Interview taken from Hello! magazine 21 April 2009
Sam Callis has always said he'd love to have five or six children. And when the popular TV actor discovered that his wife Osmin was pregnant, he had every reason to expect that he might achieve that goal quicker than most...
London-born Osmin, whose parents hail from Guyana and Nigeria, has triplet brothers and her grandmother had twins, so The Bill actor was prepared for anything. "The idea of having three or four children all at once seemed great," says Sam. "There was a slight disappointment when we went for the first scan that it wasn't going to be twins - or more!"
But today, as he proudly introduces his beautiful baby girl Ngaio (pronounced Ny-oh), who was born 4 December, any disappointment is replaced with joy -and relief.
"When you realise just how much hard work one is, you think how could we have coped with three or even two?" he smiles.
Sam and Osmin's stylish Georgian home in North London bears all the signs of a new arrival in the house - a baby hammock in the lounge, bottle warmers in the kitchen - and the couple admit they are still adjusting to life as first-time parents.
"It's still sinking in that I am a father," says Sam, who plays Sergeant Callum Stone in ITV's long-running police soap. "It hits me sometimes when I look at Ngaio and think. 'Oh, I've got a daughter!' Then other times I'm fine. It's not a weight of responsibility, but I am aware a journey has just begun, it's very exciting.
"In terms of our relationship, I suppose we're just coming out of the very demanding first few weeks, where everything is focused on Ngaio, but we do manage to keep a focus on each other. It's vital, otherwise you just lose each other."
There seems to be a theme emerging in Sam's career of late: he was fireman Adam Benjamin in London's Burning, Capt Patrick Fleming in Ultimate Force, Dr Mike Banner in The Royal and, since 2007, Sergeant Stone in The Bill. "I just like uniforms," he jokes. "I look at a script and if it hasn't got a uniform involved, I can't do it! Maybe I'm a frustrated hero."
He admits that frustration also played a part during his daughter's birth: "It was the most intense and wonderful experience, but it's horrible too to see someone going through that much pain. As a man I want to fix things, but you can't do anything."
Ngaio eventually had to be born by Caesarean section, because she was in the wrong position. "I just felt extreme euphoria when she was finally born," says Sam. "She went to a paediatrician straight away to check she was all right, but I was holding her and she looked straight into my eyes. I took her across and put her on Osmin's chest. It was such an intense experience. She's just turned into the most beautiful baby, a little cherub."
I BRING JOY
"Ngaio" is a West African name meaning "Our Joy", appropriately enough. "We heard it, and really liked it," says Sam. "Actually, it has two or three meanings, another one is light reflecting on water. That's a beautiful meaning for a name. She was never going to have a name like Jane. She probably will wish for that, though."
The actor has relished three months' paternity leave from The Bill. "Compared to every man I know who only has been allowed two weeks, I feel very lucky," says Sam, adding that he has received lots of good wishes and advice from his co-stars. "I haven't taken her in yet, but I'm back at work quite soon, so I will take her in to meet everyone beforehand."
In the meantime, he is providing hands-on support to the new mum. "I can bring so much to Os and the little one. I'm very actively involved, I've changed nappies, and fed her a couple of times. I see it as mum looks after baby, and father looks after them both. I don't know what day of the week it is most of the time!"
According to Osmin, who is taking a year's maternity leave from her IT development role in an investment bank, Sam has been amazing. "He's fantastic, wonderful, really, really lovely. Very thoughtful and considerate and so involved. He gets into every aspect of everything. He gets up in the night and winds her. He won't let me cook, I haven't cooked anything for weeks now. He's stunning really."
The couple, who are both 35, have been together for eight years, after a chance encounter on the London Underground - but it wasn't their first meeting, as Sam explains. "I tried to chat her up in a pub but was too drunk and didn't get anywhere. About a year later, I got on the tube, and sat opposite this girl. We made eyes at each other and then got off at the same stop. We started talking and realised we had met before and worked out when. I walked her home, and it pretty much started from there. I think we were fated. What are the chances of meeting someone, and then meeting then again?
"I knew Os was very special, I just recognised something very special in her," he says. "She's a profoundly wonderful woman and I'm very lucky to have her. She's just full of kindness and strength. She knows her own mind, I like and respect that. She's fantastic as a mum, and is very nurturing. She oozes warmth. She has a vast amount of patience. I hope I'm a good father too."
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
The couple married in New York in 2004. "I was doing a play out there," Sam explains. "We were going to get married anyway, and my brother was out there, so we just decided to do it and he and his girlfriend were witnesses. We went to the diamond district and bought an antique Tiffany wedding ring.
"We wouldn't have done it any differently. We always intended to have a party but never got to it with our work commitments. So we'll have some sort of naming ceremony for Ngaio."
As to the future, Sam says he loves working on The Bill, but he can see them returning to America one day: "I don't know if we'll be in London when Ngaio gets older. Possibly we will move to the States for a while, to give it a crack. It's about the environment for bringing up children. London is quite tough, even if you are doing well. Os's skills are quite transferable and at the moment, there are opportunities on the acting side there." The couple also plan to take Ngaio to Guyana and Nigeria, so she can learn about her heritage.
Meanwhile, they are concentrating on life as a family. "I really want Ngaio to be happy," says Sam. "I don't care what she does, I really don't. She may be an athlete, she has such long legs. If she wants to be an actress, I know how hard it is and it's harder for girls. So I'd try and dissuade her but if that's what she wants to do, well then....As long as she gets the opportunity to do all that she wants to do, that's what most important."
