Elen Rhys has revealed the brutal reality of filming the S4C crime drama Cleddau in Wales, saying she needed three hot water bottles and two coats to cope with freezing conditions during a night shoot that ran throughout January.
The Welsh actress, who returns as DI Ffion Lloyd in the second series launching on S4C and BBC iPlayer on October 11, said the cast and crew battled rain and cold temperatures while filming dramatic night-time scenes in the depths of winter.
Challenging January night shoots
"Because of the genre, they want to film over the winter months," Elen said. "But we did a night shoot running all through January, and I think it rained every day, January this year."
"So that's hard, because obviously you want the nighttime for the atmosphere and the nuance of the piece, but it was really tough because we were battling the elements."
Elen described the January shoots as some of the toughest she has experienced, particularly as the weather was so important to creating the atmosphere of the crime drama. "It was just not good," she said. "I'd say that was probably the most challenging night shoots in the bleak, bleak January."
Extreme contrast with warmer filming
The actress joked about the stark contrast between filming Cleddau in Wales and another detective drama she worked on in much warmer conditions. Elen recalled sharing a picture of herself while filming abroad in Spain and New York during July and August, when temperatures were so high that she was left soaked with sweat after stepping out of a police car.
"There's another picture of me in Wales with three hot water bottles and two coats," she said. "It's like the extreme difference."
Darker case in series two
Elen returns to Cleddau as DI Ffion Lloyd following the success of the first series, which became a major hit for S4C. The second series sees Ffion facing a much darker and more personal case after a woman's body is discovered in the River Cleddau.
The police team begins to suspect that a killer is using a dating app to lure victims — and there is an unsettling connection for Ffion, as it is the same app she has been using while attempting to move forward with her own love life.
As the investigation develops, Ffion is also forced to confront a traumatic period from her past. Her complicated relationship with Rick, played by Richard Harrington, remains unresolved. Rick is now separated and single, adding another layer to Ffion's already complicated personal life.
As Ffion's work and personal relationships begin to collide, she takes a risk that could put both the investigation and her career in jeopardy.
Record-breaking success
The first series of Cleddau proved hugely successful, achieving record iPlayer sessions for an S4C drama series and becoming one of S4C's most popular dramas of recent years. The series also picked up Best Drama at the RTS Cymru Wales Awards, while Elen was nominated for Best Actress at the BAFTA Cymru Awards.
Cleddau is filmed back-to-back in Welsh and English, with the English-language version titled The One That Got Away. Series two of Cleddau launches on S4C and BBC iPlayer on October 11.
