Jac Naylor

Jac Naylor
Holby City character

Rosie Marcel as Jac Naylor
First appearance "Bird on a Wire"
22 November 2005
Created by Richard Stokes
Portrayed by Rosie Marcel
Spinoff(s) HolbyBlue (2008)
Information
Occupation General surgical registrar
(2005–08, 2009–10)
Cardiothoracic surgical registrar
(2008–09, 2011)
Locum consultant general surgeon
(2010–11)
Consultant cardiothoracic surgeon
(2011–)
Clinical Lead, Cardiothoracic Surgery (2014–15)
Significant other(s) Joseph Byrne
Lord Byrne
Jonny Maconie
Guy Self
Children Emma Naylor
Relatives Paula Burrows (mother)
Jasmine Burrows (half-sister)
Henry Burrows (grandfather)

Ms Jacqueline "Jac" Naylor MBBS MS FRCS (Eng) FRCSTh[1] is a fictional character from the BBC medical drama Holby City, portrayed by actress Rosie Marcel. She made her first screen appearance during the series eight episode "Bird on a Wire", which was originally broadcast on 22 November 2005. In August 2014, Marcel became pregnant and in the latter quarter of the year, went on maternity leave. Marcel made her on-screen temporary departure, alongside Michael Thomson, who made his indefinite departure, from the show in April 2015 when Jac took the maternity leave she didn't take when Emma was born.

Storylines

Jac arrives at Holby City Hospital as part of a team performing a hemicorporectomy. She is initially unsuccessful in securing a permanent position as a registrar,[2] but returns to the hospital in this capacity several weeks later.[3] Jac develops a rivalry with her fellow registrar Diane Lloyd (Patricia Potter), which intensifies when they both apply for the same consultant post. Neither are successful,[4] but Jac is disappointed when Diane is later promoted above her, to locum consultant.[5]

Unable to cope with the pressure of his job, cardiothoracic surgical registrar Joseph Byrne (Luke Roberts) accidentally overdoses, and is saved by Jac.[6] She becomes romantically involved with him, hoping to ingratiate herself with his influential father, Lord Byrne (Ronald Pickup).[7] Taking this further, Jac later lies to Lord Byrne, claiming that she and Joseph have separated, resulting in Jac sleeping with Lord Byrne.[8] She attempts to blackmail him into securing her a consultancy.[9] Lord Byrne falls in love with Jac, and confesses their affair to Joseph,[10] who pleads with her to dump him and offers her the chance to resume their relationship. Jac declines, choosing to be with his father.[11] Diane commits suicide, and Lord Byrne attempts to use his influence to secure her position for Jac, but has a stroke before succeeding.[12] After a failed attempt at making amends with Joseph, he has a heart attack and dies.[13] Jac refuses to show remorse for destroying Joseph's family, resulting in him hitting her.[14] She uses the resultant bruising to garner sympathy and secure a position on a stent trial,[15] She is attacked by patient Alan Clooney during the stent trial (James Weber Brown), who unsuccessfully attempts to rape her. Jac declines to report it,[16] but assaults him when he returns to the hospital six months later. At the start of series 10, she claims to be suffering from residual headaches from Joseph's attack and blackmails him to make his mother support her application for a consultant post, which backfires when she is instead granted sick leave.[17]

When Clooney is later found stabbed through the heart, Jac is arrested for attempted murder.[18] She is cleared when a young victim of his confesses to the attack.[19] Suspicious of ward sister Faye Morton (Patsy Kensit), with whom Joseph has begun a relationship, Jac follows her to a secret assignation, accidentally crashing her motorbike en route.[20] She spends some time in intensive care and has to walk, aided by a crutch for several months afterwards. Joseph and Faye become engaged, but their relationship deteriorates. An intoxicated Joseph ends up in bed with Jac,[21] and she manipulates him into believing that she is expecting his baby.[22] Her lie is uncovered when she is treated as a patient, having been knocked down the hospital stairs.[23] Soon thereafter, she and Joseph are trapped in an operating theatre together, when it is discovered that their patient had been transporting contaminated waste. They declare their love for one another, but Joseph states that he has moved on with Faye, leaving Jac distraught.[24]

