Kerry Godliman - Whitstable Pearl season 3 exclusive with spoilers
Whitstable Pearl goes from strength to strength with every passing season, further endearing itself to fans of the coastal crime drama and all who sail in her.
As the series returns for a third outing we can’t wait to catch up with the main characters, who we’ve taken to our hearts. So, for an exclusive video interview with Kerry Godilman, who plays main character Pearl Nolan, we came armed with a list of questions about our favourites.
Kerry, a fellow fan of lists, lights up when we explain that we’re planning a special segment on the characters (see below)...
“I love that - I operate in lists, it’s one of my favourite things! I once had a [BBC4] radio show called Kerry’s Lists, so let’s tick ‘em off,” grins the star, who began playing the warmhearted restaurateur and private eye on Acorn TV’s original series in 2021. “I’m so glad we’ve made this third season. I really like Pearl’s journey and the way she’s growing and evolving. In the beginning, she was a fledgling detective, now she’s confident and established.”
Here, Kerry shares her Pearls of wisdom on what’s in store for the ensemble cast in Whitstable Pearl season 3…
Pearl Nolan played by Kerry Godliman
"We find her in a good place. She’s very content with Tom - they've been going out for a while now and she’s very relaxed in that relationship, despite what her mum says! Her son Charlie is away exploring Canada, and so Pearl feels liberated by this new chapter. She’s busy too. The restaurant is thriving and she’s got loads of clients and mysteries to solve," says Kerry. "But who wants to watch a drama where everyone is happy? There's a fabulous little love triangle bubbling away between Pearl, Tom and Mike!"
DCI Mike McGuire played by Howard Charles
A person of interest to Pearl since their brief affair in series one, in the opening episode of the new series the grieving widower returns to Whitstable after a three-month sabbatical. He’s not saying where he’s been, but he’s got a new Zen-like demeanour and positive attitude…
“You're meant to think Mike is a changed man, but he very quickly reverts to his nature,” reveals co-star Kerry. “Pearl fancies him, but she doesn’t think they’re a good match even though they’d have a passionate time. She enjoys the comfort of her relationship with Tom, but loves flirting, arguing and solving crimes with Mike! That frisson of possibility is the steam that motors the show’s engine.”
Tom Grant played by Robert Webb
The substitute maths teacher is smitten with Pearl the longer their romance continues, so he’s deeply hurt when finds himself sidelined as Pearl’s caseload increases and Mike returns. Even so, he’s ready for the next step in their relationship, but are the odds stacked against his dreams of a happily ever after?
“Robert and I have decided that Pearl and Tom are a very happy union and I wouldn’t like to see him leave, but the writers are determined to put a fly in the ointment,” confesses Kerry. “He adores Pearl and she basks in the sunlight of the adoration. Unfortunately, he feels she’s out of his league so that insecurity niggles away for him…”
Charlie Nolan played by Rohan Nedd
At the end of the last series, Charlie headed off to Canada to get to know his father better. It turns out, however, that there’s a reason Pearl dislikes her ex, and his criminal actions find her son on the wrong side of the law and hiding out in London during the third series of Whitstable Pearl.
“To the best of Pearl's knowledge, Charlie’s having a good time in Canada,” teases Kerry. “She doesn’t want to get in the way of his relationship with his dad, so she lets him go. But it becomes clear later in the series that she needs to intervene and get him back home.”
Dolly Nolan played by Frances Barber
With Pearl distracted with matters of the heart and concerns for her son Charlie, Dolly steps up to the plate and keeps both the Whitstable Pearl and the detective agency ticking over. In fact, she combines both of her daughter’s jobs when a food critic dies at the restaurant in episode three!
“Dolly is in a good place, her self-worth has increased, and it isn't rooted in her having a fella on the go!” discloses Kerry. “We’ll see her stepping up with the detective agency as well as co-running the restaurant. Pearl’s happy to let her take the reins because she’s a powerful woman and a shrewd cookie.”
DS Nikki Martel played by Sophia Del Pizzo
Mike’s trusted partner in crime solving has her world rocked when she suspects a historic murder conviction was the result of corrupt policing. Is this devastating miscarriage of justice linked to her retired detective mum, Janet?
“I don’t know how much I can say about this story, but you’ll see the brilliant Kate Robbins guest starring as Nikki’s mother,” reveals Kerry. “Nikki’s a great character, wry, dry, young, plucky and ambitious. She’s also very tolerant of Mike’s moodiness and has a love for him that’s sweet and deep. It’s a real treat to see Kate play her mum.”
Ruby Williams played by Isobelle Molloy
Charlie’s former girlfriend’s feelings chill for him when he goes off-grid. The single life gives her time and space to discover her superb cooking talents under Dolly and Pearl’s watchful eye. She also untaps her creative side with Tom’s encouragement.
“I love Ruby! She's someone we didn’t see near enough of in season two, I’m very happy that she's back in full force this time around. She’s like a surrogate daughter to Pearl,” smiles Kerry. “There’s a lot of fun with a through-line about an amateur production of The Sound of Music. I won’t give anything away but at the end you do see one character in full glory as Mother Superior. It’s hilarious!”
Whitstable Pearl season 3 started on Acorn TV on Monday, October 21, 2024, and one episode of the six-parter will be made available weekly.
Check out our full interview with Kerry for more in Whitstable Pearl series 3
