Poetic JUSTICE

BERTIE CARVEL on the challenges ahead for his detective verse-maker

- CAREN CLARK

DALGLIESH

NEW THURSDAY & FRIDAY, 9PM, CHANNEL 5 DRAMA

With his brooding manner and surprising sideline as a poet, DCI Adam Dalgliesh has always stood out from the crime-solving crowd.

When Bertie Carvel brought author PD James’ introspective cop to life in Channel 5 drama Dalgliesh in November 2021, he felt an instant affinity with the character. So the actor is thrilled to be stepping back into the sleuth’s smart shoes for a second series, set in 1976.

‘I’ve got PD James’ novels to draw on, and it’s such a rich world,’ enthuses Bertie, 45, who’s also starred in BBC1’s smashhit psychological thriller Doctor Foster. ‘It’s a wonderful privilege to play a character like this.’

The latest trio of two-part murder cases begins with Dalgliesh at a crossroads in his life, as he is torn between his twin loves of poetry and policing. But a dark investigation into a death at a forensic laboratory soon distracts him.

Here, Bertie tells us more about the new series…

The first season introduced us to Dalgliesh not long after the death of his wife and baby. What is his state of mind like now?

I don’t think he knows. The last series was about grief. There was a personal connection for me, too, because I’d recently lost my mother, and I was able to channel that. But what struck me in the aftermath of the initial year of grief was a big question of, ‘What am I doing here? What’s it all for?’

Is that the same for Dalgliesh?