Press pack - Sky Corporate

Press pack21.30
Monday 2 Novemb
er
1
Contents
3Introduction
4
Character biogs
6
Episode guide
Interviews:
8
Molly Naylor and John Osborne
9
James Tarpey
11
Ardal O’Hanlon
13
John Thomson
14
Jaime Winstone
16
Georgina Campbell
18Contacts
2
Introduction
Kick-starting Sky 1 ‘s year-round commitment to comedy is
After Hours, a new series starring Ardal O’Hanlon, John Thomson
and Jaime Winstone.
Directed by Craig Cash (The Café), it follows Willow (James
Tarpey), an 18-year-old music fan who finds himself stuck in the
declining town of Shankly after his friends head off to uni. When
his girlfriend (BAFTA® winner Georgina Campbell) also dumps
him, he has little to keep him going except for his love of local
independent radio show After Hours.
The show is broadcast from a barge by Lauren (Jaime Winstone)
and Ollie (Rob Kendrick), two music enthusiasts in their late
20s who wonder whether they’ve actually got a single listener.
Until they meet superfan Willow, that is, who they decide to take
under their wing and hire as their new assistant.
Meanwhile, Willow’s dad Peter (Ardal O’Hanlon) is down in the
dumps after losing his milk round, and his mum Anna (Susan
Cookson) is treacherously eyeing a job at the new supermarket
that’s seen off the town’s local industry. Plus, Peter’s mate
Geoff (John Thomson) finds sanctuary on the Hannigans’
sofa following a fall-out with his wife Sheila (guest star
Caroline Aherne) and plans to join forces with Peter in a new
business venture.
With a lack of work and a shortage of spirit casting a cloud over
Shankly, the music-mad trio of Willow, Lauren and Ollie seem
to have met each other at just the right time. Can they deliver
some much-needed inspiration to the rest of their community?
Underlying Sky’s commitment to making Sky 1 a go-to
destination for family entertainment, After Hours is beautifully
written by Molly Naylor and John Osborne. It is shot through
with a passion for music, as well as all of Craig Cash’s usual
down-to-earth wit and warmth.
3
Who’s who
Willow Hannigan
James Tarpey
Stuck in his home town of Shankly,
18-year-old Willow is at a loose end
when his friends head off to uni and
his girlfriend dumps him. However, our
duffle-coated hero has an unwavering
passion for music and, if his parents let
him, local radio show After Hours could
give him the direction he needs.
Lauren
Jaime Winstone
Before she played the hits, Lauren used
to make them. This bubbly music lover
spent her youth in an indie band but
has somehow ended up back in her
home town. When not running pirate
radio show After Hours from her
barge boat, she serves cupcakes in
the local deli.
Ollie
Rob Kendrick
Lauren’s co-host Ollie is an unashamed
music geek who was a big fan of her
band. Once a writer for the music
mags, he used to go to gigs every
night. However, after losing his job,
he was forced to move back home
and now earns his bread and butter
proofreading articles about mayonnaise
and couscous.
Peter Hannigan
Ardal O’Hanlon
Willow’s dad Peter has misplaced his
sense of purpose after losing his job
as a milkman and is struggling to pay
the mortgage. Upset that the local
supermarket has put him out of work,
he is refusing to shop there. A big Neil
Diamond fan, his taste in music falls a
long way short of impressing Lauren
and Rob.
4
Who’s who
Anna Hannigan
Susan Cookson
Willow’s mum is always drumming up
support for community events in a town
that’s at rock bottom. In support of her
husband, she’s boycotting the huge
new supermarket that’s putting the
town’s businesses in jeopardy, but it
might be her only hope of finding a job.
Geoff
John Thomson
Peter’s best mate is a marketing
manager who moves in with the
Hannigans when his relationship
with his beloved wife Sheila hits the
rocks. He and Peter plan to start a
business together, but will it ever get
off the ground?
Jasmine
Georgina Campbell
Having just finished school, Jasmine
and Willow had their minds set on going
travelling when she breaks up with
Willow and starts dating a bass player.
