STV Drama

Jill Halfpenny has joined the cast of 'Wild at Heart'.

The 36-year-old actress - who is known for her roles in 'EastEnders', 'Waterloo Road' and 'Coronation Street' - will join the ITV1 drama as lonely newcomer Fiona Lynch, the estranged ex-wife of Ed Lynch (Robert Bathurst), and will immediately bring disharmony and conflict to Leopard's Den as she tries to win Ed back.

However, no matter how much trouble she causes, her intelligence and wit pulls her through, and her medical background and skills "prove invaluable".

Jill is "thrilled" to be portraying the "fun and feisty" Fiona, and will be shooting on location in South Africa for six months.

She said: "I am absolutely thrilled to be joining the cast of 'Wild at Heart' in Africa.

"Fiona Lynch is certainly a fun and feisty character and will no doubt cause quite a few headaches for Ed and Danny, I can't wait!"

10 hour-long episodes of 'Wild at Heart' will go out on ITV1 next year.