Heat meets… Rafe Spall & Esther Smith
The chemistry between the two of you is so authenticdid you have to work at that?
Rafe: I had to work very hard, honestly I got nothing from Esther… No, I’m joking. It was interesting that Jay Hunt, who commissioned the show for Apple, was really keen that the chemistry between the two leads felt real, so we did this sort of chemistry test, and early on, she knew that was the most important thing about the show. The viewers need to enjoy hanging out with two people who enjoy hanging out with each other. Esther: Yes, I think it was clear early on how important the chemistry was. R: But it was natural, wasn’t it? It was clear early on that we really got on as people. And, I have to say, this was my favourite experience shooting anything really. I loved it.
What was it like when you first met?
E: It was at the “chemistry read”, and it was quite daunting, because you know the pressure’s on to like each other. But it was clear we shared the same sense of humour, and it was like going to work with a friend as soon as we started filming – which was important, because almost all our scenes are together.
Did you do your own research about adoption?
R: I didn’t do any major research whatsoever, because it was all in the script, so it was my job to make all that human and relatable. The show’s funny, but everything that happens in the adoption process is real. I also think it’s about people being nice to each other, which we definitely need right now.
E: Yes, I got a huge insight into the adoption process, because I didn’t know anyone who’d been through that. It’s such a long, involved process.
The show is filmed in major London locations like Camden Market and the London Eye. Was that a challenge?
R: The London Eye was. I genuinely hated it, because I have fear of heights. E: He had his eyes closed for most of the shooting of that scene. R: I did close my eyes between takes. I was really frightened and behaved like a big baby. E: And when we filmed in Camden Market, we just went with it. The people in the background aren’t extras – they’re real people.
Was it important that your characters are much less rich and posh than a lot of the Londoners we often see on TV?
R: Totally. One of the main things that appealed to me about the show is how the characters are normal, workingclass people. I think we’re in a golden age of British TV comedy at the moment with stuff like Fleabag and Catastrophe, and, as brilliant as those shows are, they are about people from a specific socioeconomic group, but our characters are not from a posh family, they come from a working-class background and have normal jobs. It’s interesting that it’s on a global platform like Appletv+, because I think it’s good to show what normal people living in London are like. We don’t all live in stately homes.