Crossfire adhered to "incredibly strict" gun safety rules
The creator of the BBC One drama revealed the safety measures they had to take on set.
New BBC One drama Crossfire is a nail-biting watch, with Keeley Hawes starring as a woman whose sunny holiday gets turned into a nightmare when gunmen suddenly open fire in the resort her and her family are staying in.
The trailer hinted the high-stakes series would feature plenty of action, and Crossfire writer and creator Louise Doughty said this meant the crew had to adhere to "incredibly strict" regulations.
Speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press, Doughty explained: "The safety regulations are, rightly, incredibly strict. I mean, we had the top armourer in the Canary Islands, he was on set at all times and would crack a gun open before he handed it to an actor, show the actor that the barrels were empty and, in fact, the rifles we used were blocked.
"I mean, they couldn't physically fire anything. But even so, the actors have to act as though they are in proper gun peril. And I don't think we can really underestimate what that must be like."
She added: "Keeley had to do a lot of running down corridors with a very heavy shotgun. And, you know, this was not, like, a pistol that she was dealing with, and it was hot, and it was exhausting."
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Doughty also explained the challenges presented by having children on set, and how the gun safety rules were there to protect them.
"I can't tell you the lengths we went to," she added, "and obviously, we had child actors on set, so we had to protect them from seeing the guns, and certainly never seeing one pointed at them.
"The safety rules were so strict, but there does come a point where the actors have to act, and that's a very serious thing. I mean, you know, these actors had to feel in peril for their lives. And that's a serious thing to do to people."
Additional reporting by Morgan Jeffery.
Crossfire continues on Wednesday 21st September 2022 at 9pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what's on tonight.
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