Will Tony put his job before his family?

Hotel Babylon's likeable concierge Tony Casemore is always eager to help. But, as actor Dexter Fletcher reveals, he soon learns that you can't please all the people, all the time...

What do you like about your character, Tony Casemore? "Tony is fixer, a mover and a shaker and has his finger on the pulse of the hotel. Tony is the character who manages to get a handle on situations and get things back on track, the man who people turn to in a crisis... and that is a role I hadn't played before and ultimately is what appealed to me about the part."

Didn't you spend time with a real-life concierge to get into the role? "Yes. I can't really tell you who he is because I don't want to compromise him – he was very good to me and gave me a real insight into the job and into the more unsavoury side of the job which I hope I've managed to convey. He also lent me his Golden Keys which I wear on set on my lapels."

Tony is a family man but this series his role as a father-figure is challenged. Tell us what happens... "Tony sacrifices a lot in order to create a comfortable family life at home for his wife and kids - but he works so hard he never gets to see them. When his daughter Liz turns up at the hotel for an audition a lot of home truths hit him and he's forced to reassess his position both as a father and within the hotel."

American Idol judge Paula Abdul guests in the first episode of Hotel Babylon. What was she like? "She was dreamy – she came with her little entourage which was all very glamorous and exciting but she was very up on her scene and knew her lines and it was a thrill to work with her. We love it when people like her want to come on our little show. She insisted that I would be the only one she would speak to!"

Why do you think Hotel Babylon has remained so popular? "I think the real success of the show is that it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's glamorous, it's sexy, lots of people watch it, enjoy it and it is the ultimate guilty pleasure."

What's next for Dexter Fletcher? "I'm about to star in a zombie movie being filmed in Canada as the lead. It's an interesting role as I start off as a mild-mannered school teacher when suddenly there is the epidemic which sweeps the country and people begin to die. And my mild-mannered school teacher turns into a zombie killer."