MEET THE HEROES!
DAVID STIRLING
(CONNOR SWINDELLS )
‘I didn’t know anything about Ben Macintyre’s book before it came my way, but I thought it was a fantastic read,’ says
Connor, 26. ‘It was actually recommended to me by my brother, who’s a massive war fanatic. I’ve never seen him light up in the way that he did when I told him about this project. But when I read the book, I felt the exact same way.
‘Stirling was incredibly egotistical and selfserving, but also fearless and fiercely competitive. He was great fun to play, and filming with the other boys in Morocco really helped us feel like you were living these men’s stories. We’d do massive drives across the dunes and you got a tiny taste of their world.’
JOCK LEWES
(ALFIE ALLEN)
‘Jock was raised in a
Puritan household, so the idea of someone with this religious upbringing deciding he wants to kill people fascinated me,’ says Alfie, 36.
‘He’s a guy who pushed the boundaries and felt restricted by the uniformity and rigidness of the Army, and then suddenly he’s surrounded by all these men that want to break the rules. They were all polar opposites in a way, but there were also similarities and their desire to take action really united them.
‘I loved Ben Macintyre’s book, but for me what really stood out were the love letters Jock shared with his girlfriend, Mirren. They really showed a different angle on this guy who was at home at war.’
PADDY MAYNE
(JACK O’CONNELL)
‘At the time, these guys were seen as misfits and outsiders by most people in the Army, and the series does a great job of showing how they were perceived by their commanders,’ says Jack, 32.
‘They were seen as expendable and the secrecy that surrounded the unit didn’t go down well with the more traditional military men, but these guys knew what needed to be done in North Africa more than anyone.
‘It’s a cracking tale and I love the way Steven and series director Tom Shankland have aimed it at a modern audience, like Peaky Blinders, I suppose. I think you’re allowed a licence to do that creatively, if the story is going to resonate with a new generation.’