DOCTORS | BBC1 MONDAY
KIA PEGG ON THE MURDER MYSTERY UNFOLDING IN DOCTORS…
Dastardly deeds are unfolding at a posh country house this week, as a series of crimes are investigated among a wealthy clan – and it seems everybody has something to hide!
No, it’s not another Agatha Christie adaptation: it’s a special two-parter of Doctors in which Dr Al indulges his love of true crime by dragging colleagues Scarlett and Jimmi into the latest edition of his amateur-sleuth podcast! Will he solve the murky mystery? And how has he convinced surly Scarlett to even be there in the first place?
Inside Soap favourite Kia Pegg, who plays the mardy receptionist, tells us all about swapping The Mill for the manor…
Hi, Kia! How does Al get Scarlett involved in this murder mystery?
She doesn’t want to be there, but Al offers her £500 to drive him, so she’s not going to turn that down! Al is doing a new episode of his podcast, The Doctective, to help a rich family called the Carletons solve an old mystery. He tells them Scarlett is his assistant, and also ropes Jimmi in, who he refers to as his spiritual advisor!
What’s the story with the Carletons?
Well, Al has told Scarlett the backstory and why they’re going, but when they get to their destination, Fircombe Manor, she finds out that’s not the real reason – and Al has an ulterior motive…
Does Scarlett end up getting quite into it?
She’s been dragged into the podcast a couple of times – I think she was actually on the first one he ever did – so she’s weirdly invested. Once she knows the real reason they’re there, and discovers more about the family, she actually gets quite involved, and starts coming up with her own theories about what’s going on.
Is she impressed by this luxurious house?
No – she’s completely underwhelmed. It isn’t her world at all! Scarlett meets Hugo and Daphne, son and daughter of Rodney, the family patriarch, and thinks they’re a couple of overindulged, spoilt, rich kids that have never had to work for anything in their lives!
Things aren’t as they seem, however…
Just because Hugo has grown up privileged, it doesn’t mean he’s had a happy life. It takes Scarlett a bit of time, but eventually she develops sympathy for what he and Daphne have been through, and in the end finds it easier to connect with them.
What can you tease about how the mystery develops?
It’s not your typical Doctors episode in terms of structure, and there are multiple twists – I couldn’t keep track of what was going on and had to keep asking Ian [Midlane, aka Al]! Although I really love reading murder mysteries – Sherlock Holmes would be my specialist subject on Mastermind – I’m obviously not as
