Hunter, a new two-part drama from 91Èȱ¬ Drama Production for 91Èȱ¬ One
Hugh Bonneville – Det Supt Iain Barclay
Having played Det Supt Iain Barclay in Five Days, Hugh was delighted when the opportunity arose to reprise the role in the 91Èȱ¬ police thriller, Hunter.
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"Five Days worked very well as a state-of the nation drama, and I thought the idea of giving the character of Barclay future life and developing his working relationship with DS Amy Foster in a stand-alone show, was a very exciting prospect."
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Writer Mick Ford rose to the challenge, creating a compelling story in which the protagonists face increasingly daunting tests of character and professional skill.
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Hugh was impressed with Mick Ford's achievement.
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"The script is tense, dynamic and thought-provoking. Mick's done a superb job of taking these characters, setting them in a familiar but fresh environment and giving them an almost insurmountable problem to overcome. That's exciting to play. And it's such a pleasure to work with writing of this quality, there's as much going on between the lines as in them."
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"The case isn't simply one of the 'goodies' catching the 'baddies'. The plot is complex and the moral and ethical questions it raises are not easily answered. Moreover, Barclay is no super-hero, he's flawed, makes mistakes, so there's frailty and failure as well as success along the way. It's a gripping story."
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The character of Barclay himself is central to the drama, so how would Hugh describe him?
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"I think Iain Barclay can be summed up by the way he lives. His house is on the edge of town but within sight of it. He's an observer, an outsider, yet his absolute lifeblood is the work he does within the community of which he is never quite a part.
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"He seems to have a slower pulse rate than the rest of us, calm under pressure, considered, thoughtful.
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"And there's another reason he chooses to live on the edge of town: less light pollution means there's more chance of seeing his favourite constellation in the night sky – Orion, The Hunter."
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Reflecting on other qualities that make Barclay a great detective, Hugh continues: "His real skills are founded in his fascination with astronomy. Where some people see a thousand points of light, Barclay sees patterns, constellations.
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"Each day he brings this ability to bear on the case in hand. His brain is always active, constantly sifting information, sorting order from chaos, yet all the while he maintains a calm and collected exterior."
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This all sounds markedly different to Amy Foster's feisty, impatient character.
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As Hugh explains: "It's because Barclay and Foster are chalk and cheese that they're such a great team. Amy often speaks before she thinks, he's the opposite.
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"Even though she's a bit of a loose canon, she's been in the force her whole life so her ability to play the game and anticipate the pitfalls is invaluable to him. They complement each other in so many ways."
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Hugh says their unusual and strong friendship amuses him.
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"They're a pair of workaholics with a great rapport, whose relationship is based on mutual respect and mutual irritation. I can picture them in retirement, sitting on a sea front, rugs over their knees, staring out to sea ... and bickering."
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