Coventry Evening Telegraph  July 2004

NAPPIES and sleepless nights are in store for former Peak Practice heartthrob Joseph Millson - and he can't wait.

The actor, who played Dr Sam Morgan in the ITV medical drama, is about to become a father for the second time and is looking forward to being a daddy all over again.

Joseph and his actress wife Caroline Fitzgerald already have one young daughter, two-year-old Jessica, and are looking forward to welcoming a new addition to their family.

"I'm a very hands-on dad," beams Joseph. "I'll happily tackle everything - except the breast feeding and I'd do that as well if I could."

Joseph is currently making his Royal Shakespeare Company debut in Stratford while waiting for impending fatherhood.

He is appearing in a trio of Spanish plays, The Dog in the Manger, House of Desires and Pedro, the Great Pretender, which opens in September.

They form part of the Spanish Golden Age season and it has led to Joseph taking part in flamenco dancing sessions and learning about Spanish culture and history.

"There's this whole concept of life or death 'honour', which is very alien these days," points out Joseph. "And great store was set by virginity. It's almost an alien concept these days. It's like 'what's the problem? Just sleep with him."

He laughs: "I'm loving being in three comedies though and we're going to be taking the productions to Madrid as well. But I'm aiming to be around for the birth of the baby. I don't want to miss that."

Joseph's acting work includes TV roles in EastEnders (where his character had a fling with one of the Slater sisters), Exile, Holby City, Dressing For Breakfast and, of course, Peak Practice.

But he says people seldom recognised him as clean-cut Dr Sam Morgan even at the height of his Peak Practice fame.

"I didn't really look like the character off-screen," he grins. "People would look twice and say 'it can't be him, he looks too much like a slob'."

Joseph says it's a little strange being in Stratford and not doing any Shakespeare, but confesses he wasn't always a fan of the Bard.

"I remember when I was young being taken to see the RSC on tour in some hall and we threw a whole packet of Smarties at the actors," he admits. "I hated Shakespeare at school and refused to read it. I didn't know what I was missing. The first part I played at school was Othello. I had been on holiday and came back with a tan - and that was it."