Jac shares a kiss with foundation doctor Oliver Valentine (James Anderson), but their relationship doesn't go any further.[25] When her estranged mother, Paula Burrows (Julie Legrand), is admitted with kidney damage, Jac reveals that she was abandoned aged twelve and placed in foster care. She agrees to a kidney transplant to save her mother,[26] who deserts her again following the operation. Jac discovers that she has a younger half-sister but detaches herself from her family for good.[27] Having transferred back to general surgery, Jac develops a reluctant friendship with locum registrar Sacha Levy (Bob Barrett), who successfully recommends her for a locum consultant position.[28] Afraid of being demoted after making a clinical error, Jac blames the mistake on ward sister Chrissie Williams (Tina Hobley), the mother of Sacha's son, which leads to the termination of their friendship.[29]

Faye becomes pregnant with Joseph's child but has a breakdown and refuses to leave the psychiatric unit she has admitted herself to when she goes into labour. Jac convinces her to receive proper medical care, saving Joseph's son. Grateful for her intervention, Joseph shares a kiss with Jac and they resume their relationship.[30] Jac intercedes upon discovering that Faye is planning to leave the country with the baby, named Harry and takes them back to the hospital, where Joseph convinces her to leave Harry with him.[31] He decides to move to the countryside and become a general practitioner, so he will have more time to spend with Harry. Jac declines to accompany him, valuing her career over a quiet family life, but is devastated by Joseph's departure.[32] She briefly resigns when her locum consultancy is rescinded,[33] but upon failing to find work elsewhere as a result of her reputation, returns once more as a cardiothoracic registrar. She begins a rivalry for a cardiothoracic consultant position with new registrar Sahira Shah (Laila Rouass).[34] A position that she later wins, Jac receives a box containing fancy stilettos and a bottle of champagne from Connie Beauchamp, with a note about the shoes saying "Fill them! x".

Jac helps Sahira set up a Cardiac Trauma Unit as a way of saving cardiothoracics when Darwin Ward is threatened with a merger with St. James' in.[35] In the wake of the plastics scandal, Jac and Sahira continue to use CTU until Hanssen dismantles the project, following Sahira's departure. In [36] Jac helps Sacha rekindle his love for Chrissie by giving him a lift to the airport. When Jac berates new F1, Tara Lo (Jing Lusi), in [37] Hanssen refers her onto a people skills course and she is forced to publicly apologise to Tara. On the course, Jac meets future transplant nurse Jonny Maconie[38] who claims to be a neurosurgeon from St. James. Despite their different work attitudes, Jac and Jonny end up in bed together. However, Jac tells Jonny afterwards that this "never happened." Jac is shocked when Jonny turns up at Holby working as a nurse [39] however they continue their relationship. Jac is offered a six-week research post in America. In [40] Jac assists Mo Effanga when she gives birth. Jac continues to be a brutal mentor towards Tara but is taken aback when she discovers Tara's condition and she was upset when Tara died. With her relationship with Jonny intensifying, Jac worries that the hospital is gossiping about her private life [41] and takes out her issues on Mo. Towards the end of Series 14, Jac worries that she might be pregnant with Jonny's baby [42] and, following pressure from Jonny to take a pregnancy test, and later tells him that it was a false alarm. Jac is invited to Sacha's stag do [43] and makes no secret of her opinion of Sacha's bride-to-be, Chrissie.

