The Teenager With a Difference!

You're already used to seeing her in a starched white uniform as Nurse Crumpton, now meet pretty, vivacious actress Sammie Winmill in a completely different role as 16 year old Carol of Thames TV's 'The Tomorrow people' It may seem a long hope from the zany comedy of St Swithins in Doctor in Charge but Sammie has taken it all in her stride. "Playing nurse Crumpton was great fun", she says "but I was glad to have the chance at a completely different role." After the light-hearted humour of the Doctor series her new part as Carol has given her the chance to create a character of more depth. "Carol's inwardly a very serious person," says Sammie, "but on the surface she appears to be a typical teenager." Only her friends the three other Tomorrow People know her as different because she possesses the same extraordinary powers as them.

As you will know from watching the series these four young people, who are Homo Superior - examples of the next stage of human evolution - land up in all kinds of exciting and often dangerous situations, as when Carol gets kidnapped. Fortunately not only are the Tomorrow People telepathic but they are also able to transfer themselves from one place to another with the aid of their jaunting belts - which comes in handy in tricky situations. Tackling all kinds of evil forces leads to some pretty weird adventures, and in one thrilling episode after another, the Tomorrow people have to muster all their resources to overcome them. "Working on the series has been a tremendous experience," says Sammie, "and one I'd repeat any time."

Although she's now all set for an acting career, it was almost by chance that blond, hazel-eyed Sammie found her way into acting. Now 20, she studied ballet at stage school until she was 16. "When I left I tried a whole string of jobs like teaching, dental nurse and secretarial work," she explained, "but I couldn't stick any of them for more than a few months!" Then one day she saw that auditions were being held for a local production of Peter Pan, and she decided to try her luck. "I was really amazed when I got a call the next day to say that I'd been accepted," she recalled. Then when she got the part of Nurse Crumpton in 'Doctor in Charge' about a year ago, her new career was really under way. Perhaps that stint in Dental Nursing came in useful after all!

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