Unforgotten: ITV release trailer for series four
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Sanjeev Bhaskar, who stars as DI Sunil ’Sunny’ Khan, will be joined by Sinéad Keenan as DCI Jessica James when ITV’s Unforgotten returns for a fifth series. Speaking to Express.co.uk and other press, Sanjeev opened up on the reaction the show received following the decision to kill off DCI Cassie Stuart (Nicola Walker).
Sanjeev praised Unforgotten’s “loyal” audience as he reflected on the support he’s received over the years.
He remarked: “It’s an extraordinary feeling because when you make it you can’t envisage the audience and you can’t imagine them.
“You’re trying to do the best you can, with the people around you. ‘Do we think this is as good as we can do it?’ And then after that you don’t own it anymore.”
Sanjeev went on to recall one unsatisfied viewer’s memorable criticism.
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“My favourite criticism of the show was on Twitter, somebody from America tweeted me and said, ‘This show stinks. These guys are terrible. I watch shows where they solve a murder every week. You guys take six hours, one murder,’” he shared.
“I went, ‘You’re right, we’re really incompetent, it’s not for you.
“But the people who have got into it have been incredibly loyal.
“It’s a weird thing to imagine people in other countries for instance, with their lives and what they do, the cheeses they eat, the dogs they have and they’re watching the same show and appreciating it.”
“It’s an extraordinary thing. It’s wonderful and humbling for me,” Sanjeev added.
The Unforgotten star revealed he was “excited” for Sunny to develop a relationship with newcomer Jess following Cassie’s death.
“I was shocked four times,” he said of Nicola’s exit. “I was shocked when Nicola told me what was going to happen to her character, and then I read it in the script, and then we filmed it, and then I saw it.
“Each time it was shocking but also dramatically, I think that’s where they wanted to take the character and I get that from a storytelling point of view.”
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“Beyond that, what happens to those characters and this new character coming in is interesting, because it’s not the same show anymore,” he continued.
“This is in a new territory with new dynamics and new relationships.
“I think all of the relationships that Sunny has in this even with characters previously are changed and so that’s interesting because it feels like it’s a new story, it’s a different story.
“It’s a continuing story rather than retreading the same ground.”
Sanjeev said: “I would have thought the easy thing to do would be to bring in another character who was exactly like Cassie Stewart, and have the same relationship and dynamics.”
The Unforgotten star admitted he thought this “would have been the worst thing to do”.
“It wouldn’t have been interesting to an audience but to bring in a character that’s different and also, just to bring in someone who is glorious,” Sanjeev added.
“It’s just a wonderful thing to watch people just being brilliant. I love it.”
Unforgotten airs on ITV.
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