River City actress Monica Gibb on why she loved her spectacular exit

May 11 2008 Exclusive by Steve Hendry

WHEN Monica Gibb met River City bosses to discuss returning to the show she was told there was good news and bad news.

The good was they wanted alcoholic lesbian lawyer Fi Kydd back for one of the soap's most dramatic plots.

The bad was she would be leaving Shieldinch in a bodybag, dead at the hands of lawyer Archie Buchanan.

The former 2000 Acres Of Sky star loved every minute of the shoot.

She said: "They said, 'the good news is it's a cracking story...the bad news is you die!' "A bit of me was sad because I've loved being in River City but there is great compensation in my exit because it's a belter. I really do go out with a bang."

Monica returned to our screens last week as Fi, who has been drowning her sorrows on the Scots isle of Millport thinking she was responsible for the suicide of crooked brief Archie, played by Gillie Gilchrist.

But she spotted the resurrected Archie - now suffering from amnesia and calling himself Douglas.

Monica said: "She pretends she is sober but it doesn't last when she sees Douglas.

"She is the trigger for his memory to come flooding back. Fi knows it's now a con and tries to tell everyone who will listen.

"He gets her royally blootered and threatens her. They have a fight and she hightails it out of the office and jumps into her car.

"But as she tries to drive away, she smashes into a taxi and breaks her neck.

"I don't know what I am going to feel when I see it. There's the fact I'm dying on screen then there's the make-up.

"I had a yellow face because she's supposed to be jaundiced from the drink and I'maged because she's gone to the dogs so she looks bloody appalling. I don't think I'm looking forward to seeing that."

The dramatic final scenes will be aired on Tuesday and viewers will see a triumphant Archie revert to Douglas mode as he pretends to try to save Fi from the wreckage.

The scenes were some of the most difficult Monica - who has also appeared in Monarch Of The Glen, Holby City and Doctors - has filmed, partly because it felt like she was really saying goodbye to her good friend Barbara Rafferty, who plays Shirley.

She said: "There was one bit where I was off camera and Barbara was shouting, 'Fi! Fi!' and it was all quite emotional."

Mum-of-two Monica, who lives in Edinburgh with her partner, businessman David Graveson, is already busy away from the soap running a successful greetings card business.

She said: "It's marvellous because you don't get panic-stricken when you are out of acting work."

Monica played schoolteacher Mary Raeburn in BBC hit 2000 Acres Of Sky, about a London couple who head to a Scottish island for a new life.

The show, which was the subject of a protest by distraught fans when it was axed in 2003, also featured then little-known fellow Scots actress Ashley Jensen, now an international stars thanks to her role in Ugly Betty.

Monica said: "Ashley's success is fantastic. It's what's so wonderful about this profession. It can all change with the toss of a coin.

"There's always a bubbling excitement when your agent calls thinking what could this be...and it's an ad for Porage Oats.

"I haven't had any calls for America but if anybody wants to give me an offer, I am available to crack Hollywood."

River City is on Tuesday, BBC1 at 8pm.

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