Production has started on Spooks’ eighth series, with a press release that capitalises on the series’ unpredictable casting changes.
As yesterday’s Bafta awards, I tried to get more information from two of the series’ stars (tried, but didn’t get too far. Somehow, I doubt Harry would feel my interrogation techniques were of much benefit to MI5)…
Did you ever think that Spooks would continue for as long as it has done?
Peter Firth (Harry): No, you never know. Anybody who knows things like that would be running BBC Television. It’s all a shot in the dark. But it’s great that it’s persisted, and actually gone from strength to strength. It hasn’t rested on its laurels at all.
It still retains the power to shock — particularly the last couple of episodes in series 7.
PF: Yes, exactly. And we’ve started now on the new series, and we’re punching quite high — which I think we really have to do.
With the rate at which characters can leave Spooks, do you ever wonder whether you’re still going to be in the series by the end of the next episode?
PF:They have quite a clever trick: they don’t give you the script until the day before you start filming, for various reasons. But that gves you no warning if you’re about to be disposed of! Of course it’s the first thing you do is check through, just to see if your character makes it, because you never know. It’s a brilliant negotiating tool for the producers.
If you had the choice, would you stick around for as long as you could?
PF:I’m really happy, I love the show. I love my character and I love playing him. And it’s very popular. That’s the main reward — people love it, and that’s why we do it, essentially.
Miranda, your character Jo has really been put through the ringer over the last couple of series. Do you ever hope for the odd episode just stuck on the Grid, doing the paperwork?
Miranda Raison (Jo): No, I never want to be stuck on the grid! I wouldn’t mind the odd glam moment, though, that would be nice. But I do actually enjoy all the blood and snot and tears. It’s really fun to do — and there was a lot of blood [last series]! Being on the Grid — it’s still fun, but it’s memorising lots of Russian names and saying them very quickly. It can be much harder work, actually, than just being out and doing the action stuff.
Your husband, Raza Jaffrey, got out of Spooks and has gone on into success in Mistresses. Are you tempted to follow his lead and try some new dramatic avenues?
MR: Possibly, we’ll see. It’s just one of those things, we’ll have to go with the tide, and I’m very interested in doing other things. But I love Spooks, I have really loved it. And when I do leave, I’ll really miss it. A lot.
For more on Spooks, listen to our podcast interview with Richard Armitage (Lucas North) and Robert Glenister (the Home Secretary).
