BACK TO THE ’80s
MISMATCHED DETECTIVE DUO McDONALD & DODDS ARE BACK – AND THEY’RE JOINED BY SOME RECOGNISABLE FACES.
COMFORT-BLANKET television doesn’t come much cosier than ITV’s McDonald & Dodds. A warm hug of a show, a perfect pick-me-up for this winter, and it’s back with a whole host of cracking guest stars. Is that Rob Brydon? Yes, it is! Ooh, look – there’s Patsy Kensit. And Martin Kemp! We caught up with the whole bunch of them to talk about the first episode, in which an ’80s music star mysteriously falls from a hot-air balloon and only McDonald & Dodds – and a very keen Brydon – can crack the case.
MARTIN KEMP is pop impresario Mick Elkin
‘Mick is a bit of a rogue,’ says Kemp, ‘a leftover from the ’80s, when everything was larger than life – shoulder pads, hairstyles and so much money it was disgusting. He’s with a bunch of old friends who were the movers and shakers of the ’80s and they have a secret that bonds them together to this day. Mick is based on a few people I knew but they’re still around so I can’t say who they are.’
What brought him back to acting?
‘I did a Miss Marple years ago and I had such a good experience, I jumped at this,’ he says. ‘Also, Patsy and I have kind of grown up together, and so many people tried to put us together in a movie, so to finally work with her was amazing. I had the best time. It was the first time I’d acted for quite a few years so I was really nervous those first couple of scenes but I loved doing it again.’
TALA GOUVEIA is DCI Lauren McDonald
McDonald is beginning to find her feet on the force after transferring from London’s Met to Bath.
‘She’s a lot more confident but less loud and bolshie,’ says Tala Gouveia. ‘There’s a lot more trust in her partnership with Dodds – they rely on each other and I don’t know if she’d admit it but there’s a lot of affection too.’
Is that a case of art imitating life? ‘I felt a lot more ownership as a character,’ she says. ‘Last series we were building and creating the world and so there was a lot more freedom this series. Jason and I have a shorthand now, we work together really well. Our humour is very similar and Jason is very into cycling so I do lots of listening about that!’
JASON WATKINS is DS Dodds
‘I watched the first episode recently and my wife said, “Dodds is just like you”, so that’s worrying!’ laughs Jason Watkins. ‘I absolutely love playing him.’
And what was it like having Rob Brydon playing a knock-off version of Dodds who follows them around?
‘That’s great writing, isn’t it?’ he smiles. ‘Dodds is the last one to realise the similarities when it’s glaringly obvious to everyone else.
‘Rob’s such a brilliant comic actor and a pretty good dramatic actor as well, which is where the show sits. It’s not Line Of Duty but it can still be real and funny. We have such amazingly brilliant actors of all ages guest-starring. You could get anybody to appear, even Meryl Streep, and that’s what I like about it.’
ROB BRYDON is aviation detective Roy Gilbert
‘I can tell you that Roy’s a strangely alluring and handsome fellow,’ grins Brydon. ‘He and Dodds have a bit of a bromance. Dodds becomes quite enamoured with Roy, which is great fun. We both play Bristolians, so I’m giving it my finest Bristol accent, which I dare say people outside of Bristol will be quite impressed by and people who know the accent will be appalled by.’
What made him sign up?
‘I’d met Jason briefly and he’s one of those actors that if he’s in something, it’s good,’ he says. ‘I was also very keen to work again, let’s be honest about this. I was on tour in March and we stopped at the soundcheck when the prime minister said, “We recommend you don’t go to the theatre.” And I’m always keen to do drama. There’s a lot to learn from actors. Plus I’d never done a detective drama before.’
PATSY KENSIT is ’80s TV star Barbara Graham
‘Barbara is a product of ’80s fabulousness,’ says Kensit. ‘The glory days are over but she’s still in this bubble with three other ’80s stars who are like family – but they have a secret.’
How was it working with Martin Kemp?
‘I’d always wanted to work with him,’ she says. ‘We met at a Capital Radio lunch for up-and-coming people in the music and acting industry when I was 14 or 15. I used to get into The Wag Club where Spandau Ballet, Madness, Sade and all the Top 10 acts in the charts were. Anything was possible back then and now everything is so impossible.
‘I only have fond memories of the ’80s. I ended up wearing some of my old outfits that I had in my wardrobe. We had a lot of fun dressing up like that again and listening to ’80s music.’
McDonald And Dodds returns to ITV this Sunday at 8pm