Will she regret her decision?
Chris
Fergus van Gelder
Willow’s only remaining friend in
Shankly, Chris is an eccentric soul who
works in the local off-licence.
5
Episode guide
Episode 1 – Young Jobless
Having just left school, things aren’t going to plan for
Willow. Stuck at home with his mum and dad while he
struggles to get a job in his declining town of Shankly,
his dreams of travelling the world go to pot when his
girlfriend Jasmine dumps him. The only thing that
keeps him going is local late-night cult radio show
After Hours. So, when a chance encounter with one of
its hosts, Lauren, leads to him being offered a job on
the show, he believes his luck might have changed. But
can he convince his parents that volunteering on a
pirate radio show is a good idea?
Episode 3 – Formed a Band
Lauren and Ollie try to cheer up a down-in-the dumps
Willow by giving him the chance to co-present the
show. Can a delighted (yet terrified) Willow keep his
cool on the airwaves?
Meanwhile, the evening of Shankly’s Got Talent
arrives and it’s Anna’s last chance to prove there’s still
some spirit left in the town, while Geoff makes plans
to serenade wife Sheila with a special performance.
To help them both out, Willow advertises the talent
contest on After Hours. But does the radio show
actually have any listeners?
Episode 2 – Float On
Willow is devastated when he discovers his best
pal Chris has been burgled and his ex, Jasmine, has
started dating a bass player. However, Willow isn’t
the only one in Shankly with a broken heart. After a
fall-out with his wife Sheila, Peter’s friend Geoff has
moved onto the Hannigans’ sofa and is busy using up
all of Anna’s moisturiser.
After Hours promises to save the day, when it makes
an appeal to anyone who might know about Chris’s
burglary. Plus, Ollie and Lauren give Willow the chance
to take over the mic and play Jasmine a song. But
when Willow’s big moment to win her back arrives,
Chris is badly in need of a friend. Will Willow make the
right choice?
6
Episode 5 – Love Love Love
With Lauren’s ex-bandmate Russell back in Shankly,
Willow and Ollie try to book the community centre
for The Bad Weekends’ concert, only to find that the
conservative committee are dead against the space
being used for ‘rock gigs’.
Despite the setback, Willow’s spirits are raised when
Jasmine splits up with new boyfriend Scott and comes
to him for support. Meanwhile, Ollie’s worries increase
when, after berating Lincolnshire FM on the show, he
gets called into the station for a meeting. Plus, Geoff
hatches a plan to get Peter back on his milk float.
Episode 4 – Lonely Press Play
Ollie and Lauren are thrilled when they learn one of
their favourite bands, The Sellotapes, are playing
nearby, yet gutted that they will have to miss the gig
to do After Hours. Having been given a makeover by
Lauren, Willow offers to abandon a night out with
his old friends early to present the show. But when
Jasmine shows up at the pub, will he be able to pull
himself away?
Buoyed up by the gig, Ollie and Willow ask their
listeners to suggest who they’d like to see perform in
Shankly. Many listeners suggest Lauren’s former band
The Bad Weekends, prompting Willow to secretly get
in touch with Lauren’s ex-bandmate Russell.
Back at the Hannigan household, a desperate Peter
makes a very tough decision.
Episode 6 – Romance is Boring
It’s the night of The Bad Weekends’ big gig and the
venue is a sell-out. However, disaster strikes when
an upset Lauren reveals that the show can’t go on.
Concerned they will be letting the entire town down,
Ollie and Willow struggle to put things right. Can they
find a way to save the gig?
Also, following recent events, Willow makes a
decision he finds hard to break to Lauren and Ollie.
And, following Ollie’s recent meeting at Lincolnshire
FM, Ollie and Lauren have a difficult decision to make
about the future of After Hours.
7
Interview Molly Naylor & John Osborne, writers
How did you come to work together
as a writing team?
We were friends, both living in Norwich
and working on our own writing projects
as well as juggling the occasional weird
or boring day job. We got drunk one
night and talked about working on
something together.
