Five secrets from the seté

Death and Nightingales

We go behind the scenes of BBC2’S latest period drama, set in 19th-century Northern Ireland…

Castle is a TV star

1 The drama is set in County Fermanagh but the farmyard scenes were filmed at Myra Castle in Strangford, County Down. It isn’t open to the public, but Game of Thrones fans may recognise it from series four as the home of Dreadfort, the seat of House Bolton.

Talent spotter Jamie

2 Jamie Dornan recommended Ann Skelly for the role of his love interest, Elizabeth. He’d previously seen her act in Irish soap opera Red Rock, where she plays teenager Rachel Reid. ‘I’d never even met Jamie so I couldn’t believe it,’ reveals 21-year-old Ann.

Roof Potato!

3 In between takes, Jamie taught his costars to play ‘Roof Potato’. It involves standing with your back to a shed wall then throwing a potato over your shoulder onto its sloping roof. Then you turn around and try to catch the potato as it falls. ‘It’s a game we played as kids,’ says Jamie.

Genuine hair

4 Matthew Rhys grew his own facial hair to create the enormous Victorian-style sideburns and moustache of landowner Billy. But his family weren’t keen on his new look. ‘They’re not enamoured,’ laughs Matthew. ‘It’s a great source of comedy in our house!’

Hot fashion

5 The drama was filmed last Summer during a heatwave, which proved tricky for Ann. ‘I’m in a corset all day and that’s like being in a wetsuit – it keeps the heat in! When you take it off, all your internal organs go back into their original place – it’s such a nice feeling!’