‘We’ve all experienced Tricky relationships’
Line Of Duty’s Vicky Mcclure, 36, deals with a controlling boyfriend in I Am Nicola…
Hi Vicky, tell us about your role…
I play a woman called Nicola who’s in a very raw relationship with Adam. The basis of this story is to highlight the elements of control that can occur in a relationship – Adam wants control over Nicola. The story is about trying to get out of a relationship when you know it will be difficult and staying for the wrong reasons. Why explore this theme?
There are elements of this story that I’ve experienced, whether in my own past or in a friend’s relationship, so I know it’s relatable. I didn’t want there to be any big explosive moments. There’s no violence – it’s a psychological thing. I can’t relate to that violence, but being in a tricky relationship – who hasn’t experienced that in some form? If you haven’t you’re very lucky. You’re co-starring alongside your friend Perry Fitzpatrick…
Yep! We’ve known each other for 25 years. We were at a TV workshop together in Nottingham. Showing my age! We’ve acted together so much that we were bouncing ideas off each other.
How was the filming?
It was so different from conventional drama. There was no script so it was very free and unpredictable. We’d start off very small and ordinary and then we’d take it to an extreme!
Were there any moments that stood out for you while you were filming?
There was a particular scene which was very difficult to watch because it required Perry’s character, Adam, to be in a lot of pain. And I could tell Perry had completely gone there. It was horrible. So we had a nice cup of tea after that one!
I Am Nicola, 23 July, Channel 4