A forthcoming BBC drama, starring Kelly Macdonald of Trainspotting, and John Hannah of Four Weddings and a Funeral, is being filmed in Largs, the tv production company have confirmed to the 'News'.
Filming commenced last Wednesday on STV Productions’ new 4 x 60 drama for BBC One, ‘The Victim’.
Production teams from STV Productions have visited the well-known Green Shutter tearoom in Largs with a view to filming the new show in this cafe which has been ever present in Largs for over 80 years.
Green Shutters tearoom owner Thomas Buskie said: "A whole load of the production team turned up at The Green Shutter last month and took extensive photos, and seem to know exactly what they were looking for in terms of the location setting. I believe they are going to be using The Green Shutters but they might re-name it for the purposes of the production."
It is an opportune time for the filming at the Fort Street restaurant which is currently on the property market on businessbuyers.co.uk for £44,950 as a leasehold.
Exciting rising star James Harkness is also starring in the production, which has a distinguished cast including Jamie Sives, Karla Crome, Ramon Tikaram, Cal MacAninch, Chloe Pirrie and Isis Hainsworth.
The Victim is also set in Edinburgh and Greenock, within Scotland’s unique legal system. The story is told through the eyes of the plaintiff and the accused and offers a constantly surprising and twisting perspective on who is really ‘the victim’.
Anna Dean (Macdonald) is the Edinburgh mother of a nine year old boy who was murdered fifteen years ago by a then 13 year old. Having campaigned to be told of the killer’s new identity and whereabouts, she is accused of revealing his new name online. But what exactly is she guilty of, and what is she capable of doing in her son’s name?
Craig Myers (Harkness) is a hard working family man from Greenock who becomes the victim of a vicious attack after being branded online as a notorious child murderer living under a new identity. Is he simply the tragic victim of mistaken identity, or the convicted murderer he’s suspected of being? Karla Crome (Misfits, The Level) plays Craig’s wife, Rebecca.
Exciting rising star James Harkness is also starring in the production, which has a distinguished cast including Jamie Sives, Karla Crome, Ramon Tikaram, Cal MacAninch, Chloe Pirrie and Isis Hainsworth.
James says, “The character of Craig gives me a fantastic opportunity to play someone faced with incredible circumstances. Rob’s writing takes Craig to lots of different places in his life. I feel very lucky to be telling this story. I can’t wait to start.”
The series opens on Day One of a criminal trial in Edinburgh’s High Court and follows the legal proceedings in the present, while also reaching back over the previous five months leading up to the trial.
Viewers will also meet D.I. Steven Grover (Hannah), a dedicated policeman investigating the attack on Craig, but who has his own demons to contend with.
John says of his character, “It is great to be back filming in Scotland especially as Rob has delivered in D I Grover an exquisitely drawn character. On first appearance he seems pretty straight forward but I'm pleased to report that audiences will soon find out that this is far from the case”.
Along the way, new evidence will be revealed and long buried secrets unearthed as the story builds to a final, devastating climax and the truth is finally revealed.
Elizabeth Kilgarriff, BBC Senior Commissioning Editor, said: “Bold, original and constantly surprising – The Victim showcases perfectly our ambition for Scottish Drama. Rob’s brilliant scripts will be brought to life by an extraordinary cast that features the wonderful Kelly Macdonald and John Hannah, whilst introducing James Harkness and other exciting rising Scottish stars to the BBC One audience”.