A Lichfield actress has taken centre stage in a gripping new TV police drama.
Blue Lights stars Sian Brooke as Grace, who gives up her job as a social worker to become join the Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The show has drawn positive reviews following the airing of the first episode this week, with the Guardian calling it “fantastically tense”, while the Radio Times said it had stood out in a saturated landscape of police dramas.
Sian said the ability to make a mark in such a well developed genre had been down to writers Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson.
“We often see television dramas with police officers who are experienced and in their prime, but what’s lovely about this drama is watching these very different characters enter into a job where they have no idea how it will play out.
“We see the characters as vulnerable when we usually never think about the police being vulnerable. I think there is something unique and refreshing about it.
“I instantly fell in love with these scripts. Declan and Adam’s writing is quite extraordinary.
“I’ve always been drawn by character-driven pieces and I think, having both been journalists, it makes them great observers. You can really see that come together in these scripts.
“We meet these characters in what’s seen as positions of power and responsibility but Declan and Adam show a very personal journey for each of them.”
Sian Brooke
As well as learning about the characters as the series progresses, Blue Lights also has its fair share of action – and Sian said these were an enjoyable part of the production process.
“Riding round in the police stunt cars was a bit special – it’s not something you do every day.
“You were sat in a car that had absolutely no working functions inside and there would be a stunt driver on top speeding round corners and doing hand brake turns which meant you could have all the fun but none of the responsibility.”
Sian Brookes
Blue Lights airs on Mondays on BBC One. The first episode is also available on the BBC iPlayer and online.