We decided to try to write a sitcom
because we have always loved the genre.
We’d shared a flat previously – when
we were unemployed and sad – but
had at no point during this time
considered the idea of writing one
together. It was probably for the best.
We didn’t have much to write about
back then, all we did was eat toast and
watch Seinfeld.
How was it working with Craig Cash?
Craig has an incredible eye for detail,
which makes him an excellent director.
During filming we were on set the whole
time, communicating with him and
the cast and crew. He wanted us to
make sure everything was as close
to how we’d written it as possible.
We were very aware of how rare this is
and felt lucky to be in a position where
we could be a central part of
the process. Craig is a brilliant writer
himself and understands comedy
intrinsically. He also understands the
importance of being kind and gentle to
people, and making them feel valued. He
is one of the most hardworking people
I know. It was a pleasure and a privilege
to learn from him.
Who are some of your inspirations in
the scriptwriting world?
There are so many, but these spring
to mind: Sharon Horgan, Sam Bain
and Jesse Armstrong, Lena Dunham,
Jill Soloway, Julia Davis, Jessica Hynes,
Miranda July, Craig Cash and Caroline
Aherne, Armando Iannucci and
Greg Daniels.
If you had your own radio show, what
would it be like?
We have talked about doing a show
where we introduce each other to music
the other one has somehow overlooked.
For example – I bring in a bunch of Tom
Waits songs and play them to John
while saying: See? Isn’t this brilliant?
Over and over again. It’s an idea that
needs finessing, I see that now.
If you could only listen to one song
for the rest of your life, what would
it be?
Another Girl, Another Planet by
The Only Ones.
8
Interview
James Tarpey – Willow
What did you think when you first read the script?
It was just one of the nicest and most charming
scripts I have ever read. I wanted the part a lot so
when I was offered it, I was so happy. Plus, when I
read and heard about the soundtrack to the show,
I was over the moon. I couldn’t have chosen better
music myself.
Can you describe Willow?
He’s lost when we first meet him. He doesn’t have
many opportunities in his town so turning to After
Hours is his salvation from his mind-numbing
existence now that his friends have gone to university
and his girlfriend has broken up with him.
He is going through that late teenage stage of finding
his feet as a young man and Ollie and Lauren help him
a lot with that.
You are just three years older than Willow. Did you
find him an easy character to relate to?
Definitely. I have certainly been through that kind of
thing in my own life. His love of music was something
that I could also immediately get. Music has such a
special place in my own world so it was really easy to
make it important to Willow.
What was it like working with the rest of the cast?
Incredible. I really did learn a lot from them. John,
Ardal and Susan were just so funny. I was constantly
worrying that I was ruining takes by laughing. The
scenes shot at the dinner
table are some of the best
times that I have ever had.
And what was it like
playing opposite BAFTA®
winner
Georgina Campbell?
It was amazing and I was so
happy for her. I remember
watching Murdered by My
Boyfriend and thinking what
a moving and powerful
performance she gave. I
thought, wow, I am in a TV
show with this girl.
And you do a lot of cycling
in the series don’t you?
Yes, I didn’t realise how
much cycling there would
be. I am very glad I could
cycle because it would have been a really bad thing to
get to set and not be able to ride a bike. It was really
fun riding up and down on this little vintage bike. On
one of the days, we were filming a cycling shot and
just over the lip of this hill was a pub, which lots of
locals were outside. It was about four o’clock and
every time we would reset the shot they would cheer
and whoop. I was meant to look sad when I came over
the hill but it was really hard to hide my smile. Lymm
was a really lovely town and everyone was so nice and
accommodating.
You’ve spoken about working with Ardal and John.
Are there any other actors who really inspire you?
I’ve always been a massive fan of James McAvoy and
I am also really fond of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and
Martin Freeman. I think they’ve done great work which
they have done off their own back, and they have
written their own stuff. ➜
9
➜ What’s currently on your playlist?
I am listening to a lot of the Pixies and a bit of Lindsey
Buckingham from Fleetwood Mac. I also really like The
Maccabees’ new album.
