Endeavour star Shaun Evans has explained his decision to retain his natural Liverpool accent in the new ITV drama Betrayal, where he plays MI5 officer John Hughes. The actor, who was born in Merseyside, previously used his Scouse tones in the serial killer thriller Until I Kill You, portraying real-life killer John Sweeney.
In Betrayal, Evans takes the lead as John Hughes, a seasoned MI5 operative navigating a rapidly shifting intelligence world while juggling domestic challenges. The series follows Hughes as he investigates a potential terror plot linked to Manchester gangland, leading to a collision with his superiors and a struggle with his own mental health after killing a man.
Evans told Radio Times that he wanted to lean into the class element for the series, noting: 'We expect MI5 officers to be from Oxbridge, but it's no longer the case.' He added that playing a character with his own accent required more effort to make the leap, saying: 'When you first started, I wanted to play parts far away from me... In a weird way, when you play someone with your own accent, you have to work harder to make the leap.'
The actor expressed his delight at returning to ITV with the project, calling it 'exceptionally well written and timely.' The drama also stars Anna Maxwell Martin and explores themes of loyalty, mental health, and the evolving nature of national security threats.
