VIGIL 3 (BBC1, Sunday and Monday, 9pm and iPlayer) finds DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) and her life/work partner DI Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) heading to a remote Arctic research station where a member of a covert British special forces’ mission has been murdered.
Suranne said: “All of the Vigil series are about fighting for truth, coming up against the bigger picture and wanting the world to be a better place, so that really attracted me. Each series also brings new challenges with Amy not knowing her surroundings – she’s constantly put into these new worlds, with new rules and new characters and so she’s always trying to figure out where her authority is in that. I also think Amy and Kirsten are kept in the dark with what they’re being told and it’s their job to find the gaps and piece it together.
We’ve seen Amy underwater, we’ve seen her fighting drones, and now series three is set in the Arctic. We had the opportunity to go to Svalbard (a Norwegian Arctic archipelago, located about midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole), which was such an experience. It was so beautiful and we filmed those scenes at the beginning of the shoot, which allowed us to get a real feel of the world that we were inhabiting, so when we came back to Scotland to continue filming, it was easier to imagine all of that.”
She continued: “Svalbard was amazing. Rose and I felt like we were just on top of the world because we went to places that tourists don’t normally visit since we were filming in such remote locations. There were reindeer outside the breakfast room every morning, we got to drive the snow buggies, and we really had to layer up – the problem was when we got back to Glasgow we were too hot because we still had to film with all our layers on!
The people and the crew in Svalbard were incredible and we tried some moose and reindeer, which is part of the local cuisine – I had moose stew! Overall, it was such an incredible experience and a great start to the shoot.”
Suranne added: “Rose is always my standout of filming Vigil because it’s always gorgeous to see her and work with her. We didn’t stop talking the whole time. We got to spend a lot more time together this series in comparison to the previous ones, because Amy joins Kirsten in Svalbard midway through and they work on the case together.
What’s also lovely is having a new cast for every series of Vigil because we’re in a different world every series, so the entire cast changes except for a few of us. The new characters for this series are brilliant and such fun. Eric Godon (plays Mayor Korotayev) used to bring his own coffee onto set and he’s from Belgium – so he’d sometimes bring Belgian chocolates in!
We’re just like a band of brothers and we’re all in it together so we’re a real team – that involves the crew too. I loved going into make-up first thing in the morning, it’s my favourite place as they’re so great and they really get you going at the start of the day.”
TALKING of hits and filming has now started on the second season of one of ITV’s biggest successes of recent years – the BAFTA-winning drama CODE OF SILENCE, which starred Rose Ayling-Ellis as police signer Alison Brooks and Andrew Buchan as her boss.
Two years on, Alison has completed her forensic lip-reading training with the police and is called upon to assist with a high-stakes surveillance operation involving Ruby Dowling (Emily Head), a woman caught up in a sophisticated money-laundering syndicate.
After being arrested when illicit cash is discovered hidden in her car, Ruby is released on bail back into a dangerous world where she finds herself trapped between police scrutiny and ruthless criminals. When she becomes the victim of a brutal attack, DI James Marsh (Andrew Buchan) and his team – DS Daniel Henshaw (Jonah Hauer-King), DS Ben Lawford (Nathan Armarkwei Laryea) and DC Lizzie Silver (Sasha Desouza-Willock) – are left searching for answers.
Tasked with decoding vital CCTV footage, Alison’s unique expertise becomes crucial to the investigation. But as hidden secrets begin to emerge, the case takes a disturbing turn, revealing threats far closer to home. With loyalties tested, trust beginning to unravel and dangerous criminals closing in, Alison discovers that uncovering the truth may come at a devastating personal cost – and could make her the next target.
Rose said: “I am so happy to be back on set with the brilliant cast and crew that made working on the first series such a delight and I’m looking forward to welcoming new members of the team too.”
Creator and writer Catherine Moulton added: “I’m thrilled to be bringing Alison back for a second series. Now she’s officially part of the police team she’s keen to make her mark. Faced with her first murder investigation, she struggles to balance her determination to uncover the killer with the limits of her new police role. But blurred boundaries lead to divided loyalties, and her detective’s instincts, combined with her unique skill as a lip reader and close attention to detail, tell her there’s so much more to this case than meets the eye.”
And, hopefully, there’s much more to come! That’s it for now – catch you next week for some TV chatter – stay safe!
Author: Steve
Editor of Hartlepool Life and author of TV Life