Interview: Vicky McClure
The Line of Duty star talks to Janet Christie about playing it for laughs in new ITV comedy Action Team and finding roles which reflect working class Britain. Portrait by Debra Hurford Brown
Mesmerising’, ‘gripping’, ‘steely’, are the kind of words used to describe Vicky McClure’s performances in her best known work to date, This is England, Broadchurch and Line of Duty. ‘Funny’, ‘laughs’ and ‘comedy’ don’t feature much. However, this is about to change with her first major comedy role in spoof spy thriller Action Team, from Murder In Successville’s Tom Davis and James DeFrond. Although even playing it for laughs, she’s still rocking the no-nonsense, stare you down vibe as a power mad head of MI6, Ruth Brooks.
“Yeah, I play Ruth who definitely likes to feel she’s in charge of everything and everyone, though that’s not quite the case,” says McClure. “She’s got her Action Team, but they’re not that good – that’s the comedy factor. Comedy is not something I’ve been associated with in people’s minds, so the audience have never seen this side of me. But I’m happy that they are now.”
After making her name in Shane Meadows’ A Room for Romeo Brass, she went on to star as Lol in his cult This is England films, and stayed on screen with record- breaking crime drama Broadchurch and hit thriller Line of Duty. Throw in her scary stary Paula in BBC’s The Replacement with Morven Christie, and a Victorian anarchist plotline of The Secret Agent with Toby Jones and Stephen Graham (also in This is England), and McClure’s heavyweight credentials are not in doubt.
Yet when she comes on the phone she’s relaxed and easy-going, apologising for snacking on chicken wings and pitta bread as we talk – she’s starving after an early start from her home town of Nottingham for the London press junket for the ITV show.
Action Team has been described as Austin Powers meets Spooks, with the comedy being played straight as the crack MI6 team, including Scottish Gunpowder actor Derek Riddell, tackle a terror threat.
“It’s not just a full-on comedy, there’s a narrative as well with surprises revealed as it goes along,” says McClure.
“Personally, I love watching comedy that’s played straight. And when the dialogue is so good, it’s very easy. You have to capture reality to feed the story but just go a little bit further, lift it a little bit and have some fun.”
