Ioan Gruffudd reveals he’s going beyond the grave in the second series of ITV’s Liar and Alibi’s Harrow
Ioan Gruffudd is on a roll right now. Having chilled us to the bone as a sexual predator in Liar, the Welsh actor quickly followed that up with the title role in Alibi’s hit Australian crime series Harrow.
Our last view of flamboyant, rule-breaking Brisbane forensic pathologist Daniel Harrow was his shocked face seconds after he’d been shot by an unknown assailant. Prior to this, Harrow had confessed to strangling the man who’d abused his daughter Fern, before his assistant Simon (Remy Hii) helped him to cover his tracks.
When the Brisbane-based series return with a new ten-part series on Alibi Harrow is alive, minus his gallbladder. The police investigation points to a clear-cut suspect, but Harrow begins to think differently…
Ioan, 45, called us from LA to reveal more about Harrow and Liar series two...
Harrow’s alive! Tell us more…
Ioan Gruffudd: "Yes, he’s survived the ordeal of being shot and now the adventure begins in finding out who tried to kill him. Creator Stephen Irwin has come up with a fantastic new arc for the second season. It’s elevated and we’ve really embraced the dynamic between the characters. Someone else is speaking to Harrow from beyond the grave this time. We also have a fantastic and dramatic mid-season storyline. That’s your teaser!"
In the opening episode, Harrow’s killer is supposedly identified, but there’s a twist. What can you reveal?
IG: "Harrow is convinced he knows the person who tried to kill him, but he’s someone who for all intents and purposes is dead! He died in a prison fire and there’s a death certificate. Everyone around Harrow says he’s mad because the guy is dead and that’s the end of it. But it transpires the person he suspects may have faked his own death. Also, the person who performed the autopsy many moons ago was a dear, close and respected friend, so Harrow is completely conflicted…"
Will we see a different side to the normally confident doctor?
IG: "Harrow in season one was a bright, determined and smart guy. Since the attempt on his life, he’s been knocked sideways and he starts to doubt himself. His daughter Fern [Ella Newton] comes to his aid by reminding him to trust his instincts."
Are there any new characters this time?
IG: "Harrow meets the mysterious Grace Molyneux [Jolene Anderson] in a bar – only to later discover he’s her superior at work and it creates a lovely sexual tension throughout the series. Harrow has met his match in Grace! There’s an old-fashioned flavour to their scenes together. It’s a bit like Moonlighting."
What do you enjoy about playing someone unconventional like Harrow?
IG: "There are so many subtle undercurrents that make him three-dimensional. He enjoys ruffling feathers but he has a layer of humanity, and he’s obviously very instinctive and smart. All the characters I play reflect so well on me!"
Except maybe Andrew Earlham in ITV’s Liar?
IG: "Oh, my goodness, that’s true. When the second series of Liar airs we’re going to explain how Andrew died and who killed him. There are a lot of flashbacks. Like Harrow, the second season of Liar is almost like a new drama. It’s more of whodunit with twists and turns."
Harrow airs on Alibi on Tuesday 16th July.
