Hunting Alice Bell star Alexandra Roach has opened up on what fans can expect from the new psychological thriller which begins on Channel 4 tonight. The first episode titled Mistaken Identity airs on Wednesday (November 11) and the synopsis reads: "Fran Da Silva’s ordinary life is blown apart when a sudden act of vandalism marks the beginning of something far more unsettling than random trouble."
"Online whispers quickly turn into accusations. Strangers and colleagues start looking at Fran differently. Could she truly be Britain’s Most Hated woman? Alice Bell was the lover of serial killer Dr. Jason Nash. She falsified evidence and let his killing streak continue. And now people think Fran is her."
"As Fran struggles to understand why she's become a target, she learns that she’s not alone. There are other women. And it's time for them to clear their name."
Why the series drew in Alexandra Roach
Speaking about what originally attracted her to join the series, Alexandra, who plays Fran Da Silva, said: "It's a gripping psychological thriller, but what makes it unique is that the story is told through a woman whose life changes overnight."
"Fran has a very stable, normal life, and suddenly everything is different. She has to reckon with that and decide whether to use her voice, and what it might cost her."
"I found it thrilling. I read the first three episodes and immediately wanted to know what happened next. It's challenging to watch, too, because it feels so close to reality."
Twists, turns, and a demanding schedule
Alexandra also let slip there's loads of twists and turns throughout the series. She revealed: "I had to keep asking, 'Where are we in the story?'. There are so many twists, and the suspicion shifts between different people, so it was a challenge to keep track of that and work out how to play the intrigue."
"The pace was intense, too. We were shooting around 13 pages a day, and the subject matter meant there was a lot to hold on to."
Working with co-star Rudi Dharmalingam
Alexandra went on to open up about her working relationship with co-star Rudi Dharmalingam who plays Fran's love interest, Nick. She said: "I loved working with Rudi. The schedule was intense, and we were thrown together in Ireland, so we had to make it work. He was very open to working out their relationship."
"There's so much love between them. Nick was married before, and his first wife died. Then he and Fran found each other and fell completely in love."
"They came together as a blended family, and they have a little baby. They're happy with their life; there’s a lot of humour and love in the house. And then all of that changes."
Hunting Alice Bell starts Wednesday, November 11 at 9pm on Channel 4.
