interview Back to the
futureAshes To Ashes returns for its third and final series next week. Can DI Alex Drake find her way back to the 21st Century?
ell, this is mighty weird. Here I am, Ashes alone in the office of DCI Gene To Ashes, Hunt from Ashes To Ashes. friday week, WPerched behind the great man’s BBC1 whisky-stained desk, in fact. There’s a prehistoric-looking 80s computer to my right, Gene’s heavily perforated dartboard over on the wall to my left and, on top of the teetering pile of paperwork stacked on the shelf behind me, is one of those ancient, portable cassette recorders – not unlike the one I used to hold in front of the radio every Sunday night to record the Top 40. Alex isn’t Or at least I assume these little details are really any all in place, having spotted them so often on clearer about TV. Right now though, I actually can’t see a blinking thing in here. With filming over for what’s actually the morning, Gene and his team – DI Alex happening, Drake, DS Ray Carling, DC Chris Skelton, but there are WPC Shaz Granger and that bulky chap with the enormous whiskers – whose name signs hidden I’ve never caught but who forever seems to in episode one be hovering in the background – have gone for people who off to lunch, which means the entire set has look for that been temporarily plunged into darkness. And yet this feels strangely apt. I’m one sort of thing of a privileged handful of journalists who’ve been allowed to come to see where this keeley hawes final series of Ashes To Ashes is being shot, but keeping us all in the dark seems the day’s top priority. We understand, though. Of course we do. This final series promises ingeniously to tie up all the loose ends, not just from Philip Glenister and Keeley Hawes Ashes To Ashes but also from its 70s-based are back as predecessor, Life On Mars, in which John DCI Gene Hunt Simm played time-travelling cop Sam Tyler. and DI Alex Drake
saturday magazine Far left: Philip Glenister with John Simm in Life On Mars Left: Keeley Hawes with Rachael Stirling in Tipping The Velvet and (above) with David Oyelowo, Rupert Penry-Jones, Matthew Macfadyen and Peter Firth in Spooks
So, basically, nobody’s allowed to tell us perspective. “In previous series they’ve I was listening to a lot of depressingly bad anything significant, plot-wise, for fear of been more controlling on that front, but music as well!” ruining the surprise. this time we’ve been left alone. It’s actually Talking of 80s music, Ashes executive Keeley Hawes, whose 21st-Century very difficult to keep dressing someone producer and co-creator Ashley Pharoah says character Alex has been stuck in the 80s around a white leather biker’s jacket!” it’ll still play a key part in these last episodes. since she was mysteriously transported there This series is Philip Glenister, who’s played Gene Hunt “One of the joys of moving on a year,” he in Ashes’ very first episode, is clearly enjoying much darker, the since the start of Life On Mars in 2006, tells admits, “is it opened up a whole new load keeping us in suspense. “You do know we’re us to expect the relationship between his of songs I could play with! They’re a very not allowed to answer anything!” she teases. relationships character and Keeley’s to evolve further. important element.” Keeley does, however, promise that are much more “It has to,” he points out. “We’ve got another So, any particular favourites he was viewers are in for something “amazing” and complex. We’re eight hours worth of episodes, so you have to determined to include? that the scripts are “the best I’ve ever read”. finding out who move the story on.” “I was delighted to find out This Charming But come on, can’t she at least give us a And he adds, “It’s much darker, this series. Man by The Smiths came out in 1983. That teensy hint as to where Alex is heading? the real Gene The relationships are much more complex. just HAD to be a driving sequence with Alex “Well, I get back again,” Keeley confirms Hunt is. There’s We’re finding out who the real Gene Hunt looking at Gene!” (to the 80s, she means – although I think a lot of angst, a is. There’s a lot of angst, a lot of mistrust. And which historical reference points we already figured out that bit). I think the audience will question can we expect to crop up this time? “Gene has to slap me around,” she adds, lot of mistrust who’s good, who’s bad. They’ll “One episode deals with the ANC, and referring to the fact that Alex is initially in want to keep tuning in to find how in 1983 someone like Hunt would have a coma, “which proves he philip out what the hell is going on. regarded Nelson Mandela as a terrorist. wants me, he needs glenister Is Gene the sum of his parts? There’s also an episode with a fireman who’d me. So, yeah, it’s Is Alex the sum of hers?” been a soldier in the Falklands. And there’s a a good place to So have Philip’s own story set on the night Thatcher got back in.” start – a slap around memories of the 80s been a big For everyone who’s worked on Ashes To the chops! influence on the way he’s Ashes and Life On Mars, it’s clear the impact “Alex isn’t really any played the iconic Hunt? will be a lasting one. clearer about what’s actually “It was a strange “It’s been a five-year journey on screen,” happening, but there are signs decade for me,” he says Ashley. “But overall it’s been 13 years, hidden in episode one for people who reflects. “I think I back to when Matthew and I (that’s look for that sort of thing.” preferred the latter Matthew Graham, his fellow creator) And her working relationship with Gene? part. In the early first had the idea. “They’re still rubbing along…” 80s I was sort “To not have it in our lives any more will Keeley says she’s known for some while of drifting. I be very strange.” – since midway through the last series, in didn’t really And for Philip, how much of the blisteringly fact – how this whole Mars/Ashes saga was know what I non-PC Gene Hunt has rubbed off on him? destined to conclude. “It all sort of falls wanted to do. “Oh, loads, I’d imagine,” he chuckles. “I’ve into place,” she assures us. Shooting I felt lost. been very fortunate to play this part – and to “In this series we’ve also got Daniel Mays from the It wasn’t until have the freedom to play it. coming in, playing a significant new hip: Philip I went to “My biggest fear now is having people Glenister character. He completely alters the dynamic.” admits he’ll drama tell me, ‘you can’t say this’ or ‘you can’t do So has filming these final episodes been miss playing school that,’ because up until now I’ve been able emotional? “Incredibly,” she says. “Especially the blunt, that to say, ‘Sorry, this is set in 1983 – and this after working with people for years.” decidedly I felt any is Gene Hunt!’ But she does admit she’s enjoyed having un-PC sense of “Losing that will be kind of frustrating!” Gene Hunt
PHOTOGRAPHS: BBC more freedom this time from a fashion purpose. Mike Ward
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