The cast of ‘Broadchurch’ have been kept completely in the dark about the final series.
The last installment of the crime drama will return to screens tonight (27.02.17) but it’s not just the viewers who are looking forward to seeing what the storyline has in store for the show’s favourite characters as the actors also have no idea about the new plot.
Sir Lenny Henry – who plays farm shop owner Ed Burnett in the show – said on ‘Lorraine’ today: "At the moment I’m just in it and no one knows what the hell is happening. With the script, you’re given your bit and just enough information to go on and then you do it. It could all switch! I could be the bad guy!"
Although the script has been kept under lock and key, a chilling teaser was released ahead of tonight’s show that showed farm-shop worker Trish – portrayed by Julie Hesmondhalgh – turn up at the police station to report that she’s been raped.
The terrified woman is immediately cared for by DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant) and DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman) who promise they’ll track down her attacker.
Julie said: "All the early scenes I shot were with David and Olivia, and I had to work very hard at not feeling like a competition winner. I’m a woman in my late 40s and I have got to stop acting like: ‘Thank you very much for having me! The first day I was a bit overwhelmed and when we shot the cast photo, I felt like I was in Madame Tussauds."
The former ‘Coronation Street’ actress – who was known for playing Hayley Cropper in the ITV soap – managed to bag the role without having to audition.
She explained: "That was really flattering but also scary. When you nail an audition, you know you’re who they want. But when you haven’t auditioned, you imagine turning up on your first day and them saying: ‘Sorry, it’s not worked out. I was such a big fan of the first two series, so it was an amazing phone call to get. I would love to say it was the character that made me sign up, but when you get the call asking you to be in ‘Broadchurch’, you don’t really say: ‘Well, what’s the part?’ "