London-born Osmin, whose parents hail from Guyana and Nigeria, has triplet brothers and her grandmother had twins, so The Bill actor was prepared for anything. "The idea of having three or four children all at once seemed great," says Sam. "There was a slight disappointment when we went for the first scan that it wasn't going to be twins - or more!"
But today, as he proudly introduces his beautiful baby girl Ngaio (pronounced Ny-oh), who was born 4 December, any disappointment is replaced with joy -and relief.
"When you realise just how much hard work one is, you think how could we have coped with three or even two?" he smiles.
Sam and Osmin's stylish Georgian home in North London bears all the signs of a new arrival in the house - a baby hammock in the lounge, bottle warmers in the kitchen - and the couple admit they are still adjusting to life as first-time parents.
"It's still sinking in that I am a father," says Sam, who plays Sergeant Callum Stone in ITV's long-running police soap. "It hits me sometimes when I look at Ngaio and think. 'Oh, I've got a daughter!' Then other times I'm fine. It's not a weight of responsibility, but I am aware a journey has just begun, it's very exciting.
"In terms of our relationship, I suppose we're just coming out of the very demanding first few weeks, where everything is focused on Ngaio, but we do manage to keep a focus on each other. It's vital, otherwise you just lose each other."
There seems to be a theme emerging in Sam's career of late: he was fireman Adam Benjamin in London's Burning, Capt Patrick Fleming in Ultimate Force, Dr Mike Banner in The Royal and, since 2007, Sergeant Stone in The Bill. "I just like uniforms," he jokes. "I look at a script and if it hasn't got a uniform involved, I can't do it! Maybe I'm a frustrated hero."
He admits that frustration also played a part during his daughter's birth: "It was the most intense and wonderful experience, but it's horrible too to see someone going through that much pain. As a man I want to fix things, but you can't do anything."
Ngaio eventually had to be born by Caesarean section, because she was in the wrong position. "I just felt extreme euphoria when she was finally born," says Sam. "She went to a paediatrician straight away to check she was all right, but I was holding her and she looked straight into my eyes. I took her across and put her on Osmin's chest. It was such an intense experience. She's just turned into the most beautiful baby, a little cherub."
I BRING JOY
"Ngaio" is a West African name meaning "Our Joy", appropriately enough. "We heard it, and really liked it," says Sam. "Actually, it has two or three meanings, another one is light reflecting on water. That's a beautiful meaning for a name. She was never going to have a name like Jane. She probably will wish for that, though."
The actor has relished three months' paternity leave from The Bill. "Compared to every man I know who only has been allowed two weeks, I feel very lucky," says Sam, adding that he has received lots of good wishes and advice from his co-stars. "I haven't taken her in yet, but I'm back at work quite soon, so I will take her in to meet everyone beforehand."
In the meantime, he is providing hands-on support to the new mum. "I can bring so much to Os and the little one. I'm very actively involved, I've changed nappies, and fed her a couple of times. I see it as mum looks after baby, and father looks after them both. I don't know what day of the week it is most of the time!"
According to Osmin, who is taking a year's maternity leave from her IT development role in an investment bank, Sam has been amazing. "He's fantastic, wonderful, really, really lovely. Very thoughtful and considerate and so involved. He gets into every aspect of everything. He gets up in the night and winds her. He won't let me cook, I haven't cooked anything for weeks now. He's stunning really."
The couple, who are both 35, have been together for eight years, after a chance encounter on the London Underground - but it wasn't their first meeting, as Sam explains. "I tried to chat her up in a pub but was too drunk and didn't get anywhere. About a year later, I got on the tube, and sat opposite this girl. We made eyes at each other and then got off at the same stop. We started talking and realised we had met before and worked out when. I walked her home, and it pretty much started from there. I think we were fated. What are the chances of meeting someone, and then meeting then again?
"I knew Os was very special, I just recognised something very special in her," he says. "She's a profoundly wonderful woman and I'm very lucky to have her. She's just full of kindness and strength. She knows her own mind, I like and respect that. She's fantastic as a mum, and is very nurturing. She oozes warmth. She has a vast amount of patience. I hope I'm a good father too."
NEW YORK STATE OF MIND
The couple married in New York in 2004. "I was doing a play out there," Sam explains. "We were going to get married anyway, and my brother was out there, so we just decided to do it and he and his girlfriend were witnesses. We went to the diamond district and bought an antique Tiffany wedding ring.
"We wouldn't have done it any differently. We always intended to have a party but never got to it with our work commitments. So we'll have some sort of naming ceremony for Ngaio."
As to the future, Sam says he loves working on The Bill, but he can see them returning to America one day: "I don't know if we'll be in London when Ngaio gets older. Possibly we will move to the States for a while, to give it a crack. It's about the environment for bringing up children. London is quite tough, even if you are doing well. Os's skills are quite transferable and at the moment, there are opportunities on the acting side there." The couple also plan to take Ngaio to Guyana and Nigeria, so she can learn about her heritage.
Meanwhile, they are concentrating on life as a family. "I really want Ngaio to be happy," says Sam. "I don't care what she does, I really don't. She may be an athlete, she has such long legs. If she wants to be an actress, I know how hard it is and it's harder for girls. So I'd try and dissuade her but if that's what she wants to do, well then....As long as she gets the opportunity to do all that she wants to do, that's what most important."