Wreck creator on first episode’s shock death: 'That was day 1'

He doesn't anticipate that the vessel contains a serial killer, who disguises themselves in the attire of the holiday company's signature mascot: a creepy duck in a bright yellow trench coat.

Following in the tradition of the slasher genre's most iconic entries, Wreck's first episode ends with a dark 'sting' in which a character – who seemed set for major role – meets a grisly end.

Creator Ryan J Brown broke down the twist in an exclusive conversation with RadioTimes.com. Be warned: spoilers follow!

Peaky Blinders and Noughts + Crosses star Jack Rowan, who plays the cruise ship's resident drug dealer Danny Jones, is the first person to be picked off by slasher villain Quacky in Wreck episode 1.

Head writer Brown explained kicking things off with a major death was always part of the plan.

"That was like day one," he said. "I always wanted somebody with some profile and somebody very recognisable to slaughter at the end of the episode.

"Somebody that you thought, 'Okay, this could be someone we're setting up as the primary antagonist for the series,' and I just love the surprise. It was totally also a reference and a nod to Scream and to Psycho as well."

A self-proclaimed horror super fan, Brown went on to say that crafting the show's gory death sequences was a clear highlight of the writing process – and don't expect them to get any less extreme from here.

"It’s the best part," he added. "And once I knew that our director [Chris Baugh] has a horror background and… everyone involved is very horror-minded, I knew I could throw the craziest s**t at them and they would be able to make it work.

"We kind of always thought about those sequences as big, dramatic, choreographed; we storyboarded those sequences the most out of everything, and made sure that there was at least one in every episode as well. They're so fun to write."

If you're itching to find out what happens next after that shock cliffhanger, you don't have long to wait! Wreck episode 2 airs on BBC Three tomorrow night.

Wreck airs on Sundays and Mondays at 10pm on BBC Three. Catch up on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Comedy coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.

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