Isabelle found that coming into an established series actually helped build up the character of Barbara. "I used the fact that I was arriving somewhere different and meeting new people in the same way that it was very strange for Barbara arriving at prison. I decided not to research going to a prison, meeting the cast or looking at the Bad Girls set before going on to it for the first time. I thought it would be better for it all to come as a horrifying shock - which it was!"

"My first scene in front of the whole crew and cast was the arrival of Barbara at the prison and all I had to do that day was just scream and sob. That in itself was very nerve wracking and difficult, which all went to help how I played Barbara. I remember making myself drive to the set on the day because I just wanted to get into the car and scream, so that I could hear the sound of my own screams before I had to go on set and do it for real. At least I had got used to what I sounded like in my head before doing that in front of everyone!"

With a laugh in her voice Isabelle feels that "Going into this series has been a bit like going into prison: you join a lot of people who have been together for a long time and you fit in or you don't - and fortunately I have!"

"When I met Brian Park to interview for Barbara, my mother had just died of cancer so I was well aware of the feelings of losing someone close to you, which was crucial for the role of Barbara".

Isabelle talks very warmly about her character: "I think Barbara is rather wonderful. She's done something that she felt she had to do. The mercy killing of her cancer-ridden husband was because she loved him and carried out with his blessing. She's now suffering the consequences, never thinking that she would go down for manslaughter - but her step-children testified against her".