In May 2011, Jim Alexander kindly agreed to be interviewed by myself exclusively for Dream Team Diehard. I thank him for his time and helpfulness.

Probably Dream Team’s most popular male character during the middle years of the series, Jamie Parker was at the centre of some of the best remembered storylines during actor Jim Alexander’s three years on the show.

Jim came straight from "London's Burning" in 2000, having got his big break playing firefighter Joe Walker in the series’ 11th and 12th seasons. As with Jamie on Dream Team, he states himself that it was his wish for both characters to be killed off, and learnt from this to value what you have at the time. During his final year on Dream Team, he took time out to make a memorable guest appearance on “The Bill”.

He left DT in 2003 after appearing in more than 80 1-hour episodes. These days, whilst still working as a jobbing actor, Jim has a second career as a Performer Coach, which he describes below alongside sharing his thoughts and feelings about his time on Dream Team.

How did your casting for the show come about?

My agent at the time Scott Marshall, put me up for the role.  I went along for a reading with the gorgeous Angela. The producers offered me the part the next day.

Jamie and Tash were Harchester's first real 'celebrity couple' and seen to be fame obsessed and shallow when they first arrived. Yet they evolved into very well-rounded, quite sympathetic characters. Did you and Angela enjoy the journey the two characters went on together?

I think we were desperate to come across more 3 dimensional.  As we know celebrity can be very bland, shallow and un-truthful.  There was only so much mocking of the wag and football culture available.  We were conveying real people at the end of the day.

Jamie was such a big character throughout his and your time on the show, was there a story you felt was your best personally from the work you were given? (say Season 4 his gambling, S5 his big story with Victoria, and S6 his recovery from the coach crash to being under Patrick's control)

I am very grateful for most of the story lines I was given.  The writers gave me lots to stick my teeth into.  The achievement for me was Jamie's sad end.  I gave that everything and I felt I gave the character some justification.

Was there any aspect of the show where you had to do anything you weren't entirely happy with?

Yes, to be honest, the reason I left, and believe me there was an instance in the executive producers office, which I shouldn't mention!!!  Where I had to tell her that I didn't want to stay in the show because of the way the company treated all of their employees.  This is why many people came and went.  I also was concentrating on music, which consumed a lot of time back then.  To listen go to www.myspace.com/jimielectric

The team of actors and the people behind the scenes were amazing.  I had a great time.  The best. Just had a enough of the lack of respect from the top!

On Jamie's ending (which is widely considered to be DT's best episode), did you think death was for the best or would you have preferred him to face the consequences of what had happened? (as he'd have Tash by his side again and his family back together, which is what he ultimately wanted)

Death was the only option for Jamie as I made it quite clear I didn't want to keep the door open at the [time].  Looking back I probably should have kept the door slightly a jar.

Some of Dream Team's major characters were never mentioned again after leaving, but not Jamie - with the story of his involvement in the match fixing taking center-stage in another story a year after the event. Does that make you even prouder of your work on the show to know that the story and character lived on?

Of course Jamie Parker lives on!

How have things gone for you since Dream Team?

I have got involved in many other projects.  Been on theatre tours, directed films and done many commercials. However over the last couple of years, the amount of opportunities have declined.  There is not much money to be made like there was in the early 2000's.  Unfortunately.

And finally to your work today - tell us about your other career as a performer coach

In a few career setbacks around 2004 I discovered the world of NLP and coaching, and started helping people get what they really wanted.  I never thought I would find it so rewarding.  I now love to work with teams and individuals helping them produce peak performance.  I would love to work with premiership footballers.  Anyone who needs to turn a lack of form into a winning streak that is my bag>

I'm also in the process of developing a leadership development package.  Taking a business team to a famous London recording studio and turning their company visions into a hit record!

Watch this space!

Jim’s imdb and Twitter Page

Jamie Parker's Profile on DTdh

August 2000:  The Parker’s are Harchester’s big new signing

September 2001: Andre hands Jamie his birthday present…to Tash’s horror

December 2001: Jamie comes close to running down blackmailer Victoria!

December 2002: Jamie with Shannon, whom he met in L.A whilst recovering from the coach crash

May 2003: The end for Jamie, as the outcome of his siege goes horribly wrong