Following the negative publicity bombarding Holby in the wake of Hanssen's press release, Jac becomes concerned that he is not the leader she thought he was [44] and makes her concerns known to Terrence Cunningham. In [45] Jonny is caught between Jac and Mo and, with her professional detachment called into doubt by a patient, Jac takes a drastic step in her relationship with Jonny. Jac is annoyed to discover that Jonny is coping well with their break-up and in an effort to rile him, she goes out with a new man.[46] In [47] Jac begins to rekindle her relationship with Jonny but their drink is called off when new acting CEO, Imelda Cousins lets slip that it was Jac who voiced her concerns about Hanssen to Cunningham.Jonny and Jac get back together however Jac once again messes things up, when she hears that Joseph is getting married, by sleeping with the paediatrician Sean. Jac tries to do the right thing and tells Jonny about her on night stand before he found out any other way but he still gets mad so Jac decided to travel to Japan to do some training on new medical techniques. Jac comes back to work a day early to put her training in to use and catches Jonny of guard after Jac has an accident on the ward she tells Jonny that she loves him and they continue with their relationship. However Jac starts to experience abdominal pains that she worries is something to do with her kidney but when the ultrasound comes back clear she refers herself to obs and gynie and is diagnosed with endometriosis. Jac keeps her diagnosis to herself and after a confrontation outside theatre Jonny dumps her.

When Tara Lo sends an email to everyone, informing them of her brain tumour and that she will be undergoing surgery to have it removed, Jac is extremely surprised and upset by the news. When Tara dies in surgery after complications, Jac is deeply saddened despite the fact she had acted very cold towards her throughout her time at Holby. That night, Jac sleeps with Jonny and later discovers that she is pregnant. A few weeks later, Jonny discovers Jac's pregnancy when he finds Mo's drawing. Although Jac is convinced she's miscarried, Jonny convinces her to take a pregnancy test. Jac finds out that she is still pregnant. In episode 33 of Series 15 Jac tells Jonny about her endometriosis and he performs an ultrasound on Jac and they see their baby for the first time. In episode 40 of series 15, Jac has her next ultrasound scan booked at a private clinic on the other side of town. However, it is cancelled and Jonny Maconie begs the midwife at Holby City General Hospital for an appointment. Jac has her scan and it reveals everything is fine, this leads to Jonny finally announcing Jac's pregnancy publicly to the entire ward.

In episode 48 of series 15, it's the day of Jac's 20-week scan. She's stunned to find out that her baby girl has congenital diaphragmatic hernia and only a 50% chance of survival after birth. Jonny tells Jac he will support her in any decision she makes. In the same episode Jac decides to have an abortion. Soon after Jonny finds out about Jac's plans and tries to stop her. Unfortunately for Jonny, Jac has already left the clinic. Later, Jonny finds Jac back at the hospital and asks if she's okay. Jac then reveals she's still pregnant, confirming she didn't go through with the termination. In episode 49 of series 15, Jac and Jonny have their first pre-natal class. The next week Jonny tells Jac that he's visited a couple with a child who has CDH. Jac gets furious, because she feels that Jonny is doing things behind her back. It is obvious though that Jac is just as scared about the future as Jonny. At the end of episode 51, Jonny asks Jac to move in together and the episode ends with a stunned Jac unable to say anything. A couple of days later Jac throws her flat keys at Jonny and tells him to move in with her. Later, Jonny's old friend Bonnie appears on the ward. Jac gets jealous of Bonnie and threatens to fire her. Jonny, feeling sympathetic for Bonnie, returns the keys on Jac's desk. A couple of weeks later Bonnie tells Jac she and Jonny are dating and living together.

In episode 13 of series 16, Jac goes into labour a week early and is forced to have an emergency caesarian. The baby shows signs of distress and isn't breathing right after birth. However, the doctors are able to stabilise her, and the little girl pulls through. At first, Jac has a hard time bonding with her daughter, but after seeing Bonnie hold the baby, Jac's maternal side comes rushing to the fore. Jac decides to name her daughter Emma. Little Emma's birth softens Jac, but it also complicates things between Jac and Jonny. Jac wants to hire a nanny, whilst Jonny is keen on having the baby christened. As Jonny and Bonnie's relationship develops Jac gets increasingly jealous and attempts to rile Jonny. On the day of Jonny and Bonnie's wedding Jac delays Jonny by agreeing to perform surgery on Bonnie's brother in an attempt to prevent the marriage. The surgery is successful yet Jonny informs Jac he and Bonnie will be leaving after the wedding as he is unable to get Jac out of his head. Jac then kisses Jonny in an attempt to get him to stay, but after being unable to tell him she loves him, Jonny leaves to marry Bonnie. However, Bonnie dies after being hit by a truck shortly before the wedding.

