Vigil's Suranne Jones, Rose Leslie, cast and creator talk explosive series 3 and tease new challenges for Amy and Kirsten - “We got to spend a lot more time together”

DCI Amy Silva (Suranne Jones) and DI Kirsten Longacre (Rose Leslie) return for a new case that takes them to a remote Arctic research station, where a member of a covert British special forces mission has been murdered.

Amy and Kirsten need to catch the killer and defuse a potential international confrontation, as different nations compete for control of the Arctic and its resources in the changing polar climate, with both their careers and relationship on the line.

Watch Vigil series 3 on BBC iPlayer and BBC One from Sunday 30 August.

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EJ

Vigil Series 3 Cast

Suranne Jones (Amy Silva)

For those coming to Vigil for the first time, who is Amy Silva and what challenges does she face in series three?

Amy Silva is a detective. She is feisty, she's a maverick, she's straight talking, she has a really good heart and a strong belief for the need for the world to be good.

All of the Vigil series are about fighting for truth, coming up against the bigger picture and wanting the world to be a better place, so that really attracted me. Each series also brings new challenges with Amy not knowing her surroundings - she’s constantly put into these new worlds, with new rules and new characters and so she’s always trying to figure out where her authority is in that. I also think Amy and Kirsten are kept in the dark with what they’re being told and it’s their job to find the gaps and piece it together.

We've seen Amy underwater, we've seen her fighting drones, and now series three is set in the Arctic. We had the opportunity to go to Svalbard, which was such an experience. It was so beautiful and we filmed those scenes at the beginning of the shoot, which allowed us to get a real feel of the world that we were inhabiting, so when we came back to Scotland to continue filming, it was easier to imagine all of that.

Tell us more about what it was it like filming in Svalbard?

Svalbard was amazing. Rose and I felt like we were just on top of the world because we went to places that tourists don’t normally visit since we were filming in such remote locations. There were reindeer outside the breakfast room every morning, we got to drive the snow buggies, and we really had to layer up - the problem was when we got back to Glasgow we were too hot because we still had to film with all our layers on!

The people and the crew in Svalbard were incredible and we tried some moose and reindeer, which is part of the local cuisine – I had moose stew! Overall, it was such an incredible experience and a great start to the shoot.

Did you get to explore much of Svalbard outside of filming?

We were shooting pretty much the whole time we were there. I had one day to acclimatise while Rose, Jeppe and Tornike were on the boat, which we see in the first episode. I went to a husky café where you get to have a coffee and meet retired husky dogs!

Do you have any highlights or standout memories from filming?

Rose is always my standout of filming Vigil because it’s always gorgeous to see her and work with her. We didn’t stop talking the whole time. We got to spend a lot more time together this series in comparison to the previous ones, because Amy joins Kirsten in Svalbard midway through and they work on the case together.

What’s also lovely is having a new cast for every series of Vigil because we’re in a different world every series, so the entire cast changes except for a few of us. The new characters for this series are brilliant and such fun. Eric Godon (plays Mayor Korotayev) used to bring his own coffee onto set and he’s from Belgium, so he’d sometimes bring Belgian chocolates in.

We’re just like a band of brothers and we’re all in it together so we’re a real team - that involves the crew too. I loved going into make-up first thing in the morning, it’s my favourite place as they’re so great and they really get you going at the start of the day.

What item(s) could you not live without on the shoot in Svalbard/in-between takes?

When we were filming in Svalbard, our gloves were swapped out for heated gloves and we also had heated gilets, which was amazing. At the end of the day, Rose and I would have the soup from the hotel we were staying in, and it was everything you would hope somewhere like Svalbard would have - a warm open fires and throws – it was just gorgeous to warm up at the end of the day.

Did you do any research before filming?

I love research, I'm quite geeky about that, so with my other roles like Gentleman Jack I had the diaries or with Doctor Foster I went to see a GP, but with Vigil I didn't have to. James Strong, one of the directors for the first series, was quite adamant to keep the submarine crew and cast to their job and then I would just fly in knowing nothing and so we've kept to that across all of the series, which I love because then I find it out as I go along.

Why do you think fans can relate to Amy and Kirsten?

In the first series you see Amy and Kirsten meet, and they start this relationship. In the second series, Kirsten is pregnant and in this series, you see them as a real family. We’re proudly representing two women that are now together, they're married, they have two children.

Rose and I have always taken the personal scenes and made sure that there is some weight to them so that we can really play, even if it's one or two scenes, we try and make those count because it's about our connection and always has been.

I think fans can relate to Amy and Kirsten because they hope for the best in every situation and they try to see the good in everything. They keep fighting, which is hard these days, but they feel quite hopeful as a duo to change the world. It is the systems around them that let them down.

