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CATHERINE Russell has said her character's lesbian relationship on Holby City is a cause for celebration as it's not often see on mainstream TV.

Speaking to Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on This Morning, Catherine said she gets an amazing response from fans who love seeing the relationship develop on screen.

 Holby City's Catherine Russell says her characters lesbian relationship is cause for celebration
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Holby City's Catherine Russell says her characters lesbian relationship is cause for celebrationCredit: Rex Features
 Catherine's character Serena kissed fellow surgeon Bernie last year
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Catherine's character Serena kissed fellow surgeon Bernie last yearCredit: BBC

Last August saw trauma surgeon Bernie Wolfe and Catherine's character Serena Campbell kiss for the first time after months of tension between the pair.

Like 'RobRon' on Emmerdale, the couple have a loyal fanbase who have dubbed themselves the 'Berena' fans.

Catherine said: "The 'Berena' fans are lovely to me. [Fans picked up on it] almost the first minute we were on screen together.

"It was almost six months of are they going to, are they not? and they clocked it from the word go I have to say.

"But then if you don't have representation, which as a lesbian you don't, then to be on prime time television and see yourself is an occasion to hang out the bunting, light a sparkler and shout 'hurrah, at last!'.

 Catherine said its important for gay relationships to be portrayed on mainstream TV
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Catherine said its important for gay relationships to be portrayed on mainstream TVCredit: Rex Features
 Catherine was speaking to Holly and Phil on today's This Morning
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Catherine was speaking to Holly and Phil on today's This MorningCredit: ITV

Speaking previously to , Catherine said she thinks the storyline will have a positive impact.

She said: “Well, from the perspective of a lesbian viewer, there’s so little out there on regular TV that they can look at and go: ‘That represents me, there I am’, that I feel a great responsibility to get this right and I hope we are getting it right.

"And I think for those people it will be really quite significant.

"Over the years, gay men have had role models on TV shows, including Holby, but there are very, very few gay women. So I think and hope there will be a good deal of support.

"At the end of the day, love is love."

Earlier on today's show, Holly and Phil got the giggles after she messed up her words and they couldn't stop cooing over an Instagram famous baby.


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