Inside No. 9, if there is a common thread tying together the convulsive plot twist, it is its cast of acting greats, which includes Gemma Arterton and Sheridan Smith.
While there must be no shortage of celebrities vying to be contained in Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton’s darkly comic world, one beloved British icon narrowly escaped.
It would have been the crossover we never knew we needed, but Happy Valley great Sarah Lancashire was in discussions for a role, according to The League of Gentlemen pair ahead of Inside No. 9 season 8.
Steve, 55, co-starred in the hit BBC crime thriller with the Coronation Street actress, 58, as Kevin Weatherill, an accountant turned criminal who plots the kidnapping of Ann Gallagher (Charlie Murphy) for ransom.
Steve described Sarah as a ‘great, brilliant’ actor and stated that he sought to cast The Cry actress for a role on Inside No. 9, which is currently on ‘hold’ following season 9 – but she had to decline.
He explained: ‘We talked to Sarah about one role, but she’s so busy, and this was way back towards the start of [Happy Valley].
‘There was a role she was interested in but she couldn’t do it and now she spends a lot of time in America.
‘She’s a brilliant, brilliant actress and she can do the comedy and the drama so if we could get her we would have her like a shot.’
Meanwhile, Steve will appear in West End show The Pillowman starring Lily Allen, who just made her TV acting debut in Dreamland.
Could the singer of Smile be the next in line for Inside No. 9?
Steve replied: ‘I’ve not started rehearsing with her yet. I’ve only met her very briefly.
‘But again if the part is right – we don’t put actors first we put characters first – absolutely, I think she’d be a great person to have involved.’
He joked: ‘But she might hate me after doing three months on stage, you never know.’
If you’re wondering who would be on their dream cast, Reece doesn’t hesitate: ‘Sir Ian McKellen or one of the Dames.’
Big stars, including Sheridan, have developed a successful formula for Inside No. 9, with The Teacher actress’ episode, The 12 Days of Christine, still largely regarded as one of the show’s greatest – and most tragic.
Reece, 53, confessed that they ‘dared’ to think she’d take on the part while developing the screenplay and stated their explanation about the ep’s popularity.
‘People love it, I think, because it’s so moving,’ he explained. ‘In that half an hour you really feel like you’ve gone on the journey of Christine and you really seem to care about her.’
‘In lots of different ways, people related to it as it was profound and surprising. And as far as plot twist goes, it was very satisfying because it all snaps into place very succinctly and in a way that really delivered and was successful.’
However, if you want to pitch the next The 12 Days of Christine to Reece and Steve, you should revise your one-pager.
Reece offers some advice: ‘People assume an idea is one with a building with a nine on it. That isn’t a tale. Nobody would watch that.
‘So you want to go, “All right, that’s one second. Now, give me the rest of 20 minutes – some unfolding brilliant story.” That’s the hard part.’
The most prevalent suggestion, one the pair had previously rejected, was to put an episode on a number nine bus.
However, after it became a ‘in-joke,’ the pair relented, and Season 8 will feature an episode on a double-decker bus.
According to Steve, the next season will tackle ‘dating, love, and sorrow,’ but the duo doesn’t want to give too much away.
‘We don’t like to ever give the audience too many clues,’ he added. ‘We always say it’s like Forrest Gump’s box of chocolates: you never know what you’re gonna get.’
Inside No. 9 continues on Thursday on BBC Two at 10pm.
Source My Celebrity Life.