‘The bomb suit weighed almost as much as me!'
Vicky Mcclure and Adrian Lester will have you on the edge of your seat with their new drama
Trigger Point is the explosive thriller you would expect, given the subject matter. Vicky Mcclure and Adrian Lester play bomb disposal operatives – known as expos – Lana Washington and Joel Nutkins, whose bond was formed after serving together in Afghanistan. They now work with the Met Police Bomb Disposal Squad and are at the forefront of a counter-terrorism campaign. They must defuse devices and find out who is behind a spate of summer bombings in the capital before fatalities escalate.
Via Zoom, we caught up with Vicky, 38, in her Nottingham home, and Adrian, 53, who was in New York where he’s appearing on Broadway, to find out more…
Your characters have a close relationship – did you meet much before making Trigger Point?
ADRIAN: We met when we were learning how to make bombs – or unmake bombs that had been made by the explosives experts. We learned about the trigger point and the charge, and the ignition and circuits – and how, because sometimes you think you’re going to cut a circuit to break the device, actually by cutting it, you’re completing another circuit, so it sets it off. It was a nice, warm start to the job!
What was it like working with the experts consulting on the series?
VICKY: We had two full-time experts, and other people that came in intermittently… absolutely lovely, approachable, really helpful people. They understood that we were making a TV show, so there’s a certain amount of artistic licence, and taught me about things that I initially thought were ludicrous. I’m going, “Why am I taking my helmet off as I approach the device?” and they explained the theory that your helmet could knock the device or impair your sight. And if the bomb goes off even while wearing your helmet, you’re never going to survive. It’s a unique job – they’re walking into danger and death at any given time, but in the same breath, they look like they’re not scared. They don’t feel that fear in the same way as ordinary folk. If most of us were asked to do that, we’d be trembling with fear.
Would you be confident stepping into a real bomb situation now?
ADRIAN: No! We would be able to describe very well what was happening to the experts who were about to go into the scene – but apart from that, we’d run.
VICKY: The bravery for that kind of job, and also just the sheer focus, I just know I don’t have that in my locker.
You had to wear quite uncomfortable bomb disposal suits. What was that experience like?
VICKY: The main gear that we wear isn’t too bad. Actually, the kneepads? I think we should wear them as a fashion statement, because if you are kneeling down with them on, you can do all sorts!
ADRIAN: It’s a lot of strapping things on with Velcro. We started off in a heatwave, so make-up would just take one look at us and go, “You’re fine”, as we were dripping with sweat going in. But there’s a bit of a continuity nightmare because of all the different clothing. You’re doing a scene where you’ve taken your helmet off, put the goggles up and then you’ve taken one glove off to do something and they’ve got to remember which glove at which point, and did you have your goggles up or down? It was tough on them.
VICKY: There was an occasion where I had to wear the bomb suit, which was the real thing. It’s quite unusual to see expos in that kind of gear in everyday scenarios, but it does happen. It weighed pretty much the same as me, but it helped to get my head in the game.
Vicky, this reunites you with Line Of Duty writer Jed Mercurio. How does Martin Compston feel about you partnering up with someone else?
When Jed got in touch about this, I was, obviously, game from day one because I just know he is always going to produce really great stuff. He was supporting a new writer, which is something I’m passionate about, and it’s Daniel Brierley’s first episodic TV piece. In terms of Martin and Adie [Adrian Dunbar], I Facetimed them a few times. Sent them a few pictures. They were like really buzzing for me and Jed, and I shared the trailer with them and they were just lovely.
It looks tense on screen. How was it on set?
ADRIAN: I hope we’re going to be watching it and people will be holding their breath. We all got on really well and I think one thing we had hold of was the banter between us all. When we were talking to the real expos, the one thing that helped them do their jobs better was an awareness that the tension that came from doing the job had to be released. There’s a bit of gallows humour, a bit of banter, and they can do that with one part of their head while the other part of their brain is focused on the task. Banter is a release valve just to make sure that they can stop their hands trembling and stop sweating and then focus on the job.
VICKY: We had a speaker on set and always had the tunes on. I wonder why don’t they play more music on sets? If you’ve got some music, it does tend to keep people’s spirits up and we certainly did that a lot.
There’s quite a lot of running out of the way of things and crashing around. Did you have to up your fitness game beforehand?
VICKY: I didn’t. It’s not that I’m not fit, so to speak. I’m just not a fan of the gym, and you’re not really going to see me running around Nottingham anytime soon!
ADRIAN: We didn’t get fit for the job, but even a short run out of a f lat to a van, by the time you’ve done it 15 times, you go home and you’re aching. The next day, you do something else 24 times, so you get fit on the job!
VICKY: Also, what was tricky was we were meant to shoot Trigger Point the year before. Obviously, it didn’t happen, and when it came around, it felt like it just came at me. I’d just finished filming Alex Rider, so I had no real break in between. The thought of going for a run after I’ve just got home from work – it’s just never gonna happen!
● Trigger Point, Sun 23 Jan, ITV