Pippa Bennett-Warner interview
Pippa Bennett-Warner plays Becca, the girlfriend of Daniel. She admits that, when she was little, she got caught faking an eye test.
What attracted you to Sick Note and the role of Becca?
Well, I had been looking to do a comedy for a couple of years so when this came along I was really excited. [Writers] Nat and James are comedy geniuses and reading every page was a pleasure. I loved Becca from the get-go. She's awesome! Cool, confident with a touch of crazy. When I first read the script I knew she would be a real departure from characters I've played in the past and I was ready for that challenge.
How would you describe the series?
Unique. It's pacy and tight with brilliant, brilliant characters. I would say it's a "dramedy". It's hilariously funny but there are also some quite serious moments in there too.
Tell us a bit about Becca...
Becca is the girlfriend of Daniel and the "mistress" (if you like) of his best friend Ash. Becca finds herself attracted to people in their hours of need, be it male or female... and doesn't hold back on those urges. She likes to be in control and always speaks her mind.
Can you describe Becca's relationship with Daniel... and with Ash for that matter?
Becca is bored. She's bored with Daniel. She still loves him but it's been five years and he's way too comfortable. He's sweet enough and the sex is fine but she's becoming his mother, which does not a relationship make. With Ash she gets the passion, the fire and all the other things that come with cheating on your partner. Everything but guilt. Not sure she feels that...
Do you have a favourite scene you can tell us about?
One of my favourite scenes is in episode five. It took around three days to shoot and was about 15 pages long. It's the hospital scene where Daniel and Glennis lock themselves in the loo while I get busy with Ash. We shot it in the final week and it felt like such an achievement to finish it. Five of us are in the scene which means a lot of coverage and set-ups but it was a lot of fun!
Daniel is pulling the ultimate 'sicky' from work with his fake illness. Have you ever feigned illness to get out of something?
Sort of. When I was really little I had this obsession with wanting to wear glasses. My sister wore them and my parents did too. At school someone from the local opticians used to come and test our eyes during term time, to see if we needed a proper eye test at their shop. One year I was so determined to get the glasses that I faked my preliminary eye test. I changed a V to a U for example or said a W was a M.
A couple of weeks later with my mum in tow I did the same thing again but this time in the opticians during the proper eye test. After the test had finished the optician tapped my mum on the shoulder and took her outside. I heard him say "Um... Mrs Bennett-Warner, I think Pippa is faking..." Mortified.
It seems like everyone in Sick Note is tying themselves up in knots with lies and Becca is no exception. Is one lie worse than another? Whose side should we be on? Can we feel sorry for her?
Lies are lies and are mostly as bad as one another, however I absolutely think we can feel sorry for Becca. I feel sorry for Becca! Yes, she's lying and being deceitful but there's a reason why she's doing it. I always try to look for the good in characters I play, even if they are a monster - which Becca isn't - but also recognise the bad too. I'm very much Team Becca all the way.