Madden confirms year- long ‘ vacation’ before new Bodyguard series plans
Bodyguard star Richard Madden said he is excited to work on a second season – but his character David Budd first needs a well- deserved holiday.
The political thriller became the UK’S most watched drama since records began when its finale hit screens in October last year.
But Madden confirmed following discussions with series creator Jed Mercurio, the pair had decided to give it at least a year before getting back together.
Fans and critics were hooked on the six-episode series, which saw Madden’s protection officer trying to prevent Keeley Hawes’ divisive home secretary from coming to harm. Since Bodyguard ended, viewers have called for Mercurio, who is also behind another mega hit Line Of Duty, to write a second season.
Speaking at an event in Los Angeles organised by Netflix, which streams the show overseas, he said: “We’ve been talking about it and I spoke to Jed about a month after the show had finished airing over in the UK and we sat and decided ‘ let’s give it at least a year while we work out how to do something better’.
“A couple of things – you cannot jump into it. David Budd definitely needs a vacation after that. He’s not going to go back to work, is he? And also he’s the most famous man in London because of what happens at the end of episode six. He couldn’t just go straight back into work.
“And me and Jed both agree that there’s something much more interesting in ‘ let’s catch up with him 18 months later, two years later after this has happened and say where is he now? What’s happened to him?’
“And we don’t want to do a disservice to what the first season was, which was new and different and great, and not fall into a formula, so I await the Jed genius to come in with what’s going to be exciting.”
Madden, who won a Golden Globe for his portrayal of Budd – an Afghanistan veteran who suffers from post- traumatic stress disorder – said of playing the character again: “I am fascinated by this character and have been since I first picked up that script.”