I Couldn't Treat Women Like Santini

It looks like The Bill's bent copper is about to come a cropper. But the actor who plays Eddie Santini doesn't understand why so many women would like to end up in handcuffs with him...

Drugs, police corruption, criminal heavies and a vicious killing... Eddie Santini's ruthless plan to land a plum job in the drugs squad has instead landed him in the dock of The Old Bailey accused of murder most foul.
His trial, in a special episode of the Bill on Sunday is a tense conclusion to the gripping story of Santini and his arch-enemy Sgt Rosie Fox, who seems to hold the key to vital evidence that will nail him.
It all began last year when the arrogant Sun Hill PC managed to swarm his way out of accusations of near rape and harassment of Rosie. Convinced he was invincible, he then became caught up in drug-dealing and dodgy money.
So will Santini at last receive his comeuppance?
"He can't keep doing evil things and walking away free" Says Michael Higgs, 34 who plays Santini.
"The storylines have been a gift for an actor. Fantastic. First Santini nearly rapes Rosie. Then when she's on his case, he almost strangles her. He takes backhanders and pushes a prostitute down a flight of stairs and kills her. It just wouldn't be realistic if he kept getting away with things.
I don't think the trial scenes could be any better. We filmed inside real prisons and believe me, that was grim, but it all added to the atmosphere."
Michael may play a rat but that hasn't stopped him receiving sackfulls of fan mail.
"I don't know what woman see in Santini but they've sent me their phone numbers and invitations of a fairly up-front nature" he says.
I couldn't treat woman the way Santini does. In fact, I'd hate to think we have anything in common. Santini's out of himself, whether you're talking about work or women."
The sizzling sexual chemistry between the crooked cop and Rosie Fox has much to do with the fact that Michael and Caroline Catz who plays Rosie are very good friends.
"If you've got trust between each other you can do anything, whether it's an intimate scene or a violent one," he says, though he admits his mum was shocked at his near rape of Rosie.
"I told her: Mum you didn't see the rest" he says. "I used to look at Caroline with a twinkle in my eye and she'd collapse laughing and we'd have to do it again."
So defended by barrister Alex Dunbar, played by Sharon Maughan, will Santini again lie his way out of trouble and persuade the jury that he's innocent? TVTIMES isn't going to spoil the suspense except to say prepare yourself for a shocker! Lucia Green