As a nineties child, what would you consider to be
the song or the artist that summed up your youth?
I wish I could say someone like Nirvana but that just
wouldn’t be true. Probably Green Day. I definitely have
some Spice Girls memorabilia at home somewhere
though too.
What was the first album that you bought?
Maybe Eminem or Green Day.
If you could have your own radio show, what would
it be like?
I’d love to play new upcoming bands and to introduce
new acts. It is quite an exciting time for music, there
are some great new artists around. That’s always been
quite a dream job as well, other than the acting – to
get to sit there all day and listen to good music and
give people breaks on the radio.
Why do you think people should tune into
the series?
It’s really sweet, warm and funny. There is not a lot like
it on. Tune in for Ardal and John because their scenes
are great, as well as the music. I don’t think I have seen,
not in the last few years at least, a show with such an
interesting soundtrack. ■
10
Interview
Ardal O’Hanlon – Peter
Why did you want to be part of After Hours?
I found it refreshingly warm and funny, and moving.
It’s a bit different – the comedy is not in your face. The
writers weren’t afraid to go for the real emotion and
it’s got a genuine quality to it. It’s truthful.
I think it lasted about 20 years for me! Everything just
seems magnified at that age. Everything is either
the best thing in the world or the worst thing in the
world. You have raging torrents of emotion at all times.
I do remember that when you are in love, or think
you are, it just consumes your every waking moment.
And music is very important in the series, isn’t it?
The soundtrack is integral. It’s a really big part of it.
The show is about outsiders and people who are
defiant against the odds and this type of music is
outsider music for the most part. It’s people doing
things for themselves and not worrying about what
other people think. You’ve got artists in there who are
totally outside of the mainstream and I think that’s
really important to the show.
The writers, Molly Naylor and John Osborne, are
relative newcomers. Was working with new talent
part of the appeal?
Yes. I hadn’t heard of Molly and John but having read
the scripts, I got a tingling feeling in my stomach. But
one of the big things that really swung it for me was
that they were using great music on the soundtrack.
What was the first album you bought?
Possibly the first album by The Boomtown Rats. I think
I was a year too late for punk and so my formative
years in terms of music was the first year of the new
wave and I think The Boomtown Rats were Ireland’s
leading representative in that genre.
What was it like working with Craig Cash?
He has got such a lovely manner and such integrity.
He’s been responsible for great comedy over the years.
What can you tell me about your character Peter?
Peter is a little bit odd. He is our hero Willow’s dad
and he’s an unemployed milkman. He’s recently lost
his milk round and so he’s a little bit upset with milk.
But he’s a good guy and he’s got a lot of dignity. He
doesn’t let his disappointments overcome him in any
way and I think that’s something that comes into all
the characters in the show. They live in a town that’s
in decline and they could easily become angry and
bitter but they don’t. They get on with life. They are all
very positive characters and they appreciate the good
things like family and community and, of course, good
music.
In the show, Willow has reached a crossroads in
his life. Can you remember being 18 and feeling a
bit directionless?
Have you passed on much any words of wisdom
to James?
Not really. He’s very instinctive and very natural. The
others are the same. Jaime [Winstone] is really sparky
and Rob [Kendrick], who plays Ollie, has got such a
lovely manner and style. Susan [Cookson], who plays
my wife, is brilliant as well.
People talk about heartache and I can remember that
kind of ache deep in the pit of your stomach. It was a
real physical pain. I think this show definitely touches
on those feelings.
What was the atmosphere like on set? Did you get
on well with the rest of the cast?
Everyone was such a joy to work with. It was a pleasure
to work with John Thomson, I’ve been a fan of his for
many years and he’s a naturally very funny bloke. I
loved the other cast members too and James is great
as Willow.
What sound best sums up your youth?
It was possibly X-Ray Spex – Germfree Adolescents.
That was the first record I wore out from playing it
too much.
Who is your musical hero?
