen (22 October 2012). "Screen Nation Film & Television Awards 2012 Nominations". Flavour Magazine. Retrieved 16 January 2014. 
  19. ↑ "BEFFTA UK 2013 nominees revealed at a glitzy press and nomination launch in Mayfair". Black Entertainment Film Fashion Television and Arts. Retrieved 16 January 2014. 
  20. ↑ Fletcher, Alex (22 September 2012). "National Television Awards 2013: Longlist nominations in full – vote". Digital Spy. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  21. ↑ "Holby City; August 14 Tuesday". Daily Mirror. 11 August 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  22. ↑ Simon, Jane (28 August 2012). "We love TV; Pick of the day". Daily Mirror. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 "Holby City (8pm BBC1); We love drama". Daily Post. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 "Holby City 'scared off organ donors', doctors claim". BBC News. 5 August 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  25. ↑ "What's on TV tonight: Fabulous Fashionistas, Holby City and Posh Pawn". Chester Chronicle. 17 September 2013. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 
  26. ↑ Downham, Jamie (3 October 2013). "The 10 funniest moments from this week's 'Holby City'". Yahoo! TV UK & Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2014. 

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