Dalgliesh’s Bertie Carvel hints new series of Channel 5 drama could be its last saying ‘we’ve reached a natural break’
ONE of the stars of Channel 5’s hit drama Dalgliesh has admitted that the show’s current third series could be its last.
Bertie Carvel, known for his role as the complex and sensitive Commander Adam Dalgliesh, has spoken out on what could be next for the show after fearing it could have reached a “natural end”.
A brand new run of six episodes kicks off next week but talk has already turned to the future of the programme beyond that.
Discussing the next moves for the series, he confessed that conversations had been happening but admitted he also felt like it could be the time for a “natural break”.
“There have been conversations, I think I can say that,” he reveals.
“I’d certainly love to do more.
“I also feel that if we let it rest here, we’ve reached a natural break.
“Basically it’s the story of a man who is destroyed by grief, who also happens to spend his time with dead people, and who goes on a journey to process his grief by spending more time with dead people.”
Adding that he was ready to call it quits on the programme, he said: “I think he gets to a point where we leave the third season, where that sliver of ice in his heart is maybe starting to thaw, and that’s good enough for me – I’m ready to leave it behind now.”
The new series – which adapts three more of PD James’ much-loved novels and spreads each story over two episodes – is set in 1979 and finds grieving widower Dalgliesh investigating a murder at a seminary, another at the home of an influential Essex family, and hunting a serial killer.
This time around, Bertie got to direct one of the stories, as well as star in it.
“It did feel like a tall order,” he said.
“I still don’t really know how we made that work. It basically meant I didn’t sleep and I didn’t see my family.
“Both roles require laser focus, so to perform them at the same time was intense, to say the least. But they are also complementary: one of the most important parts of the job is establishing a symbiosis between actor and director, and that rather comes for free when they are one and the same person.”
Opening up on his character, he went on to say; “Every character that you play is another part of you.
“What’s great is he’s all kinds of things that I’m not. He’s less halting in his speech, he probably would say a lot less, but it would be pithy and wonderful.
“He is emphatic and principled, and romantic and thoughtful and sensitive, and I think those are all traits that I have. But he’s also decisive, which I’m not. And I don’t think he’s neurotic, which I am!”