That’s one of those impossible questions to answer
because it changes about 10 times in a day. I love Neil
Young and people like that but, by the same token, I
love The Stranglers and Johnny Cash.
One of the questions that Ollie asks Willow in his
interview is whether he can think of any cover
versions that are better than the original. Can you?
There is an Irish band called Something Happens ➜
11
➜ which did a brilliant version of ABBA’s Take a Chance
on Me.
Which radio station do you listen to?
Radio 4.
Peter loses his job because of the supermarket
that comes to the town. Do you have any gripes
with how the world is changing?
I find going into a town centre and seeing shops that
offer cash for gold rather than shops selling prime
cuts of sirloin steak very depressing. I don’t know the
answer to all that but it would be fantastic to see our
town centres regenerated.
Obviously you’ve had huge success with Father
Ted, My Hero and your stand-up shows –
where do you think your affinity with comedy has
come from?
I come from a part of the world where everyone
is actually very deadpan by nature. No one gives
anything away in terms of emotion or colours their
language very much. I always found that quite
amusing. I was never one of those people who were
slaves to television as kids and consumed by comedy
from a very early age. I had a wide range of interests
but I knew from an early age that life was absurd and
the only way to go on was to ridicule everything.
What’s your karaoke song?
Should I Stay or Should I Go by The Clash. ■
12
Interview
John Thomson – Geoff
What attracted you to After Hours?
The fact that Craig [Cash] was directing it was a big
bonus because we are old friends and go absolutely
way back. I knew that it would be good I because I
know that he wouldn’t just take any project. Then I
read the script and I thought it was great. Geoff is a
great character too.
How did you and Craig cross paths?
Caroline [Aherne] and Craig used to do a radio show
in Stockport and I used to occasionally guest on their
show. I knew Caroline from doing gigs with her and she
lived on the same road as me for a while so the Craig
connection came through her. She had known Craig
for years.
What was it like working with the rest of the cast.
Was it a good atmosphere on set?
It was nice to work with an Irishman again as I’m half
Irish. Working with Jimmy [James Nesbitt] on Cold Feet
for seven years was a joy and so to work with Ardal
was a bit like history repeating itself. The chemistry
is great between me and Ardal, as well as with Susan
Cookson. The beauty of this script is it’s very dry. You
have to play it very deadpan and we found it very hard
for laughing sometimes! I loved the job, it was one of
those ones that I just looked forward to doing.
How would you sum up Geoff’s character?
He’s got a huge heart but doesn’t really know how to
express himself sometimes. Obviously he had a job
in marketing and he’s not a fool but he has difficulty
in conveying his ideas. He’s a bit socially awkward
but he is a very likeable character. He’s obviously got
marriage issues with Sheila because he’s desperate to
win her back and some of the things he does are very
touching. There’s one line that I think kind of sums
Geoff up – he gives Anna a shirt the night before the
gig, and says, "I don’t suppose you could iron my shirt
Anna? The buttons confuse me". You can learn a lot
from that line of dialogue alone.
A lot of the show is filmed in Lymm. Is that near
your hometown?
It’s about 20 minutes from Didsbury. It’s on my
doorstep but I didn’t realise how beautiful it was. But
we were cursed by the weather – the heat was a killer.
On one of the early days of filming, we came back from
lunch and it was just so hot. It made us hysterically
giddy, we couldn’t get our lines out.
What would be your karaoke song?
I’d do Mack the Knife or I could do one those big band
or crooner songs. Something like Beyond the Sea.
That’s my cup of tea.
Can you sing?
I can. When I was at school, I was Joseph in Joseph
and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat and I was
Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. It was a Catholic
school, you would never have guessed would you?
What radio show do you listen to?
If the radio is on, it would be Smooth FM. Up north, it’s
the only one that plays any soul.
Why do you think British comedies are often held
in such high esteem?
We are very sophisticated. We are masters of irony,
of understatement and of dryness. We’ve got a good
lineage, and a very strong pedigree in comedy. If
something is written well and you get a decent cast,
like After Hours, the performances can be so natural
that the jokes tell themselves.