Jonny blames Jac for Bonnie's death and they becomes locked in a custody battle for Emma. Jac's mother, Paula, is admitted to the hospital with terminal cancer. Jac pays Paula to leave and she gives the money to Jonny. After learning about Jac's past with Paula, Jonny apologises to Jac. They bond over a patient and Emma's brief hospitalisation. However, Jac then learns that Paula is staying with Jonny, despite him knowing about their past. In series 16 episode 36, Jac's mum health gets worse and starts going badly wrong, and Paula dies. The morning after, Jac and Emma watch the sun rise and they both meet Johnny at the hospital and Jac gives Emma to him for him to look after as she is going to Sweden. As Jac goes to the airport Johnny carries Emma asking her to reconsider. But Jac boards the plane.

Jac returns prematurely after learning of Elliot Hope's worsening health to help with the Herzig 5 (artificial heart) project which leads to her having to take the lead halfway through the crucial operation being used to market the device. Guy then attempts to tempt Jac into taking Elliot's place; leading the Herzig 5 project and running Darwin ward. During episode 42 of series 16 ("One Small Step"),[48] Jac is reunited with Connie by Guy for an endarterectomy procedure, pushing Jac into accepting Guy's offer of taking over Elliot's work.

Development

According to the official Holby City website, Jac is "strong-minded" and forthright.[49] Professionally, she is a highly ambitious "political player", determined to become a consultant and attain recognition for her surgical skills. She is willing to hurt others to achieve her goals, and has a "professional façade", developed as a result of pursuing a career in a male-dominated field.[50][51] Jac demonstrates a willingness to flout rules and endanger patients to advance her own career.[52] She develops rivalries with fellow registrar Diane Lloyd (Patricia Potter),[53] and ward sister Faye Morton (Patsy Kensit).[52]

Outside of work, Jac is "charming and hugely sociable".[49] Placed in foster care by her mother aged twelve, she finds it difficult to form relationships due to an inability to commit and "let herself go".[51] Though Jac rarely falls in love, she is not averse to using sexual manipulation to achieve her goals, and has had romances with several of her colleagues;[50][51] consultant Nick Jordan (Michael French), who she let "too close and was burned",[50] registrar Joseph Byrne (Luke Roberts) and Joseph's father Lord Byrne (Ronald Pickup), and foundation doctor Oliver Valentine (James Anderson).[51] Noting this trait, television critic Jim Shelley described Jac as a "man-eating android".[54] Her most recent relationship being with Nurse Jonny Maconie.

Prior to her casting, Marcel had appeared in Holby City in an unrelated role, as a drug addict named Elinor.[51] As Jac, she was introduced to the series alongside Roberts, as Jac's love interest Joseph, and Tom Chambers, as cardiothoracic registrar Sam Strachan.[55] In two series twelve episodes, Cydney Dubavin-Hands played a teenage Jac in flashback scenes.[56][57]

Reception

Marcel has been nominated for several awards for her portrayal of Jac. She received consecutive "Best Actress" longlist nominations at the 2009 and 2010 TV Choice Awards,[58][59] and later in 2010, was longlisted for the "Best Drama Performance" accolade at the National Television Awards, alongside her co-star Roberts.[60]

David O'Neill of the Hemel Hempstead Gazette branded her a "catty heart surgeon".[61]

