BLOODLANDS
The new BBC/BritBox crime series Bloodlands is set in modern Northern Ireland but centres on the conflict between seeking justice for the past and the fragility of peace. “I was attracted to Bloodlands because of my involvement with a charity called Wave and its work with victims and survivors (of The Troubles – Northern Ireland’s freedom struggle with the United Kingdom) over the years,” says series star Northern Irish actor James Nesbitt, as rugbyloving detective Tom Brannick.
“I spoke to policemen that I know about what it was like during The Troubles. We had an police advisor on set who was great, just in terms of technical things, the way you communicate with people, the relationships that you have, the attention to detail, particularly worrying about a constant threat from paramilitaries. But also, so much of it was already imbued in me,” says James. “Tom is quite familiar to me because I knew a lot of police officers and my family was in the police and I played rugby at school. I think as he’s coming to the end of his career, the idea of this old case is terrifying.
“It is a classic Jed Mercurio thriller, where you’re not sure what’s going on, with many different stories interwoven into it. I think it will keep viewers on the edge of their seats,” says James. Watch Bloodlands season 1 from Thursday, 12 May on BritBox.