Tom Burke reveals the turmoil on its way as Strike – Lethal White airs on BBC1
There’s romantic trouble ahead for private eye Cormoran Strike as the new four-part run of BBC1 crime drama Strike begins on Sunday. Strike – Lethal White, based on the fourth Strike novel written by JK Rowling under the pseudonym of Robert Galbraith, sees Strike (Tom Burke) continuing to fight his feelings for his now married colleague Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger).
But the sleuths also have a tough case on their hands when they look into the blackmail of government minister Jasper Chiswell (Robert Glenister). Meanwhile a young man also claims to have witnessed a murder when he was a child. Are the cases connected?
Here Tom Burke tells us about the return of the shabby private eye in BBC1 crime drama Strike – Lethal White…
How are things between Strike and Robin?
Tom Burke: “Well he has a girlfriend now, Lorelei [Corrie’s Natalie Gumede] but he’s not really in the right place because of Robin. We see more of Robin’s wedding day and she and Strike have this hug... They don’t want to spoil things but there is just that frisson. I can imagine them together but whether that’s interesting for an audience I don’t know. I’m always in favour of catastrophe in a drama!”
Tell us about the cases
TB: “One is a mystery as someone comes into the office and talks about a murder that maybe happened years ago and then he disappears. As we try to find out more, it starts to overlap with the other case…”
What was it like working with Robert Glenister?
TB: “Robert’s great and he actually narrates the Strike audiobooks. I met him when he did a bit with us on The Musketeers. He played the Duke of Lorraine and they fitted him for this very full-on wig and I said, “What do you think?” and he said, ‘I’m worried it’s not enough Duke and too much Lorraine!’ I got to know him well on that so it was nice to see him again.”
Does JK Rowling give you much input about the characters?
TB: “She gives us a few wee things and also gives us very nice feedback and says that we inform her imagination when she writes so that’s a huge compliment.”
Are there many stunts this time?
TB: “I did a lot of falling over! I get pushed down some stairs and I know how to fall backwards now but I still panic and over-compensate and hurt myself!”
Strike – Lethal White airs on Sunday 30 and Monday 31 August at 9pm and continues for the following two weeks (see our TV Guide for full details). Check out our BBC dramas 2020 guide for more great shows to watch on iPlayer.