References

  1. Daikin Marsh (director), Dana Fainaru (writer) (12 April 2011). "Boy Valentine, Girl Valentine". Holby City. Series 13. Episode 26. BBC. BBC One.
  2. Richard Platt (director), Andrea Earl (writer) (22 November 2005). "Bird on a Wire". Holby City. Series 8. Episode 6. BBC. BBC One.
  3. Steve Kelly (director), Gaby Chiappe (writer) (17 January 2006). "Yesterday Once More". Holby City. Series 8. Episode 14. BBC. BBC One.
  4. Ian Barber (director), Mark Cairns (writer) (21 February 2006). "Out on a Limb". Holby City. Series 8. Episode 19. BBC. BBC One.
  5. Fraser MacDonald (director), Chris Boiling (writer) (16 January 2007). "Face Value". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 15. BBC. BBC One.
  6. Jamie Annett (director), Jeff Dodds (writer) (24 October 2006). "Before a Fall". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 1. BBC. BBC One.
  7. Deborah Paige (director), Gert Thomas (writer) (7 November 2006). "Sins of the Father". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 4. BBC. BBC One.
  8. Jamie Annett (director), Paul Coates (writer) (10 April 2007). "Paranoid Android". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 26. BBC. BBC One.
  9. Farren Blackburn (director), Mark Cairns (writer) (24 April 2007). "Leap of Faith". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 28. BBC. BBC One.
  10. Edward Bennett (director), Gert Thomas (writer) (24 May 2007). "The Human Jungle". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 32. BBC. BBC One.
  11. Edward Bennett (director), Mark Cairns (writer) (31 May 2007). "An Affair to Forget". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 33. BBC. BBC One.
  12. Fraser MacDonald (director), Dan Sefton (writer) (24 July 2007). "The Q Word". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 41. BBC. BBC One.
  13. Fraser MacDonald (director), Graham Mitchell (writer) (31 July 2007). "Temporary Insanity". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 42. BBC. BBC One.
  14. Christopher King (director), Joe Ainsworth (writer) (7 August 2007). "Bad Reputation". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 43. BBC. BBC One.
  15. Christopher King (director), Daisy Coulam (writer) (14 August 2007). "Damned If You Do". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 44. BBC. BBC One.
  16. Rob Evans (director), Martin Jameson (writer) (4 September 2007). "Friends Reunited". Holby City. Series 9. Episode 47. BBC. BBC One.
  17. S10 E3
  18. S10 E24
  19. S2 E1
  20. S10 E36
  21. S11 E6
  22. S11 E14
  23. S11 E22
  24. S11 E24
  25. S12 E12
  26. S12 E28
  27. S12 E30
  28. S12 E51
  29. S13 E10
  30. S13 E7
  31. S13 E11
  32. S13 E13
  33. S13 E15
  34. S13 E18
  35. Series 13
  36. S14 E11
  37. S14E30
  38. S14 E31
  39. S14E32
  40. S14 E41
  41. S14 E49
  42. S14 E51
  43. S14 E52
  44. S15 E03
  45. S15 E04
  46. S15 E06
  47. S15E07
  48. Jennie Darnell (director), Alex Child (writer), Darren Guthrie (producer) (28 July 2014). "One Small Step". Holby City. Series 16. Episode 42. BBC. BBC One.
  49. 49.0 49.1 "BBC - Holby City - Characters". BBC Online. Archived from the original on 8 February 2006. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  50. 50.0 50.1 50.2 "BBC - Holby City - Characters - Jac Naylor". BBC Online. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  51. 51.0 51.1 51.2 51.3 51.4 "Jac Naylor". BBC Programmes. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  52. 52.0 52.1 Quigley, Maeve (26 February 2008). "We love telly: We love drama - Holby City BBC1, 8pm.". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  53. Simon, Jane (7 February 2006). "TVToday: Drama Holby City BBC1, 8pm.". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  54. Shelley, Jim (13 November 2007). "Shelley Vision: Keep taking the tablets, Holby..". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  55. Kibble-White, Graham (3 January 2006). "He's the new kid on the ward; Graham Kibble-White meets Holby's new face, Luke Roberts.". Birmingham Post. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  56. "X-Y Factor". BBC Programmes. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  57. "What Goes Around". BBC Programmes. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  58. "TV Quick & Choice Awards". Holby Gazette. 19 May 2009. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  59. "TV Choice Awards". Holby Gazette. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  60. Wightman, Catriona (21 September 2010). "National Television Awards 2011 - Nominees". Digital Spy. Hachette Filipacchi UK. Retrieved 15 March 2011.
  61. O'Neill, David (9 May 2014). "‘Don’t worry – she’s nice in real life!’ Actress who plays Holby City’s Jac Naylor to begin Midnight Walk". Hemel Hempstead Gazette. (Johnston Press). Retrieved 10 May 2014.

External links