You’s Charlotte Ritchie on why she was “nervous” about season 4 role
"It was a different kind of character than I’d played, maybe ever."
The time is finally here for You season 4 to (once again) become the TV series that keeps everyone guessing and talking till the very end.
As well as boasting a brand new location, this new instalment welcomes a cast of new characters and sees Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley) become a reluctant detective when members of his newfound English elite friendship group are killed one by one.
One of the season's new main cast members, and someone who gives Joe a definite run for his money, is Charlotte Ritchie's Kate.
While many will likely recognise Ritchie for her roles in Call the Midwife, Ghosts and Fresh Meat, the English actress revealed that she was initially "nervous" coming into the Netflix series as Kate.
Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com, when asked about stepping into such a major role in You season 4, Ritchie said: "It’s a comfy state to be slightly nervous but I was very. I don’t think I quite realised the scale of the show beforehand."
More like this
She continued: "Also, it was a different kind of character than I’d played, maybe ever. That was the thing I was most fixated on was working out how that was going to be, how I was going to manage that.”
She explained that acting alongside Badgley and Tilly Keeper in particular has “been heaven, I have to say”.
Her character, Kate, is Joe's next obsession in the new season – but it's unlike previous storylines, where our problematic protagonist is solely obsessed with one woman that he manages to charm easily.
Kate is a highly-educated, wealthy art gallery director who is cold and abrasive when she first meets Joe, an attitude that continues throughout much of the fourth season.
Speaking about reading the script for her character for the first time, Ritchie says: “I was really chuffed at the beginning because Kate seems to see Joe for who he is. She immediately thinks this guy’s not good."
Read more:
While her new character is "so cold" and shows "no emotion, she doesn't give anything away", Ritchie does tease that there will be "a bit more of her vulnerability" on display the further we get into the season.
"It was lovely to see that because she’s so cold and the big note for her was 'no emotion'," she says.
In the new season, former EastEnders actress Keeper plays Kate's long-time best friend, Lady Phoebe, a very wealthy and ever-friendly London socialite.
Speaking about the new role to RadioTimes.com, Keeper said: “There were nerves but I was just really excited to play this character. I was doubly excited when I found out I was playing [Charlotte's] mate.”
"Phoebe’s a bit of a love of her life," Ritchie adds about the on-screen dynamic between Kate and Lady Phoebe.
While the events of the season most certainly revolve around Joe and the new murder-mystery that is plaguing his every move in London, Ritchie is a mainstay of the fourth season, providing the blunt, straight-talking character many fans have been hoping for.
Will she stand up to be a match for Joe? We'll just have to wait and see.
By entering your details, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and privacy policy. You can unsubscribe at any time.
You season 4 part 1 is out now on Netflix, while part 2 will land on Thursday 9th March. Seasons 1-3 are streaming now. Sign up for Netflix from £6.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight.
Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home – subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.