What was the first album you bought?
It was given to me and it moulded me. I am a drummer,
I’ve been playing since I was 11, and I remember that I
was on a French exchange trip. The weather was awful
and I was stuck in an apartment in the middle of Lyon.
I used to listen to Stanley Clarke, School Days. He is an
amazing bass player and it was one of my favourite
albums of all time. It got me into my favourite kind of
music, which is jazz funk and jazz fusion. I’m a bit set
in my ways as far as music is concerned and I like the
fact that people think I am odd. I’ve done stand-up at
Glastonbury three times but I didn’t see a single band.
What song would you say summed up your youth?
When I was about 14 or 15, my favourite British band
was Level 42 and Hot Water was my favourite song.
13
Interview
Jaime Winstone – Lauren
Why did you want to be a part of After Hours?
It’s really sweet and humble, that’s why I originally
went for it. I’ve never done anything like it. I loved
the story – it all just seemed to flow so naturally.
And I loved Lauren, she is such a fun and lost little
character.
Tell us more about Lauren…
She is really upbeat. She always wants the best out
of things and people. However, she can’t seem to take
her own advice. She has this heartache and this selfdestructive mode but, deep down, she doesn’t want
to be like that. She’s really bubbly but when you chip
away at the surface, there are some deep insecurity
issues there. She just needs a big old cuddle.
What was it like to film?
It all came together perfectly and was really fun to
shoot, and Craig [Cash] was amazing to work with
– he’s so genuine and so giving. We also filmed it in
Manchester, which is like my second home. I had a lot
of fun there, and have a lot of old friends there too.
Was a love of music something that you share with
Lauren?
Yes. I’m not a massive fan of indie music but I learned
a lot about that scene and genre. I am a bit more of
a rock’n’roll or dance music girl. But the indie music
scene is very cute and humble. I went to see the Pixies
in Manchester while we were filming it, which felt very
true to Lauren. It’s nice when real things happen in
your life that relate to the character you are playing.
You perform (as Lauren) a song written by
Babyshambles in the series, what was that like?
I actually recorded it with Drew from Babyshambles
for the show. The lyrics are great, it’s a really great
little indie song. They very kindly wrote it for me. It was
quite scary but Drew said I was a natural which made
me laugh. I am not a natural singer but I loved being
on stage. My sister Lois is a musician so I drew from
her stage presence. It is really sweet because Lauren
hasn’t been on stage for a while and she comes to life
as she sings. In the end I got really into it and I wanted
to do it again. But I don’t think I will be rocking out
on stage anytime soon. They were saying that they
wanted to release the single, but I am not sure how I
feel about that.
I find it quite easy to pretend to be someone else
when I am singing but to stand on stage and sing from
your heart is a really scary thing to do. It bares your
soul.
Your Mancunian accent is really good in the series…
My mum is from Stockport. It’s quite funny because
when you are hanging around with lots of the crew, ➜
14
➜ you end up having a bit of a twang anyway. I loved
playing the role, there is something really bouncy
about the accent that really helped me get into
Lauren’s character.
Why should viewers tune into the series?
I think it will really touch people. It will bring a lot of
nostalgia to those who are into indie music. Also, I
think viewers will relate to that feeling of being a bit
lost in your teenage years and not really knowing
what to do with yourself, until you turn on a tune and
suddenly you feel connected to people, all because
you like the same kind of music.
What was the first album that you ever bought?
Probably the Spice Girls. No actually, All Saints.
Would you say they were the bands that summed
up your youth?
Definitely. All Saints and Placebo too. But I had an
older sister so Nirvana was always playing in the
background. I think a lot of people my age were
confused about whether they were a pop Spice Girls
fan or a grungy Nirvana fan. I think I was probably a
mixture of both. And then my dad was playing punk
downstairs so it was all pretty baffling really.
If you could have a radio show, what would it
be like?
