ITV's new crime thriller The Dark premieres this weekend, but one 'very gross' detail was cut from the final edit, according to actor Tunji Kasim. The six-part series, adapted from GR Halliday's novel From the Shadows, follows detective Monica Kennedy as she hunts a serial killer in the Scottish wilderness.
Cut Scene Involves a Crow and Vomit
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Record, Kasim disclosed: 'There was a stage direction in the first script about a crow pecking. This is very gross. I don't think it made it into the final cut necessarily, but a crow pecking the vomit of an engineer that finds the first body.' Kasim praised the writing, saying such details 'created the world' and showed 'fantastic writing.'
Plot and Cast
The official synopsis reads: 'When the body of a young man is found eerily staged in the idyllic Scottish wilderness, detective Monica Kennedy fears this is just the beginning of a terrifying campaign that will strike the heart of a rural community. As paranoia rises, suspicions and secrets are forced into the light, and the locals start to realise that there is a serial killer hidden amongst them.'
Laura Donnelly stars as Monica Kennedy, with Mark Rowley as DC Conor Crawford, Tunji Kasim as Michael Bach, Helen Baxendale as Bethany Morgan, and Emun Elliott as Barclay Adams. Kasim's character, a social worker, faces scrutiny after a young man in his care goes missing.
Why the Cast Was Drawn to the Series
Emun Elliott, who plays the missing boy's stepfather, said: 'Initially I just liked the title, and it does not shy away from the darker elements of the story. It's properly thrilling. What attracted me to it was what the events of the story do to the community, and to the characters within it, and the effect that has on them.' He also noted the appeal of working with director Giles Bannier, known for Blue Lights.
Broadcast Schedule
The Dark begins on ITV1 at 9pm on Sunday, July 12. The second episode airs Monday, July 13 at 9pm, with subsequent episodes on Sundays and Mondays until the finale on Monday, July 27. All six episodes are available for free on ITVX.
