Jacob comes face to face with his dark past as mum Omo shows up in the ED.
Hes hurt when son Blake wants to know more about his background, having only recently learned the identity of his dad, and tracks down his paternal grandmother Omo – the mother Jacob has shunned for years.
And we quickly see why – in harrowing and heart-wrenching scenes, we watch as Jacob comes face to face with the past hes tried to keep buried. It becomes clear Omo is schizophrenic when she is brought into the ED and suffers an episode where begins screaming at Jacob that she wishes hed never been born while being taunted by voices in her head.
While Blake is quick to try and calm his grandma, and mum Elle attempts to treat her, Jacob is left in shock as he stares at the horrors of his childhood coming back to life in front of his eyes.
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He hasnt seen his mum because it was a very tough upbringing he had, actor Charles Venn told Metro.co.uk. Elle presses on the fact she didnt realise about his mothers condition, but as he says “why do you think I spent all those nights at yours” – because he couldnt handle his mum and her erratic behaviour, which we didnt know was the case.
Its quite harrowing, it was sad.
As the scenes unfold viewers are given an insight into how Jacob became the man he has, as Omo fights against the frightening voices in her head and hurls abuse at Jacob.
The moment is heartbreaking and Charles explained he had to really delve deep into his own emotions to film the scene by imagining it was happening to his own mother.
It was intense to film. Ellen [Thomas] is such a fantastic actress. She really brought it, Charles said. There was a scene where she has an episode in the hospital and Jacob was trying to calm her down. We as actors we have to take it to such extremes to evoke the reactions required for that particular scene or performance, I literally visualised my mother in that position.
I had to, I had to so it could evoke that organic kind of reaction to get it right. For me, having to do that a number of times, when Jacobs restraining his mother and shes spitting vitriol at him, saying “I wish Id never given birth” I really had to go there emotionally, I had to visualise it being my mother. It was painful, very painful. Suffering for your art.
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Charles put himself wholeheartedly into the scene, carefully researching the mental illness before filming.
In the process, he spoke with a close friend who had suffered much like Omo.
I did a little bit of research – one of my childhood friends suffers from Schizophrenia, he said. I explained to him that was about to do an episode and wanted to get an idea of what it felt like, he explained the voices, the different personalities, some of the more negative voices and what theyre compelling him to try and do, he was sectioned for a period as a result of that. It was sad, it was harrowing to hear and to see my friend going through this process and we never knew.
Luckily for him its all very much under control at the moment which is great. He found it therapeutic to help. It helps him.
Charles added that storylines like this are incredibly poignant and relevant in encouraging people to speak about mental health.
Its so important to get people talking. Its such a stressful time in this modern day society with such expectations, with inflation, we have to work harder, he said. Theres a lot more strain mentally as well as physically on society, and as a result it has an effect emotionally on some people. Some people suffer from depression, a lot dont want to speak about it, so its important people are open about any conditions they have, it could potentially it could save other peoples lives.
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More: Soap spoilers
Theres more to come from Jacob and his unknown background, as Charles hints: Well see more. What we do find, lets just say well definitely see where Jacob came from. Well be seeing his humble beginnings, some of the friends he grew up with, understanding what drove Jacob to become the man he is today.
Having a mother spitting venomous, vitriolic insults at her own son and him feeling this need to say I dont want that happening to other people. I dont want that happening to another young man, I want him to be able to open up about those kinds of issues.
When you grow up like that it can either go one way or the other, you can become a recluse or you can become rebellious. Or you can try and take a positive out of it and say “ you know what, Im going to try and give back in some shape or form.” I think thats what drove Jacob to go into the medical business in the first place. Wanting to make a difference.
Scenes air Saturday 6 October at 8.35pm on BBC 1.
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