CITY FRIGHTS
TV star says viewers will be stunned as soap’s stalker is finally revealed
Heather Greenaway River City star Lindsey Campbell has warned v i ewers ahead of tomorrow night’s longawaited stalker reveal that they are in for a shock.
There are four suspects in the frame for the savage harassment campaign and the actress, who plays victim Poppy Paterson, hinted fans will be horrified when they discover the perpetrator’s identity.
But pregnant Lindsey, 42, said filming the harrowing storyl ine was tough and revea led how she took inspiration for her acting from the case of Newsnight presenter Emily Maitlis, who was stalked for years.
She said: “I found it quite draining and harrowing to film because previous to this I had a lot of romantic storylines, which are always a j o y. The more hardhit t i ng stuff tended to be happening to other people that Poppy, in her role as a lawyer, was helping or defending.
“It was wearying because in every scene my character was on the receiving end of something bad happening. There was nothing lighthearted about any of it and I was always on edge waiting for the next hit to come. Luckily everyone on set is so lovely and, as soon as filming is over, you can relax.
“Fortunately I have no experience of being harassed or stalked and I hope I never will. Someone who I f ind interesting in the public eye, who has gone through it, is broadcaster Emily Maitlis.
“She’s had the same stalker for the last 25 years. He has been imprisoned on more than one occasion and has broken restraining orders a dozen times.
“I found reading about her situation and what she has been through really helpful as she is a professional like Poppy. When you see her doing these really serious stories on the news or interviews, you would never guess she has been going through something so awful for such a long time.”
Not since EastEnders’ “Who shot Phil Mitchell?” has soapland been by gripped by such an intense whodunnit and Lindsey admits the audience won’t be disappointed by the outcome.
She said: “Shieldinch lawyer Poppy has been stalked since the start of the year by an unknown person. Over the months, their stalking has gathered pace and it’s taking its toll on her.
“There are four possible suspects – they all have motives and there have been signposts pointing to them over the last few months that have set the alarm bells ringing so they are all in the frame.
“I think viewers are going to be shocked. Although viewers find out who Poppy’s stalker is tomorrow night, she has to go through another few weeks of torture before she finds the truth.
“I’ve known from the beginning who the stalker is but viewers and the residents of Shieldinch have been kept in the dark. Fans of the show have been pitching in with who they think it might be – some have been right but most have been wrong. I’m excited to see the reaction once the big reveal has taken place.”
Lindsey, who grew up in Edinburgh, is married to Welsh actor Dyfan Dwyfor and joined the River City cast last year.
She said: “Playing a stalking victim made me realise the hell some women must go through. I think it is such a strange and cruel thing for someone to do to another person. A lot of the time it goes hand in hand with domestic abuse and, more often than not, the stalker is someone the victim knows – a partner, an ex, a family member or a friend, which makes it all the more frightening.
“It can indirectly affect every aspect of someone’s life, from relationships and friendships to their confidence and work.”
A report released by the Crown Off ice and Procurator Fiscal Service in September revealed abuse and stalking charges are at their highest for four years. They show a total of 30,718 charges have been recorded across Scotland in the last year – a sign more victims are coming forward after the introduction of tougher legislation on coercive or controlling behaviour.
L i nd se y, who spent 10 yea r s working in theatre
Emily Maitlis in London before coming back to Scotland, is pleased the laws around stalking are getting tougher. She said: “It’s such a traumatic offence. Stalkers need to be brought to justice.”
As well as coping with the script, Lindsey, who cut her acting teeth at Edinburgh’s Lyceum Youth Theatre group, also had the added pressure of hiding her pregnancy.
She said: “Luckily we have a fab fashion designer, who went above and beyond to help cover my bump.”
Lindsey, who met her husband when they starred together in a play, said: “It remains to be seen whether next year will work out better for Poppy but her stalker storyline will keep viewers gripped for weeks.”