Vicky McClure noticed a “big thing” that bugged viewers of the first season.
Vicky McClure has addressed a major criticism of her Trigger Point character that left many viewers “screaming at the telly”.
The actor plays Lana Washington, an explosives officer for the Metropolitan Police, who spends seasons 1 and 2 racing across London in an attempt to save innocent lives from a terrorist campaign.
Executively produced by Jed Mercurio, the series aims to offer a relatively realistic portrayal of life in this utterly nerve-shredding job, but one element depicted in the first season left viewers scratching their heads.
Whenever Lana would approach an explosive device, she would take off her protective helmet, which some decried as unrealistic or just plain silly. However, this protocol is actually advised in certain real-life situations.
McClure explained: “The helmet thing was a big thing last time – everyone was screaming at the telly asking why on earth Lana was taking her helmet off in dangerous situations.
“I had to keep explaining that if she kept it on and the bomb went off that close it wouldn’t protect her. If she takes it off, it is less distracting and won’t knock a potential device or obscure her vision.”
The former Line of Duty and Without Sin star spent time with Joel Snarr, a bomb disposal expert and Afghanistan veteran, who explained how some of the explosive devices depicted in the show operate in real-life.
McClure added: “It’s nice to understand them a bit more, and interesting to see how simple some of these devices are, as often they are not as complex as you might think.
Read more:
- Peter Capaldi: Police drama Criminal Record had to tackle racism, misogyny
- The Avengers reboot in the works with Industry and Sex Education talent
“They all look different, they come in so many shapes and sizes, and they’re found in so many obscure places. Some are hoaxes and they’re set up to look like they are bigger than they really are, so there’s a lot of gameplay and mind games.”
The Trigger Point cast also includes Nabil Elouahabi (Blue Lights), Eric Shango (Suspicion), Mark Stanley (Happy Valley), Kerry Godliman (After Life), Kris Hitchen (Four Lives) and Kevin Eldon (Sanditon).
Trigger Point returns to ITV1 and ITVX in January. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what’s on.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 10 issues for only £10 – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.