In episode 2 of The House Across the Street, there was a staggering development that rocked Claudia (Shirley Henderson) to her core.
The new Channel 5 series, which premiered on 17th October, focuses on the sudden disappearance of a young child from a small community – and one woman who becomes obsessed with finding her.
A lonely single mother recovering from cancer, Claudia find herself alienated from her son and overlooked by her community. That is until local child Emily Winter goes missing, when Claudia steps up to lead the search efforts and everything changes.
And in the show’s latest episode, Henderson’s character couldn’t believe what she saw.
Claudia was woken one night by the sound of a car engine, prompting her to head over to her bedroom window and take a look. To her horror, it was George (Craig Parkinson) with the pink bike that belonged to Emily Winter, who was found dead in episode 1.
It’s a doubly devastating moment for Claudia given that she’d grown close with the teacher in the short time they’d known one another, with the pair bonding over their shared experiences.
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Reacting to the twist, Henderson told RadioTimes.com: “It’s so, so sad. You’re thinking, ‘Oh my God, don’t let him have something to do with this.’
“She really likes him, so she’s sad, although I think she’s attracted to him in a way that she maybe doesn’t want to be. It’s a mucky setup. And she’s scared, very scared that somebody that she’s gotten close with could have done something bad.”
On what to expect from the upcoming two episodes, which air on Monday and Tuesday next week (24th and 25th October), Henderson teased: “Misconceptions and panic. She’s got new people in her life that are vital to her, that she never even knew existed a short while ago.
“They have slightly taken over her world, or she’s allowed them in and within that, there’s danger and a lot of accusations, and torment. She’s almost tormenting herself, physically and mentally, and imagining things that are maybe never going to be, and can’t possibly be. And she is affecting people in the wrong way.”
She added: “There is a richer history to a lot of the characters than what you see in the first two episodes. We’ll get some backstory and there are secrets to be unlocked. I would say don’t take people at face value.
“What we’re not trying to do is hoodwink the audience. I would hope the audience would not feel that George has too much to hide.”
The House Across the Street continues on Monday 24th October at 9pm on Channel 5. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our TV Guide or visit our dedicated Drama hub for the latest news.
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