Arthur Darvill on World on Fire’s series finale
Arthur Darvill on taking to the skies for the finale of wartime epic World on Fire
Spitfires soar through the skies above south England as we head towards the Battle of Britain in the final episode of BBC1’S hit wartime saga World on Fire.
It’s Summer 1940 and Hitler has ordered the Luftwaffe to pave the way for a Nazi invasion by knocking out the RAF. But British fighter pilots, including Vernon Hunter (played by Broadchurch and Doctor Who star Arthur Darvill), are determined to hold them back.
After confessing his love for singer Lois Bennett (Julia Brown) in the last episode, Vernon now takes to the skies, but fails to return with his squadron.
Here, Arthur, 37, tells TV Times how a friend helped him get ready for this episode…
How did you find filming the scenes recreating the Battle of Britain?
It’s exciting to be playing a guy who’s fighting for King and country, but it must have been pretty terrifying for the pilots back in 1940. Most of those flying were only 18 or 19, which shows how brave they were.
What did it feel like to sit in a Spitfire?
A friend of mine is a Spitfire aficionado and when I told him about the show he got me a flight in a real Spitfire! It was one of the best things I’ve ever done and the perspective it gave me was unbelievable. It’s an incredibly powerful plane, but you also realise how vulnerable the pilots were. There was another guy up in there in a German Messerschmitt, so I got a flavour of what it might have been like in 1940.
How would you describe Vernon?
He is quite a lonely guy and he’s fighting because he thinks it’s his duty, but maybe if he had more courage he would have said, ‘I’m not going to take part in this.’ It’s a difficult thing for him. Like a lot of people from that time, he’s put in a position of authority that he’s not really suited to.
Do you think there could be a fairytale ending for Vernon and Lois?
I think plucking up the courage to propose to her last week was the biggest thing he’s ever done. But during the war people knew they might die any day and that gives him the courage to pursue the one thing that he cares about. So we’ll see!
Did you get a chance to meet Sean Bean, who plays Lois’ father Douglas Bennett, during the shoot?
I actually got to film a scene with Sean, which was brilliant as I’m a big admirer of his work. It was nice to be in the same space as him because he’s a brilliant actor and very specific with the way he does things. Vernon is a bit nervous when he meets Douglas and, luckily, I didn’t have to do much acting, because
I was nervous meeting Sean!
Have you enjoyed being a part of this series?
I’ve been watching it on TV and really getting into all the stories, then I realised I would be coming into the show soon! I don’t usually like watching myself, but I’m invested so I had to this time. It was such a joy to film and be part of. The show’s creator, Peter Bowker, really gets into the human psyche and the show is relevant today because it’s about ordinary people’s hopes and fears. These characters are trying to make the best of their existence, which makes it relatable to many of us.
Finally, on a completely different note, your friend Jodie Whittaker is now busy travelling in time and space in Doctor Who. Have you been watching? Yes, I have! I know Jodie really well from Broadchurch and she’s one of my favourite actors, so I knew she’d be great. She has a cheeky streak and a glint in her eye, which make her perfect for that role.
These characters are trying to make the best of their existence, which makes it relatable to many of us