What are the key themes for series three?

Amy and Kirsten are always fighting a bigger monster, and each time we’ve seen Amy go into these worlds and realise how fruitless it is in a way, and how she has to compromise. At the end of this series in fact there are quite big compromises, but you’ll have to wait to see what I mean by that!

In this series in particular I think Amy is a bit more ruthless and reckless once her eyes are open to what’s going on, as there are lots of different countries at play and no-one can truly be trusted. I like it that she has a bit of fight back because she's just not going to play by the rules herself anymore, because no-one else is.

Vigil is an entertainment programme, but Tom Edge has always chosen subjects that open your eyes to things, so I think it can help to start a conversation. But ultimately I do think anyone can enjoy Vigil, it’s a really good and entertaining watch.

Do you think you’d make a good detective?

I would make a terrible detective! I’m nosy which is good, but the paperwork and the knowledge you need to have isn’t for me – it’s not for the faint hearted!

Rose Leslie (Kirsten Longacre)

You’ve of course been part of Vigil right from the beginning. What was it that initially attracted you to the project?

DI Kirsten Longacre is a strong-willed, tenacious police officer who is loyal but also very passionate about her job and is married to DCI Silva. The initial attraction was knowing that we were going to be airing on the BBC and, despite the fact that my character was never in the submarine, I loved the premise of the first series being set on board a submarine and the claustrophobia of what that then brings - and now we’re on the third series!

The joy of this particular role is playing opposite Suranne and also being a part of a thriller, and the plots and the twists and the turns that brings.

In series three, what new challenges does Kirsten face?

Kirsten has been asked to spearhead the murder investigation of a British soldier in demilitarised Svalbard. This is the first time that she has ever headed up an investigation on an international scale like this, so she's stepping into new shoes, and she feels ready for it.

At the same time, it comes with trying to figure out the balance of leaving home and putting your job first. I also think for Kirsten, returning to work post maternity leave is emotional, sometimes exhausting, but certainly an identity shifting experience.

You shot in both Glasgow and Svalbard, with new cast members joining you too. Tell us how that was?

It was so lovely to be back in Glasgow and, having grown up there, I have such a deep fondness for Scotland.

It was also very thrilling to be so far north for filming in Svalbard. The landscape was luna, or what I imagine the moon would look like. I felt so fortunate to experience almost complete isolation on the mountain tops. We had really bulky snowsuits which kept us nice and warm, along with the feet warmers and woolly hats.

On our first day we really were on a boat - it was me, Jeppe (Henrik) and Tornike (Fyodor), sailing for two hours towards a glacier. Then we went into the cabin all feeling seasick - but that’s one way to bond! We were in the cabin, chatting away and asking lots of questions and getting to know and understand each other. Jeppe and Tornike have a similar sense of humour, so they were quite the double act, and it was a joy to observe it all when the three of us were on set together.

What would you say the main themes or concerns that Kirsten has to work through?

I think for Kirsten, in this series, she has a drip feed realisation that countries would go to nefarious depths to make sure that the current order remains and is as prevalent as possible. I think she feels defiant, betrayed and certainly has loyalty to her country, but she has a very good barometer for what she knows to be right.

Do you think you would make a good detective?

I wouldn’t say I have particularly acute observational skills, and I would find the relentless persistence required to be a good detective quite challenging...!

Jeppe Beck Laursen (Henrik Becken)

Henrik is new to Vigil - what can you tell us about him?

Henrik Becken is the Director of Svalbard and Chief of Police, so he gets very involved in the investigation. He’s working closely with Kirsten and Amy, as well as Fyodor, the Russian Colonel.

What attracted you to Vigil?

I'm Norwegian, so it’s been great that part of the story takes place in Norway and we filmed in Svalbard. It was magical to film there – I had never actually been before and it’s magnificent. I didn’t realise how big it was, so when you fly into Svalbard you realise just how huge it is. Suranne and Rose have also been so welcoming and they know the show so well, they’ve really embraced us newcomers.

Why do you think people should watch Vigil?

It’s got great writing, great directors and great actors. As with the first two series, it’s very suspenseful and it’s a brilliant whodunnit that will have people on the edge of their seats across all six episodes.

Tornike Gogrichiani (Fyodor)

How does Fyodor fit into this series?

Fyodor is a Russian colonel who arrives in Svalbard to investigate the murder of the Russian citizen and British soldier that was found dead in a Russian-owned building. He works closely Kirsten and Amy on the investigation. Religiously devoted to the truth, wherever it leads, or whatever form it takes. Difficult to trust, but at the same time seems very sincere, which is precisely what makes him interesting to play.

