John Hannah plays ex-detective Dennis Govan in Channel 5's new drama Benidorm is Murder. The show, described as a "cosy crime" thriller, follows Govan who relocates to Benidorm in retirement but is drawn back into investigating when tourists start turning up dead. He teams up with aspiring actress Rosa, played by Carolina Bécquer, who becomes his unlikely sidekick.
The drama is written by Ian Jarvis, who worked on Death in Paradise and its spin-off Beyond Paradise.
Speaking about his character, John said: "I mean he is broken. He’s sitting on the side-lines in this bar, not sure what he’s doing, not really trying to make anything happen because he’s tried that, and it all failed. He’s found a bush and he’s crawled into it. He’s miserable. But given the breaks he’s had staying out of the sunshine drinking beer seems like a decent way to go. And then like life, when you least expect it, something happens and Rosa walks through the door. She’s the catalyst for everything that happens, and she is fantastic."
John Hannah's TV career
Dennis Govan is one of many detective roles John has played. He has portrayed Sergeant Murray in Sandokan, Jack Cloth in A Touch of Cloth, and Inspector Rebus in Rebus. Reflecting on how Dennis compares to previous characters, John noted: "I’ve played 13 or 14 TV detectives. We counted them up. I think Dennis has got a better sense of humour than most of the characters I’ve played."
He added: "DI Jack Cloth in A Touch of Cloth was funny, but he didn’t know it. There were times with this where I felt I was almost getting a little bit Cloth-like. But where Jack never knew he was being ridiculous and that was what was funny I think Dennis has a sense of humour, albeit perhaps a black sense of humour. He takes his joy where he can find it, a little bit like myself."
Beyond detective roles, the Scottish actor is best known for Four Weddings and a Funeral (BAFTA nomination), The Mummy series, Spartacus, Sliding Doors, and Overboard. He also starred in Transplant, The Victim, Trust Me, Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency, and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. John is the narrator of BBC's Race Across the World.
Who is John Hannah's wife, Joanna Roth?
John has been married to actress Joanna Roth since 1996. They met at the National Theatre while performing opposite each other in Measure For Measure. The couple have twins, Gabriel and Astrid, now 22. John revealed that Joanna visited him on the set of Benidorm is Murder: "My wife came out for a couple of weekends. That was nice."
Joanna Roth is known for playing Ophelia in the 1990 film Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead. Her television roles include Helen Kennedy in Two Thousand Acres of Sky, Judge Newland in New Street Law, Bridget Manuel in In Plain Sight, and Jessica Peterson in Damaged. She has also done voiceover work for video games such as Final Fantasy and Dragon Age.
When does Benidorm is Murder start?
Benidorm is Murder begins on Channel 5 on Thursday, July 30 at 9pm.
