Casualty’s very own Charles Venn, famous for his role as Jacob, has been on our screens for nearly ten years and has graced some stellar films like The Dark Knight and The Bourne Ultimatum. But fans were left utterly stunned to learn he had a earlier stint in a much-loved children’s TV show.
Charles actually made waves in the children’s football drama Dream Team playing Curtis Alexander. This legendary series delved into the lives of ‘Harchester United’ or ‘The Dragons,’ exploring the trials and tribulations both on and off the pitch.
Adored by fans of Casualty and awarded the 2016 Screen Nation Film and Television Award for Best Male TV Personality, Venn was a Dream Team regular, appearing in an impressive 99 episodes and dedicating five years to the celebrated kids’ soap.
Venn was a keen footballer in Dream Team
Dream Team had a huge following on Sky One when it began, and continues to have cult popularity. The show began in 1997 and followed the Harchester United youth team before going on to centre on the first team. The end of the series resulted in Harchester winning the esteemed FA Cup.
While Charles was a popular character on the show, Curtis Alexander, was killed off in 2005, his character, a devoted Charlton Athletic fan, helps to save the club when it faces collapse, and provided much needed representation as a black actor.
One X (formerly Twitter) user said: “Best thing about Dream Team is that so many actors went on to other things and I will always say “he was Curtis Alexander in Dream Team” or “she was Lynda Block in Dream Team”. That is how those actors will be remembered.”
Another commented: “I think about Dream Team every Saturday when my wife watches Casualty and Curtis Alexander is on it.”
Venn’s Casualty character Jacob Masters is a former army medic turned clinical manager, from South London. Bringing with him tumultuous romances, a dramatic shooting scene and a complex relationship with fatherhood, he is a fan favourite.
