Great Scott

Legendary film-maker Ridley Scott reveals why he was drawn to bbc drama Taboo

Ridley Scott has an unusual nightly ritual. ‘I have to watch a film every night, like a bedtime story,’ the film-maker explains. ‘I’ve seen everything in the world now, though, and I’m getting bored.’ Maybe it’s a case of ‘been there, done that’ for the accomplished director/producer, who, in his long and varied career, has made such Hollywood classics as Blade Runner, Alien, Gladiator and The Martian, to name just a few.

Exciting

But when actor Tom Hardy called out of the blue with an idea for a TV period drama, Scott knew he was onto something exciting and original.