Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)

Who’s the Liar now?

- BY POPPY DANBY

It was a global hit which kept us all guessing and now ITV’S Liar returns for its much anticipate­d second series, with stars Joanne Froggatt and Ioan Gruffudd promising more twists and turns. Liar began in 2017, pulling in an average 6.7 million viewers, with teacher Laura Nielson ( Joanne) going on a date with surgeon

Andrew Earlham (Ioan). But the next day Laura feared she had been raped, which devastated

Andrew denied.

Viewers were left wondering who was lying and in a final twist it was revealed Andrew had attacked other women.

He was later found murdered and in the new series, starting at 9pm on March 2, Laura fights to clear her name. Joanne says: “It’s a very satisfying story. The audience will be kept guessing.”

All Joanne’s scenes with on-screen love interest Ian had to be filmed three months early. Writer Harry Williams explains: “Kieran Bew, who plays Ian, got a job on an American drama called Warrior which required having a gigantic beard. We had to shoot Laura and Ian’s scenes three months before anything else so he could go and grow a very big beard.”

Joanne and Katherine played sisters in 2006 hit Life on Mars, but did not appear on screen together.

“She was the young Sam Tyler’s mother and I was his auntie,” revealed Katherine. “But we’d never met each other before this job.”

Joanne also played Zoe Tattersall in Corrie between 1997 and 1998, before Katherine joined as Becky Mcdonald in 2006.

Fans best enjoy their Liar fix while they can get it – because series two might be the last.

Joanne says: “I wouldn’t want to say definitely no or yes. The plan was always to do two seasons.”

Ioan, who was in movie Titanic, says there was pressure on making the series two live up to the first. He says: “There;s an air of excitement as well as trepidatio­n. But I think people will be entertaine­d.”

 ??  ?? ‘ANTAGONIST’ Det Insp Renton (Katherine) and Laura (Joanne)
DOC Ioan as Andrew
The ending wasn’t the only thing that gave the stars a shock – the set was struck by lightning when Joanne and Ioan were filming in Deal, Kent.
“The location we used was a little cafe at the end of the pier in Deal,” says Joanne. “There was this incredible lightning and thundersto­rm. As we walked back along the pier this lightning bolt struck. There was so much electricit­y in the air that our hair was standing on end.”
Ioan adds: ‘We were literally in the eye of the storm. It was quite spectacula­r.”
HAIR TODAY Kieran left to grow a beard
OARSOME Joanne carries a kayak in show
ITV bosses were not keen on the decision to kill off Andrew Earlham, played by their big name male star, in a cliffhange­r ending to series one.
“That did take some persuasion,” says co-writer Jack Williams. “It was quite a risk for the channel. That you end series one on, essentiall­y, a massive cliffhange­r.”
Joanne had to learn to kayak for the marsh scenes. “I’m really glad I did. When I go on holiday I’ve been able to kayak, which I love.”
IN CORRIE Joanne as Zoe and Katherine as Becky
‘ANTAGONIST’ Det Insp Renton (Katherine) and Laura (Joanne) DOC Ioan as Andrew The ending wasn’t the only thing that gave the stars a shock – the set was struck by lightning when Joanne and Ioan were filming in Deal, Kent. “The location we used was a little cafe at the end of the pier in Deal,” says Joanne. “There was this incredible lightning and thundersto­rm. As we walked back along the pier this lightning bolt struck. There was so much electricit­y in the air that our hair was standing on end.” Ioan adds: ‘We were literally in the eye of the storm. It was quite spectacula­r.” HAIR TODAY Kieran left to grow a beard OARSOME Joanne carries a kayak in show ITV bosses were not keen on the decision to kill off Andrew Earlham, played by their big name male star, in a cliffhange­r ending to series one. “That did take some persuasion,” says co-writer Jack Williams. “It was quite a risk for the channel. That you end series one on, essentiall­y, a massive cliffhange­r.” Joanne had to learn to kayak for the marsh scenes. “I’m really glad I did. When I go on holiday I’ve been able to kayak, which I love.” IN CORRIE Joanne as Zoe and Katherine as Becky

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