MIDSOMER MURDERS
LAURA HOWARD
INTERVIEW - AUTUMN 2006
Laura Howard is looking forward to a romantic future with Midsomer Murders.
As the series reaches its 10th series, happiness is just around the corner for Cully - as she falls in love with the manager of a rock band.
Explains Laura: "Cully's role is to show the other side of Barnaby, and obviously you can't shoehorn the character into things that don't work because she is part of the domestic scene. So it's been a little bit quiet for her in recent episodes but that's all set to change when Cully meets her intended.
"Sam Hazeldine is playing my boyfriend and he's charming. We meet at a festival and he's in the music industry, so Barnaby's not keen at first because of his preconceptions about musicians. But he becomes more established as a boyfriend as things go on, then eventually we'll have the engagement and the wedding."
Laura is delighted about Cully's newfound love - and hopes it might also lead to a wedding in real life with her boyfriend Nwora.
"I live with my feller and we've been together for about two years and we've talked about getting married. It's definitely something that we'd like to do but he's just started his own business and for the last six months that's really been the focus. I think it's a male thing - they want to be grounded and sorted before they go off and ask your dad.
"We've talked about what we'd like to do and where we'd like to do it, but as for actual rings on the finger - not yet. But at least I get to try it out on telly and see how it feels!"
"It's lovely to be a part of Midsomer Murders. When I was offered the role in the pilot, I had no idea what it would turn into. Here we are 10 years on - it's been fabulous. It's not really like work for me because I might only have one long day a week. The directors are great, John is delightful and Jane Wymark and I get to hang out together. It sounds a bit clichéd to say it's like a family, but it can't help but be like that after 10 years.
"The episodes that stick in my mind are the ones where I have things to do with the guest actors. It's a real treat when you get involved, see the wonderful guest actors do their stuff and hang out with them when we're not filming."