BAFTA TV Awards: Slow Horses cast admit they never expected show's phenomenal success

Virgin Radio

12 May 2024, 16:24

Members of the cast of Slow Horses have admitted they were never expecting the show to be the huge phenomenon which it has become.

Speaking with virginradio.co.uk and other press on the red carpet of the BAFTA TV Awards 2024, Jonathan Pryce and Saskia Reeves both explained how delighted but also surprised they were by the show’s success.

Slow Horses, which stars Reeves as Catherine Standish and Pryce as David Cartwright alongside its lead stars Gary Oldman (Jackson Lamb), Jack Lowden (River Cartwright) and Kristin Scott Thomas (Diana Taverner), is nominated Best Drama Series, plus Lowden is nominated for Best Supporting Actor at this evening (12th May)’s awards.

Asked whether they predicted how successful the spy thriller black comedy show would be when originally signing on to the project, Pryce shared: “I didn’t. At the beginning I had no idea how big it would become.

“But that’s in some ways a good thing for all of us,” The Crown star added. “Because we were very focused on making that story and that script rather than fulfilling what an audience might want.”

Reeves agreed, explaining: “I knew it was going to be successful, but I didn’t realise it was going to be this popular.”

However, the pair’s fellow Slow Horses co-star and red carpet companion Chris Rilley who plays Nick Duffy in the show revealed he’d had more of a premonition about the show’s potential to wow audiences worldwide. 

“As soon as I read the script I thought it would be a big hit,” the Scottish actor said. “I really enjoyed reading it. I know that sounds a bit kind of- but I just thought it was going to be something as soon as I read it.”

Exploring what they think has connected so well with audiences to make the show such a popular one, Reeves suggested: “There’s something about the English grottiness of it that as an English person, we all go ‘Oh yeah no, that’s really familiar.’ 

“To have that pay off and things not working, we all know what that feels like. I think that’s hit the funny bone for a lot of people,” she added.

Pryce also suggested the show’s long lead up to revealing “who the hero is, if there is a hero” kept viewers tuning in for each episode over the show’s three seasons so far. “And that’s kind of fun, as you lock onto people you like - you’re not told who to like,” the actor said.

Keep up to date with all the BAFTA TV Awards news on virginradio.co.uk.