David Walliams has revealed how the weather proved to be the biggest challenge while shooting his new, six-part drama, Partners In Crime.
The actor/Britain's Got Talent judge, who plays bee-keeper turned amateur spy Tommy Beresford in the BBC adaptation of Agatha Christie’s novel, admitted it was tough to act joyful when it was raining.
David Walliams and Jessica Raine as Tuppence and Tommy Beresford (Laurence Cendrowicz/BBC Pictures/Endor Productions)
“The weather was the biggest challenge because we were filming through the autumn and winter with a lot of exterior locations and some days it just rained all day,” David said.
“In one scene we were off to the opera and we’re all excited about it and it was absolutely tipping down with rain. It’s odd having to still act like you’re having fun! These things happen.”
David, who was also an executive producer on the drama, relished throwing himself into the action scenes with guns and antique vehicles.
Partners In Crime also stars Call The Midwife actress Jessica Raine as his screen wife Tuppence.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSOmrdKJzEE&feature=oembed
“I’ve never had to use a gun as a prop before or grapple with a 1950s Morris Minor or drive an antique motorbike,” David said.
“The stunts were great because I’ve always loved the James Bond films, and I’ve never been in anything like that. We had to do a stunt outside the Ritz, so we filmed at about six o’clock on a Sunday morning. We had to stop the traffic for about a minute, and there were still angry cabbies yelling at us!
“At the end of the day, you know all these challenges make it interesting. You just need patience overcoming them,” David added.
David Walliams and Jessica Raine star in Partners In Crime (Robert Viglasky/BBC/Endor Productions)
The 43-year-old actor said he has been a fan of the murder mystery writer since he was eight, when he saw Murder On The Orient Express.
“I was completely blown away by the story – I certainly didn’t see the twist coming, I was really haunted by it for a long time afterwards,” he said.
“No other writer has succeeded in creating such an amazing body of work. I read Christie’s biography recently, and you get the sense of a brave, lovely lady who could somehow dream up these terrible murders. These stories are always going to thrill people.”
David Walliams is a big Agatha Christie fan (BBC/Endor Productions/Laurence Cendrowicz)
David hopes he will be able to reprise the role of Tommy in the future.
“We certainly hope there will be more Tommy and Tuppence adventures. There are more books to adapt and it’s been a real pleasure filming these two stories,” he said.
“But, ultimately, it’s what the public think. If the public enjoy it, then I am sure there will be more. It has been a brilliant adventure making Agatha Christie’s Partners In Crime.”
Partners In Crime begins on BBC1, Sunday, July 26, 9.00pm.
