Career The Golden Hour

I'm not really squeamish when it comes to other people's blood - I don't care - but when it's my own I'm a bit of a whimp! (Daily Express, September 10, 2005)

The Golden Hour - Dr. Alec Track

It's about the Helicopter Emergency Medical Services which operate out of London and it’s a medical drama really about trauma and the team that fly to extreme trauma cases. (Radio Kent, Pat Marsh, April 13, 2005)

'The "golden hour" is the 60 minutes following a trauma in which immediate medical treatment at the scene of a car crash can make the difference between life or death. After that, the quality of life seriously deterioriates. (Daily Express, 10 September, 2005)

"The real life team on which The Golden Hour is based ... is resident at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. It's the only air-ambulance service in the UK to be staffed by specialist trauma doctors as well as paramedics, and Richard trained with them in preparation for the role." (Daily Express, 10 September, 2005)

"Each episode is a self-contained drama based on the Helicopter Emergency Medical Service responding to a multiple accident.
A lot of effort has gone into getting the medical facts right, and each episode is punctuated by flashbacks that show how and why the accident occurred ... " (Times Online, "Television", Wednesday, September 14, 2005)

Production details

Cast
Dr Alect Track - Richard Armitage
Dr Naz Osbourne - Navin Chowdhry
Dr Jane Cameron - Zoe Telford
Dr Paul Keane - Ciaran McMenamin

Producer
Jonathan Young

Directors
Julian Holmes
Tim Leandro

Writer/Creator
Andrew Rattenbury

[Dr Alec Track is] the most senior consultant and an excellent doctor. He's devoted to the job, to the point where he's not left any room for a personal life ... He works on a calm and almost spiritual level and he's without ego. He's confident with his own ability and the way he runs things and he also has a nurturing, mentoring side. (Northern Echo, September 8, 2005)

That [riding in helicopters] was great too, although it was a bit nerve-wracking ... But you forget about it when you're doing your scene. You forget about being scared of falling out because you're more scared of forgetting your lines. (Northern Echo, September 8, 2005)

There were moments when there was no acting required. I just stood there with my mouth open in awe. I couldn't believe how realistic it looked. I felt more excited than queasy. (Northern Echo, 8th September, 2005)

I suppose it is all rather sexy and I did leap at the chance to play Alec, who is the SAS of medics and a bit of an action hero.
(Daily Express, 10 September, 2005)

I've always wondered why anyone would put themselves in a position to experience such horror and trauma for such little financial reward, but talking to these guys, I got it. It's not about praise, it's about pride. it made me feel guilty and a bit ashamed for being an actor. (Daily Express, September 10, 2005)

... he also has a lot of responsibility - he has to answer to a lot of people, particularly those who hold the money. (Northern Echo, September 8, 2005)

The dvd boxed set of the series may be purchased at:

Amazon.co.uk (region 2)