ROBERT DAWS and Amy Robbins are married in real-life, played a married couple in ITV medical drama The Royal and are now playing a couple again – on stage in Rehearsal For Murder.

The pair met on Robert’s first day on the set of The Royal and romance blossomed very quickly.

Robert adds: “We pretty much honeymooned on set, didn’t we?”

Now married for 13 years, they were both pleased to be offered their roles in thriller Rehearsal For Murder.

Robert plays playwright Alex Dennison, who is distraught because his fiancé and leading lady Monica Welles (Amy) is found dead from an apparent suicide...

“It’s nice that we can do this together because usually, if one of us is away filming or on tour, it means great stretches away from the family – so we thought this would be nice,” says Amy.

“And it’s what we’re used to because of how we met.  People often ask us if it’s difficult working together but it’s mostly what we know.”

Robert adds: “For eight years on The Royal our two girls were born and brought up with it so the kids are steeped in the whole process of the industry. Their early years were brought up in hotel rooms and unit bases in strange locations.”

But it’s the first time the husband and wife team have starred on stage together rather than in front of a camera, and Robert laughs: “It’s far more terrifying!”

“There’s a line in the play about theatre being a different animal and, it really is.

“You’re using different muscles, both mentally and physically, so it takes a little bit of time to get stage fit in that respect. But it’s part of the challenge and it’s an enjoyable process. It’s a nice company to work with and Roy (Marsden) is a terrific director so we feel very comfortable.”

One disadvantage of both  Amy and Robert appearing in the play is that they will both be away from their children at the same time, but Robert says: “The kids are looking forward to it! We had to make a decision to say the time is right.

“They’re of an age now where they’re OK if we’re away from home and it works out that during the school holidays, and various other things, they can come with us, so they’re actually quite excited about it.”

While mum Amy adds: “The one bit they cannot stand happened while they were at rehearsals the other day – there’s a scene where we kiss and I could actually hear them groaning and one of them screamed ‘Oh, Daaaaaad!’ They were appalled!”

Robert and Amy will star alongside Robert Duncan, Susan Penhaligon, Steven Pinder, Lucy Dixon and Ben Nealon in A Rehearsal For Murder at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford, from Monday 11 April until Saturday 16 April.