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Actress Lesley Sharp explains why her new thriller – ‘the ultimate binge watch’ – was at the top of her bucket list
From The Full Monty to TV cop series Scott & Bailey, Lesley Sharp is a wellknown face to us all. And now, the actress has added another role to her already impressive CV – starring in ITV’s highly addictive new thriller, Red Eye. The six-parter follows Dr Matthew Nolan (Richard Armitage), who touches down in the UK from Beijing and is instantly accused of murder and sent back to China to face charges. But on board flight 357 where he’s accompanied by DC Hana Li (Jing Lusi), events quickly spiral – leading to the deaths of other passengers. And it soon falls to MI5 boss Madeline Delaney (Lesley) to break open what seems like an international conspiracy. Here, the mum of two fills us in on the twists and turns of her latest must-watch and her obsession with the thriller genre...
Red Eye sounds gripping – what drew you to it?
The script was a real pageturner. Individuals in mortal terror, unable to escape because they’re 30,000 feet above ground!
How would you describe Delaney?
She’s a woman returning to work after a big moment in her personal life and she immediately has to deal with this crisis! She’s forced to handle this situation against the backdrop of workplace politics – and other people want her job. She’s fighting fires on several fronts, but she’s not someone who loses it easily – she’s very good at keeping it together.
How does she remain cool under pressure?
Our director and I talked about Delaney’s backstory. We decided she’d been an agent in the field and, if necessary, would have been a killer. Negotiating with someone who’s got the ear of the president of China, and being authorised to give a statement on behalf of the British government, is a huge responsibility. She takes it very seriously, but wears it lightly. She has risen to the top because she’s brilliant at her job, but she’s also got a really good, moral, human core – which underpins all of that. She’s one of the good guys.
So man
