But some things have changed since we last saw our favourite firefighters and for Sally Fields, life will never be the same again. She's facing up to a future without lover Joe, who was killed battling a warehouse blaze at the end of the last series.

"His death is particularly tragic because just before Joe entered the building, Sally had agreed to marry him" explains Heather Peace, who plays Sally. "She was devastated and the new series sees her trying to come to terms with Joe's death"

Heather, 25, says that the scriptwriters are not about to give Sally an easy time despite her tragic loss. "She's now been mugged and bereaved during her time at Blue Watch, and her unhappiness may not end there. With all that she's been through, it's just as well I don't take my work home!"

Heather, from Bradford, hints she may not be playing Sally "Gracie" Fields for much longer. "There are plenty of other acting roles I'd like to take on. I only hope I haven't been typecast by someone in a firefighters uniform." But one thing she won't be doing is making another bid for pop stardom after her version of Bette Midler's The Rose flopped. "It was an interesting experience, but not one I'd like to try again. I would like to do more jazz singing though. That's how I started in showbusiness"

Joe Walker (Jim Alexander) wasn't the only firefighter to die at the end of the last series. Albert "Sicknote" Quigley (Richard Walsh) was also a victim. Gone too is Daniel Barratt (Brad Gorton) who has quit the fire service to go around the world. New boy Adam Benjamin (Sam Callis) is set to be the show's new heart-throb and there are two more additions - a new fire station and a baby! The old Blackwall has been replaced by a hi-tech building, and 'Poison' Pearce and wife Fiona are awaiting the birth of their first child. And with that pregnant woman in the car, it looks like Pearce is in for some practice in delivering babies!