“MY BIGGEST DREAM IS TO BE ON GOGGLEBOX!”
TONI COLLETTE AND STEVEN MACKINTOSH REVEAL WHY THEY HOPE THEIR NEW DRAMA WILL GET PEOPLE TALKING…
Just in case you need a reminder of the importance of road safety, the first episode of this relationship drama definitely provides one. After being knocked off her bike, therapist Joy has to make a number of alterations to her life while she recuperates. Due to the nature of her injury, sex is off the agenda for a while – but when she and husband Alan try to resume relations once she gets the all-clear, things don’t go as smoothly as they had hoped…
“It’s the story of a specific marriage, but I think it’s something that many, many couples will immediately relate to,” reveals Steven Mackintosh, who plays Alan. “It could be anyone, and I think that’s what’s so great about the programme.”
Although they clearly still love each other very much, reigniting that sexual spark is harder than either of them anticipated. And as both Joy and Alan find themselves drawn to other people, Joy comes up with a radical suggestion that might be the perfect solution – but is absolutely uncharted territory for both of them.
“I think my character has woken up to the context of her existence and is kind of questioning everything,” explains Toni Collette, who plays Joy. “I think that she’s had some longing, or hasn’t been feeling entirely satisfied within their relationship, although she adores Alan. She’s just brave enough to start talking about how, perhaps, to improve things.”
“This conversation is a big shock for Alan,” adds Steven. “But once it's opened, he’s like, ‘Okay, this is something that we need to explore and discuss, because we do love each other, and we need to figure this out’ – and I think that her talking about it really makes him reflect on his own stuff as well.”
We won’t spoil the exact nature of Joy’s suggestion – or indeed whether she and Alan decide to go ahead with it
– but the series definitely asks some very interesting questions about modern relationships. And its stars hope that it might provoke viewers to talk about things they might have previously considered taboo.
“People don’t talk about all this stuff, but they want to,” reasons
Toni. “So
PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT THIS STUFF, BUT THEY WANT TO!”
TONI
we’re talking about it all, which hopefully will open up a big conversation – about long relationships and how they survive, and how you deal with desire at this age.
“Joy and Alan really love each other, but they’re just trying to live an authentic life,” she continues. “My biggest dream is that it’s going to be on Gogglebox!
That conversation is going to be amazing.”