Damien Timmer

Endeavour 2018: Interviews

 

“EVERYONE brings their top game to Endeavour.

“We’re very lucky.

“I’m glad people love it because that’s our intention.”

Shaun Evans talking to me about the return of the, now, Detective Sergeant Endeavour Morse to the screen.

Starting on ITV at 8pm this Sunday (Feb 4).

The new 2018 series five of Endeavour being the longest yet with six feature-length films.

Infused with a sense of endings and new beginnings.

And further glimpses of the younger Morse’s relationships with women.

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Roger Allam as Det Insp Fred Thursday and Shaun Evans as Det Sgt Endeavour Morse

“There’s a little bit of action. Not before time, if you ask me,” added Shaun.

“It’s interesting as well. It shows you another side of the character. He is a young man in 1968.

“Joan Thursday (Sara Vickers) is still part of the story.

“His involvement with other women is a subconscious knee-jerk reaction to the history between him and Joan.

“He’s trying to find his place in the world and who he’s going to spend it with.

“His relationships with other women show a slightly more rounded version of the character. I think it’s OK to surprise people.”

All of which is all the more poignant, knowing – as we do – that Morse eventually died alone.

Shaun giving a heartbreaking performance as lost soul Endeavour.

 

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Next Of Kin: Interviews

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“ONE of the great themes of the story is family, love and loyalty.

“It asks the question, ‘How far would you go to protect the ones you love?’

“People watching will ask themselves, ‘What would I do in that situation? What decisions would you make?’”

Archie Panjabi talking to me about her role as Mona in new drama Next Of Kin.

A six part thriller which begins on ITV at 9pm on Monday (January 8).

One of the must watch television dramas of 2018.

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Fearless: Read Between The Lies

“TRUMP has politicised a generation.

“People are very aware of that now.

“That actually they don’t trust necessarily the establishment to solve things for them or look to the establishment as heroes, as Brexit and as Trump has proved.

“So this idea of people that are quite ordinary and normal fighting for other ordinary and normal people on those lost causes, in some cases people who have been abandoned in prison for 10, 15, 20 years, I felt Patrick really had his finger on the pulse there.”

Helen McCrory talking to me about Fearless (ITV, 9pm Mon June 12), a topical new six-part drama created and written by Homeland and 24 writer Patrick Harbinson.

She plays solicitor Emma Banville in a compelling story about the abuse of justice and power.

With a strong supporting cast – including Sir Michael Gambon – in a series that takes us from Britain to America and back.

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Poldark: BFI Q&A

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“I hope I’m not intruding…”

Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall – and our television screens – in a new BBC1 (and PBS) adaptation of Winston Graham’s novels.

Some, like me, will be old enough to remember the iconic 1970s’ Poldark TV series starring Robin Ellis and Angharad Rees.

While younger viewers may have no idea what all the fuss is about.

Aidan Turner, who takes the title role in the 2015 series, admits he initially had to enlist the help of Google to find out what Poldark was.

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