Can you describe your character? 
Shes a junior member of the team who used to be in close protection as a bodyguard. Shes a tough cookie. Shes also damaged because her boyfriend was killed in an accident which she feels responsible for and its turned her into a very driven soldier and policewoman. She feels that she didnt un-jam her gun quickly enough so she spends a lot of time practising that and weapon training. She doesnt have much of a life outside her work. Shes not a superwoman but shes very good at her job. Because she gets so much stick being the junior member, shes constantly having to prove herself.

In this series she gets more and more confident. She knows that her maverick ways are the only way that she can work things out, so shes not very good at sticking to the rules.

Did you have to have special training for the physical scenes?
I did a week in Chilwell before I did the pilot and then bits and pieces before I started the series. I love the running and the assault course because thats when you see that shes not just an ordinary girl whos a great cop, shes at times quite manly. There a classic line when Sergeant Hornsby says "Jo, just the man" when he sees me and that sums it up because she is just like a bloke within the team.

Are there any other aspects of the role which attracted you to taking the part?
I like the fact that she was quite closed and very different from Mel whos all about her heart and love. This womans all about her job and how driven she is. I like that about her.

The script is written brilliantly. And I like the fact that shes just one cog in the whole thing, its not all about her. Its a big team and everyone works together to solve the crime.

So did you enjoy working with the other cast members?
Yes, Douglas Hodge and James Thornton, Peter Guiness, Gordon Kennedy and theres a new girl called Niamh Kerlans whos played by Raquel Cassidy (Teachers). Shes the healthy professional competition for Jo. She challenges Jo on lots of levels, on friendship levels, on work levels and Jo cant quite work her out.

In the pilot episode your character says that she was inspired to go into the Army by watching Linda Hamilton in Terminator. What inspired you to become an actress? 
Watching Natalie Wood in West Side Story when I was very young was the first thing that made me really excited about acting.

Which actresses do you most admire?
Cate Blanchett, I think shes brilliant. Julia Roberts, she just moves me, she chokes me up. Judi Dench, because I also know shes an amazing person. Actresses are a strange breed and shes very down to earth and together and warm and lovely and shes that good an actress too. Ive got lots of respect for that.

What else have you been working on recently?
Out of Control, the Dominic Savage film which we took to the Edinburgh Film Festival. That was a completely different character, a single mum living on a housing estate, Thamesmede in Woolwich. The mother and son have a beautiful relationship but he gets put in a Young Offenders Institution.

I loved doing the improvisation more that anything. Youre exposed and you cant shy away from emotions, youre feeling them. No ones telling you exactly what to do, so you can only go with what your heart and souls doing.

Would you like to try your hand at comedy?
I have done comedy in the theatre, up in Scarborough with Alan Ayckbourn. If it came along Id love to.

What other ambitions do you have?
Film would be good. Im over the moon about the British film Out of Control Ive just done. It would be nice to do some other British films and of course if any American films came along I wouldnt say no. But Im quite happy doing what Im doing right now.