I’d have all my friends come on and do massive sets
of the best music genres. I’d start with a nice reggae
morning to get people in the mood, and then keep it
classy with a bit of classic musical and then I’d jump
heavy into jungle for afternoon tea. Then I’d have a
90s hip-hop vibe.
What would be your pick of the jukebox?
Probably Elvis, either In the Ghetto or Suspicious Minds,
or Nights in White Satin. ■
15
Interview
Georgina Campbell –
Jasmine
What attracted you to the series?
It was such a refreshing, funny and interesting
script. I hadn’t really read anything like it before. I
was also heavily influenced by the music – there
are so many brilliant tracks written into the script. I
really related to Willow and my character Jasmine’s
relationship and what happens with them. Like me,
they both love the Pixies. For my audition, I went in
wearing a Pixies T-shirt which was incredibly cringe.
You won a BAFTA® for your role in Murdered
by My Boyfriend, beating Keeley Hawes, Sarah
Lancashire and Sheridan Smith. How did that
feel?
Fantastic, it’s still really crazy. It’s such a lovely
accolade and something I would never have
expected to have got so early on in my career. It
was very unexpected but very welcome.
What have you done with your BAFTA®?
It’s on my windowsill at the moment. I think I need
to polish it. I don’t know if you can get special
BAFTA® polish? I should probably look into it.
Has that award opened the door to a lot of
opportunities?
Yes, it has definitely taken my career off in another
direction, which is great. With acting, it is always
about getting to the next step. You are always
thinking about what the next move will be so the
BAFTA® has definitely pushed me up a couple of
steps. I have been doing some wonderful jobs and
hopefully, next year, there will be more to come.
Can you describe your character in After Hours?
At the beginning of the series, Jasmine is in a
relationship with Willow and, sometimes, when you are
young, if you are in a relationship with someone, you
start to define each other and to grow to become the
same person, which isn’t always the right thing. So,
she breaks up with Willow and then for the rest of the
series she is trying to figure out who she is and where
she fits into the world. She’s at that awful age when
you finish school and there is so much pressure and
there are so many avenues that you can take.
How did you enjoy working with the rest of the
cast?
It was great to work with the writers who were there
every single day and Craig Cash was lovely. It was just
a fantastic project. It’s a comedy so every day was just
a laugh.
Why do you think viewers should tune in to the
series?
They’ll like the music. My musical taste isn’t to the
standard of a lot of the people who are in and who
wrote the show but listening to all the music was
just fantastic. It’s such an eclectic mix of different
genres and periods. Also, it’s a really warm storyline
about a boy discovering who he is. It’s something a bit
different – I don’t think I have seen anything like it.
What’s on your playlist at the moment?
I’m listening to a lot of FKA twigs. I really like her at the
moment – she’s got a really different sound. She is in
control of her career and produces her own stuff. She
directs all her own music videos and I like that.
What’s the first album you ever bought?
It was probably something by Honeyz or
Destiny’s Child.
Is there a song that best sums up your youth? ➜
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➜ When I was a teenager, I was really obsessed with
Kings of Leon. As a child though, it would probably
have been the Lighthouse Family. My parents were
always playing their tape in the car.
If you had your own radio show, what would it
be like?
An agony aunt show. Probably just because I’m a
massive gossip and want to hear everyone’s issues.
You got your break because you were spotted in
the street by the director of Freak. What do you
think you’d be doing now if you weren’t acting?
I don’t know actually. I’d like to think I’d probably have
ended up acting anyway. It seems like things happen
for a reason but maybe I would have ended up doing
it a different way.
Are there any actors you particularly look up to?
I love Olivia Colman. She is brilliant and manages to
do all forms of acting so well, from comedy to drama.
I also really like Kate Winslet. I think she always plays
really interesting characters and she chooses good
roles. I also just really like her as a person. I mean, I
haven’t met her but I feel like I would.
Is there a part you would like to have had or would
still like to have?
If I could go back in time, I would love to have been
Buffy in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. I loved that show. ■
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Contacts
Alexander Wood
Publicist – Sky Content PR
[email protected]
020 7032 1488
Monday 2 November
21.30
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