The 59-year-old actress is starring as the formidable Dr Lydia Fonseca, head doctor at a public hospital in India, in the six-part series.
The plot follows Ruby, a young British-Asian doctor (played by Amrita Acharia), who gives up her job in Nottingham to work in the Indian state of Kerala.
There she meets no-nonsense Dr Fonseca whose philosophy is to never turn a single patient away.
In the first episode, viewers will see Amanda’s character enjoy “mutually beneficial arrangement” with a bar owner (Neil Morrissey) after a long day of making life or death decisions at the medical institute.
At a special screening for the Good Karma Hospital attended by Express.co.uk, Amanda was asked how she found jumping into bed with Neil.
“It was very different but we both rose to it!” she laughed.
Writer Dan Sefton, who is also an A&E doctor, wrote Dr Fonseca especially for the New Tricks star.
Speaking about her character, she said: “She was wonderful. She just leapt off the page for me with her one liners. She’s quite complex and passionate.”
The series was filmed in nearby Sri Lanka because it was monsoon season in India.
Spending 12 weeks away shooting the series, Amanda has since fallen in love with the island nation.
“I loved it. It’s such a beautiful place,” she enthused.
The Good Karma Hospital will start tonight at 9pm on ITV.
Daily Express :: TV and Radio Feed
