Becky gets surprise television part

BECKY Betts gives up her time every Monday to help make dreams come true for BBC Radio Suffolk listeners.

This week, however, the tables were turned when Becky arrived for work to find her colleagues had plotted to fulfil her wish to appear in hospital drama series, Holby City.

As a broadcast assistant on Nick Risby's mid-morning show, Becky, 24, has helped fix it for listeners to drive a train, an HGV and a lifeboat, to walk on the wings of an aeroplane, run the London marathon and wear diamonds for a day.

After graduating in performing arts from Suffolk College three years ago, she set her sights on radio and worked as a volunteer for the station, eventually securing a slot as co-presenter on a Sunday morning show.

But Nick Risby's team soon discovered Becky, who lives in Haughley, near Stowmarket, had a secret longing to appear in a television dramas such as Eastenders or hospital soaps.

Unbeknown to Becky, Luke Deal, the producer of the station's Nick's Pack programme, arranged a surprise guest on the show. Anna Marsh, second assistant director of Holby City broke the news on air that Becky had been invited to play the part of an extra, with filming due to start at Elstree Studios, in Hertfordshire, tomorrow .

Becky, who had been wondering why she could not find the details for the guest, was dumbfounded when all was revealed.

She said: "I didn't expect it in a million years. I was very embarrassed. I'm amazed they managed to organise it all without me knowing. I am thrilled to bits."

Becky has been told she will play a member of staff, filming three scenes due to be shown on May 27 on BBC1.

She has no intention, as yet, of switching her radio slot for a career in front of the cameras but hopes her sojourn into the world of soap operas will be a valuable experience.