What attracted you to Vigil?

I’m a big believer that certain roles are finding you in the right moment, offering something you were lacking. I can’t go into too many details without giving the spoilers away, but this one left me with a specific set of skills I didn’t have before. Something memorable. As actors the job is simple in theory; elevate the story, bring it to the audience. But it has to be on page first and when writing is this good, that job becomes an adventure. I’m proud to be part of it.

Why should people watch series three?

I don’t think people need lots of convincing to watch the show as Vigil has already made its own mark. For anyone who’s seen the first two series, all I would say is that this third series feels very ‘submarine’. Different in form of course, but it has that same claustrophobic nature is back, the thing that made the first series what it was.

Naomi Yang (Shen Jia)

What can you tell us about Shen Jia?

Shen Jia is a microbiologist conducting research on Svalbard. She has very strong values. and won't compromise those even when things get tough, she’s someone with a lot of integrity. I think she wants to do her bit to try and find new ways of living without feeling like we’re going backwards as a human race.

What was your favourite day of filming?

There was one day in Svalbard where a very small team of us went to a glacier. I was hiking in my crampons up this glacier. We were with someone with a rifle, because we had to have a rifle with us all the time in case it was needed to scare off polar bears. The glaciers are very blue, due to the way the light is reflected I just remember all of us just being like ‘wow, we can't believe we're in this’.

More generally, with this series being set in part in the Arctic, the scale feels huge. At the beginning, when we were shooting in Svalbard, I was with the SBS (Special Boat Service) boys a lot. It was like having four brothers with me all the time, so that was a lot of fun. We were spending a lot of time together in Svalbard, and it was completely new to all of us. We saw reindeer, we went on boat trips together, and it was just so much fun being there.

Tom Edge (Creator, Writer and Executive Producer)

What can you tease about series 3, what leads Amy and Kirsten to the Arctic? How does this series differ from the previous two series?

Series 3 begins with a discreet request from the British military: a death has occurred and serious questions raised, but it's imperative that any British police investigation should appear low-key. Accordingly, Kirsten is dispatched to investigate, but Amy is quickly drawn in as an assassination in Scotland points to a sophisticated conspiracy both at home and in the frozen north.

What made you want to want to set series 3 in the Arctic?

For series three we wanted to look ahead to the root causes of potential conflicts. Rare earth metals seemed like a niche but promising story. These are the materials required to make many modern technologies work, including most green energy infrastructure. This sector is dominated by China, and that was fine so long as global trade was unimpeded. It becomes a huge problem as soon as trade monopolies are politicised or weaponised.

We have seen this story beginning to emerge during the past two years, with energy and technology security becoming urgent issues for the UK and indeed most countries. I think that the battle to secure resources is going to become increasingly fraught and will bring areas like Svalbard into sharp focus.

Series three is our take into a world that feels niche today but could be fundamental to tomorrow’s geopolitical manoeuvrings. Plus, icebergs!

This time Kirsten is the one to visit the international crime scene, while Amy – at least initially – remains in Scotland. How does that impact things?

The first series of Vigil was written as a limited series, so in both series two and three we have had to reinvent the show whilst retaining its DNA.

There is a practical reason for Kirsten to be assigned the foreign-soil gig; they need the investigation to appear low-key. Sending a DCI - especially one with Amy's track-record - would risk announcing the UK's interests. But as the series progresses it may be that there is a more strategic reason at play as to why Kirsten is selected over Amy...

This choice is discomforting for both Amy and Kirsten. Kirsten doesn't want to let Amy down; Amy struggles not to micromanage from afar. The choice exposes issues of trust, ambition and power-imbalances between them just as Kirsten's maternity leave comes to end, a threshold that already prompts questions of career and family life balance.

What research did you do?

Researching the show is a joy. For this series I deep dived into the worlds of cyanobacteria, rare earth metal supply chains and polymetallic nodules found on the ocean floor. All this in the context of the geopolitics of the frozen north - now melting...

What are the key themes for this series?

The overarching theme for Vigil across all three series is the question of loyalty. Are you loyal to your own self, with a moral code, to your partner, the institution you work for, your country, or a global sense of the 'greater good'? How do you manage your integrity when your loyalties are divided or tested?

What do you hope viewers will take from this series?

I hope that viewers will come to consider the fragility of global systems for energy security in a changing world, and engage with the murky moral questions about how far we ask our senior officers to go as they safeguard the national interest on our behalf.

I hope they enjoy the ride! Heightened twists and turns, anchored by some showstopping performances. Ultimately, I hope that they find optimism amidst the murk, as embodied by Amy and Kirsten's attempt to hold onto their integrity - and to each other - even when they are tested to the point of destruction.

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