I merrily ran over my allotted slot without noticing because I was having such a nice time.
Whatever harrowing events go down in the second run, people are always going to need a brew…
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Thank you very much.
Ive popped up and shown my face and done the odd thing, yeah.
I kind of fell into it.
I really dont know how it happened.
Four Lionsmust have been great…
I thinkFour Lionswas the big thing.
I seem to get a lot of work as policemen.
I was going to comment on that!
You are TVs go-to policeman.
You must have a kind of judicial, reassuring air?
I do come from a family of policemen as well, Ive got three bobbies in the family.
So youve internalised that whole legal justice thing?
[laughs] Well, depending on your viewpoint I might have internalised an air of incompetence.
Or is that an unfair thing to say?
[Laughing] No, he was the most inept policeman in the world.
It was a joy to do.
Also, Im one of the few characters in it who… Pete just wanted to make cups of tea didnt he?
That was his only solution to the Latimer familys tragedy.
Constantly eating toast, or pies that had been made for the family, I was having them.
I didnt have the Broadchurch accent.
I kept my own accent, so maybe it was saying something about Northerners and pies.
An insidious Southern bias!
From evil genius Chris Chibnall.
So yeah, fingers are crossed for that.
Perhaps Pete could come into himself in the second series, he could show some hitherto unrevealed heroism?
[Laughs] Unrevealed heroism He might.
No, I dont think he will.
But Im more than happy to do that, more than happy.
So youre waiting to hear aboutBroadchurchseries two?
I havent heard anything, but then again I didnt hear anything about series one.
I was given my scenes, so I didnt know who the killer was.
What were your theories on who the killer was, before you found out?
I got who it was.
I got that about episode five or six, something twigged.
I think everybody did know.
Kind of like withThe Killing, my theory changed as I started watching it.
I never thought it was going to be him, but I was very happy with the outcome.
I thought that was really cleverly and nicely done.
Pauline Quirke was just incredible.
I absolutely loved her performance in it.
And Snidey Nige [Joe Sims], the plumber…
We called him Crossbow Nige
Of course.
That was the worst thing about it.
Nige was just absolutely fantastic.
It was lovely working with them.
Talking about the heavy subject matter, on set, we just laughed, we laughed a lot.
Because it was pretty harrowing stuff some of it.
That didnt bring the mood down on set, then?
No, not at all.
Little windows of levity.
Marcus Garveys Taggart impression, it has to be said, is pretty good.]
Tell us about working with David Tennant onBroadchurch.It was lots of fun and jokes then?
Just a pro
A consummate professional.
Had you been aDoctor Whofan beforehand?
Funnily enough, I never watched it as a child.
Doctor Whowas genuinely terrifying for me as a kid.
I think theyve done a very good job with that.
I wasnt allowed to watch James Bond.
I wasnt allowed to watchCarry On… Yeah,Carry On.
It was too sexy and inappropriate.
And you know what?
I watched one now and its unbelievable what they get away with.
I wouldnt want my kids watchingCarry On.
Apart from anything, I dont find it that funny.
Fair play to your mum.
I genuinely loved that because I love being a part of something that touches that kind of audience.
It feels very positive.
Absolutely, its interesting that many of the male characters inWolfbloodare almost buffoonish.
Youve got Mr Jeffries [Mark Fleischmann], the teacher.
Aww, love him.
Hes not particularly switched on though is he?
I think hes kind of the adult that the kids run rings around.
Then theres me playing the dad, who is a big daft dad.
I do a good line in daft dads as well, policemen and daft dads I do very well.
Youve got the market cornered in those
Im hoping.
One day Id like to combine the two, but that project has yet to arise.
I dont want to invoke the ghost of Joss Whedon andBuffy, but its a similar thing to that.
InBuffy, its strong women all the way through.
Shes changing into this wolf and has her first transformation in the first series.
I think they do it really, really well.
Why do you say you dont want to invoke the spirit of Joss Whedon?
In the best possible way, his stamp is all over that show.
As well as other things, its bringing something ofBuffys brilliance to a young UK audience.
Oh, I see what you mean!
It never patronised the audience and it never seemed to jump the shark.
I have a confession to make then.
Ive jinxed it already by writing a thing titledWolfblood: Buffy for the CBBC generation…
I think I read that!
So Ive already incurred all the evil jinx-y juju.
Respectfully, isnt Daniel a little bit more of a grown-up Xander?
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
In art, as in life.
And I think thats the job of me and Angie [Lonsdale], who plays Emma.
Its a lovely part to play.
Do you think well find out a bit more about Daniel and Emmas back-story in series three.
What do they do for a living, for instance?
Do you have jobs, you two?
Oh yeah, Daniels a carpenter.
My fault, I didnt pick up on that!
I was doing my best there!
Theyve got some woodworking props on set.
That answers that question then.
How about, because Daniels family is meant to have lived in the area for generations…
Oh no.
Why do you say that?
Because youre going to say my accent wasnt Newcastle!
I wouldnt dream of being so rude.
I was going to ask about the extended Smith family uncles, aunts, grandparents…
Thank God you didnt pick up on the accent.
Got it
No, there are no aunts and uncles that we know of.
I suppose theyll create them as and when its needed.
Is that something youve been in talks about?
I usually sit there nodding and go along with it.
IwishI was in talks.
Then Id be a lot more important than I am.
But no, Im just daft dad, thats me.
How do you think Emma and Daniel are going to get on in the wild?
Shed be dictating the whittling schedule.
Hes an excellent villain and he looks terrifying.
Things that make you go [shudders].
The Childsplay films you mean?
No, no, not Chucky.
With the tame Wolfbloods, we really did look tame next to these wild wolves.
All of the new wolves, Jana and Alric, were just brilliant.
You didnt get a father-to-father stand-off with Alric did you?
There was a bit of snarling here, a yellow eye there, but no real throw-down.
No, because he would have took me down to China Town [laughing].
I can drive a car, I can grab me wax jacket and get in the Land Rover.
you might use a lathe
Daniel the spaniel, thats who I am.
As Maddys dad, how would you like to see the romance between Maddy and Rhydian play out?
As Maddys dad, I dont know.
Obviously Rhydians already part of the pack.
Its a lovely thing, them.
Its very nicely done and very nicely timed that.
Finally then, you mentioned working with Tony Head earlier.
What was it like as aBuffyfan to go on set with him?
We talked a little bit aboutBuffyactually.
Singing The Who covers in coffee shops you mean?
[laughing] No, I didnt mean that.
I meant that he got a nice shiny red car.
Oh, of course.
But he plays the role of parent really well.
Had you heard about the spin-off they talked about doing once for his character,Ripper?
Yeah, apparently so.
It seems like a missed opportunity.
Would have been lovely, wouldnt it?
Having aBuffyuniverse thing set in England and filmed in England, that would have been magical.
Perhaps they could still do it.
Featuring a six foot three daft dad-slash-hapless policeman?
I like the way youre going with this!
Marcus Garvey, thank you very much!
