Finale of Britain’s favourite crime drama Broadchurch scripts were so secret even I thought I was the rapist But at least now I can still go down my local pub

happens in Broadchurch stays in Broadchurch. But I was praying and hoping it wouldn’t be me, as I’ve played such despicable characters in recent years.

“I’m not against playing baddies. I like to take on complex characters.

“But a part of me thought, ‘I won’t be able to get a drink in my home town if I turn out to be the Broadchurch rapist.”

Mark played Bob Simms, the abusive husband of Pat in two series of ITV’s Second World War drama Home Fires.

He said: “I’d go to the pub and people would say, ‘I’m not serving you’ or women would boo me in a sort of jokey way. Sometimes people would say, ‘Don’t serve him,’ if I went into a shop. I couldn’t wait to shave off Bob’s tash in the end.”

But Mark said the reaction to Jim was different. He said: “All everyone wanted to ask was, ‘Who did it?’ and ‘Can I have a selfie?’”

Suspicions

He said Leo and Michael did well to keep the secret of their guilt.

Sebastian Armesto, who played shady cabbie Clive Lucas, told the Sunday People that Higson had cracked the case. Sebastian said: “I’m pretty sure he called it but no one else. It was good that we were all left guessing.

“The theories on set were wild. For a long time I suspected that a garage attendant working for Jim had done it.

“There was literally one line in the first episode where it read, ‘Attendant in the background looks up.’ And I thought, ‘That’s suspicious.’

“And it was interesting as all of us who were suspects were either trying to be a little bit innocent or a little bit guilty.

“We were treading a fine line of knowing what to do because when you’re defending yourself you’re not sure whether you’re actually guilty or not.”

Monday’s ending left the door open for detectives Alec Hardy, played by David Tennant, and Ellie Miller to solve future crimes.

But while the threeseries thriller has become one of ITV’s most successful dramas in recent years, writer Chris Chibnall has insisted it will not return.

Mark said: “Chris has told the story as much as he wants to. He’s wrapped up the story of Danny and Beth and Mark.

“I think it would become something akin to Midsomer Murders if he keeps having tragedies in this town.

“And that’s not to denigrate that show but I don’t think that’s what Broadchurch is. It’s a trilogy of interwoven stories, Chris is a clever man and will want to go out on a high.

“We all got along so well as cast, and I’m sure many of us will work together again – but it’s not coming back.”

Award-winning actress Julie, 47, who played Corrie’s Hayley Cropper for 16 years, spoke to rape survivors as part of her research for her emotional role and became a patron for Dorset Rape Crisis.

She has previously spoken about the lack of funding for UK rape charities and has encouraged people who have experienced serious sexual

assault to seek help.