Fair City star Jenny Dixon has advised viewers to "fasten their seatbelts for the next few weeks" as there's plenty of drama ahead after her character Kerri-Ann Bishop gives birth to her and Decco's baby.
The actress reveals it's "a very fast-paced story" and says it's been "great to play out such huge storylines every single week with this new arc".
Warning: spoiler alert!
Coming up in Thursday's episode from Carrigstown, Kerri-Ann gives birth to daughter Samantha and the Bishops are filled with love.
However, their happiness is shortlived as Kerri-Ann struggles to adjust to motherhood.
Dixon says "there's so much more drama ahead" for Kerri-Ann and Decco.
"Things are far from idyllic and far from the world Kerri-Ann has always hoped for," she explains. "We actually get a glimpse into why Kerri-Ann has been so fixated on having a perfect family, white picket fence and baby bliss.
"It's a fascinating backstory which I hope the viewers will enjoy as much as I did shooting it. Kerri-Ann oscillates between being accepting and calm of her inevitable stint in prison and then panics and becomes frantic and hopeless.
"She wonders what's actually best for baby Samantha: to bring her to prison or to leave her with Decco for that first year. She also deeply loves her husband and they've been through so much, and what unfolds soon after the birth is too much and too hurtful for Kerri-Ann."
She continues: "Like we've seen in the past, Kerri-Ann is quietly strong, and she maintains her steely dignity, yet is not one to be messed with. She will do whatever it takes to protect her family, her core values, her reason for being.
"It makes for many more great stories coming up!"
The actress says that filming the labour scenes was incredibly intensive but rewarding.
"It was one of my favourite scenes I've ever shot. The crew that day were amazing, every single person on set was so engaged, even more so than usual. It was a really detailed storyblock of labour, the most the show has ever done. It spans over ten scenes and over two episodes, starting on Wednesday and finishing on Thursday night. We shot these scenes for just under ten hours straight, so it was pretty similar to a lot of actual labours!"
Fair City actor Dave O'Sullivan, who plays Decco Bishop in the soap, has received some good advice about becoming an on-screen dad.
"I've been preparing in the best way possible actually!" he laughs. "My good friend, housemate and on-screen rival, George McMahon (Mondo) recently became a dad for the first time with baby Frankie, so he's part-coaching me on all things newborn!"
The actor says that the birth will allow viewers to see a new, softer side to Decco, whose "whole world changes the second the baby is born".
"I think the arrival of the baby will uncover a few layers that we may not have seen before," he explains.
"It will be interesting to see how it goes from here."
Fair City continues on Thursday (August 9) at 8pm on RTÉ One.
