TV Times Interview - Issue 12 [18-24 March 2023]
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Jamie Bamber is no stranger to crime dramas, having played detectives in gritty ITV1 series Law & Order: UK, Marcella and DI Ray. But for his current role in BBC1’s sun-dappled whodunnit show Beyond Paradise, the actor is enjoying a rather different beat as dashing vineyard owner Archie Hughes, who is far more interested in sampling fine wines that solving complex cases! As the Death In Paradise spin-off continues this week, Archie and his business partner - and ex-fiancée! - Martha Lloyd (played by Sally Bretton) welcome a food critic into their cafe, hoping it could boost the fledging enterprise’s fortunes. All the while, it’s clear that Archie is harbouring feelings for his former flame, who is now happily engaged to DI Humphrey Goodman (Kris Marshall). Here, in an exclusive interview, Jamie, 49, tells TV Times why he’s relishing causing a stir in the (fictional) Devon town of Shipton Abbott…
The fourth episode feels like a turning point for Archie and Martha’s business, but he seems very distracted by his feelings for her, doesn’t he?
Yes, Archie is someone who’s living with regret. Martha is the one that got away, and it has taken him a fair few years to realise that that was the opportunity of his life. He’s a very successful guy with a lot of options; he’s been privileged from birth and he’s made the most of that. But I think the one thing he feels he maybe didn’t appreciate when he had it was Martha. And lo and behold, there she is!
When Archie originally offered to invest in Martha’s new cafe, was he genuinely trying to help or was there an ulterior motive?
A lot of times in life, we’re not entirely clear what our motivations are for different things that we do - they don’t necessarily have to be one thing or the other. I think Archie enjoys the fact that she’s come back to Shipton Abbot, and he likes her and is attracted to her, he he likes Humphrey, too. When he met Humphrey, he was pleasantly surprised! Archie wants to be part of Martha’s new life, but whether he’s planning to somehow come between the two of them, I don’t think it’s as cut and dry as that.
Are you worried about how viewers might react if Archie does cause probelms for much-loved couple Martha and Humphrey?
Obviously, the character is treading a fine line, but I am very secure in the knowledge that Beyond Paradise is an extremely well-put-together, accomplished piece of television writing. It’s still a ‘will they, won’t they?’ story in some regards, and Archie is a part of that dynamic. It depends on who you side with as to who you root for!
We hear there’s a big storyline for Archie in next week’s penultimate episode. Can you share any teasers with us?
It’s really fun! Like most of these multi-arc TV formats, each episode stands alone but there are various intrigues that last the series, so the nearer you get to the end, the more there is at stake. Episode five is great, because Archie is involved in the case of the week - and he is a suspect…’
Intriguing! Did you enjoy working with the other cast members on the series?
Yes, it was an absolute pleasure. And Sally and I got on very well from the first moment we met, which is important. Barbara Flynn [who plays Martha’s mum, Anne Lloyd] is a legend - she’s cheeky and has a glint in her eye that’s great fun to bounce off! It’s the same with Sally and Kris, too. They’re all accomplished comedic actors, and that was a real boon for me.
The show was filmed on location in Devon and Cornwall. Were you able to fit in any sightseeing?
Yes, I fell in love with Looe, in Cornwall, in particular,which is the main stand-in for Shipton Abbot; I thought it was beguiling in every way. My wife [Bad Girls star Kerry Norton] happened to e shooting a thing on the north coast of Cornwall, so she came down to Looe and we were able to do some walks along the coast and go out for meals. I played quite a bit of golf, too, because I was put up in the lovely [village of] St Merryn, which has some great courses!
Talking of filming in beautiful places… Would you like to see Archie pop up in Caribbean-set sister series Death In Paradise for a crossover one day?
That would be fantastic! I’m not overly familiar with Death In Paradise, having lived abroad for the bulk of it’s run, but I’ve seen enough to know that it’s a global success, and it’s super-fun to be part of its little baby sister show here. I couldn’t be prouder to be involved, and if that involvement continued in any way, I would be delighted for a crossover. And on a ‘Jamie and family’ level, a trip to Guadeloupe [Where Death in Paradise is filmed] would be great!
Last year, you played DCI Martyn Hunter in police procedural DI Ray, and before that Sam Wright in ITV1’s 2021 drama Innocent - both characters who seemed lovely but were later found to be harbouring dark secrets. Do you like taking on roles that shock viewers?
I really enjoyed both of those shows, and, yes, I spotted the same pattern - and it goes back even further to Marcella [Jamie played DI Tim Williamson in the first two seasons of the drama, from 2016 to 2018]. There’s clearly a thing going on with me and telly! I don’t know how much of that is move systemic in terms of casting and tropes, but any time you get to play ambiguity and wrong-foot an audience is always fun! But I’m not going to give anything away about where Archie ends up…
What are your next projects?
I’ve got two things that haven’t come out yet. One is Netflix thriller Who Is Erin Carter?, which I’m really excited about, and the other is Cannes Confidential, a kind of screwball cop show in the mould of [1970s action comedy] The Persuaders! That’s coming out on Acorn TV, and on French TV. It’s English-language, but we’re currently dubbing it into French, so that’s what I’m doing most weekends - getting on a train to Paris and putting my performance from English into French. I’m a pretty fluent French speaker, but it’s still a real challenge!
