Jamie Bamber has had the war, now he's after some peace.  Saving lives is a bit of a switch for Peak Practice's new doc on the block after a double dose of military mayhem.  First up, Jamie was engaged in Napoleonic strife in the stirring Hornblower tales and has since followed that up with the most-expensive TV series ever made, World War II epic Band of Brothers.  Now, he's using his hands for healing as rookie doctor Matt Kendal.  But while we're seeing his post-D-Day heroics on BBC now, we've still to see his Hornblower derring-do - and he's no idea why.

"We made that about a year and a half ago," revealed Jamie.  "Everyone has told me it looks great, and I was actually across in America when it was screened there to huge acclaim and a load of Emmy award nominations.  "So, I know people like it, I just hope British viewers get a chance to see it soon." 

The Menorcan-shot seafaring drama saw Jamie clinging to a sailing ship's rigging 60 feet in the air, while the Tom Hanks/Steven Spielberg series had more than its share of action, too.
 

"Because I was in the later episodes, I missed the boot camp others were sent to," explained 28-year-old Jamie. "I was just put through some basic lessons in how NOT to shoot my fellow actors!  "It was great to meet someone like Tom Hanks and just being a part of such a massive production was an experience. 

"When I was in America, I landed a role in a major US movie alongside Kathy Bates.  But there was a problem with the finance and I kept being told every week that there was a new start date.  "Finally, I had to give up and come back to Britain, only for the film eventually to go ahead without me.  I've got to admit it was a huge disappointment.  "In fact, I came back here to make a low-budget movie in Scotland and thought I'd missed out on Peak Practice as a result," he recalled.  "I was asked to audition but couldn't get away, and I felt another opportunity had slipped away.  But when I finished, they asked me again and in a matter of days, I was the new Doc."  "I think the producers were looking for a bit of a heart-throb, but I don't think of myself in that way," added Jamie, who's dating actress Kerry Norton, Maxine Purvis in ITV prison drama Bad Girls.

"I don't think guys are very good at accepting compliments, so I do get a bit embarrassed when someone says anything like that.  "But hopefully Kerry views me as her own heart-throb."