Jill Halfpenny says it was "fun" playing "ridiculous" The Cuckoo character
The Cuckoo is airing on Channel 5 this week.
Jill Halfpenny has admitted that while her character Sian in Channel 5's The Cuckoo is "ridiculous", it was a fun experience to dip her toes into the world of the enigmatic lodger.
Speaking about the new four-part series, which continues this week, Halfpenny told press: "Sometimes she’s ridiculous, and it was fun to play somebody like that. But just because she does bad things, it doesn’t mean she’s a terrible person.
"We know how people struggle with mental health, and Sian is obviously struggling with her version of reality.
"It was easy for me to find empathy with her, because I know that people can completely convince themselves of something if they want it to be true - they just doggedly follow that idea to the end."
Exactly what's to come in the upcoming episodes of the Channel 5 drama remains a mystery for now, but the first episode certainly gave us a taste of the tensions to come as Sian moved in with Nick, Jessica and their teenage daughter Alice.
It's clear the family are in dire straits when it comes to their financial situation, and in an exclusive RadioTimes.com teaser of the premiere episode, Sian easily manages to worm her way into the family's lives by seeming to be in the right place at the right time.
From the first episode alone, it's clear that Nick (played by Lee Ingleby) isn't exactly happy with his new living situation, and doesn't welcome the prospect of Sian moving in – but will he come to change his mind, or does he have a genuine hunch?
We'll just have to tune in this week to see how it all unfolds, but The Cuckoo is lining up to be the kind of series you may be left shouting and screaming at, according to its stars.
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Halfpenny also told press: "It might feel familiar because there’s a nod to an older type of show that you might have watched when you were in your teens, and it’s intense, but we’re not out to rip you to pieces. It’s entertaining. And people will shout at the telly!
"You’ll have moments where you’re in complete disbelief watching people behave in a certain way."
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Ingleby also said: "People will definitely be shouting at the TV during this show, because you just can’t help but get involved, and when you get involved you end up screaming!
"It got to a point where I’d be filming a big scene just wondering what the Goggleboxers would say about it. I'm sure there'll be a few wrangling fists, rolling eyes and clenched teeth!"
The synopsis for The Cuckoo reveals that Sian "immediately begins sowing discord within the family – acting too familiar with Nick, borrowing Jessica’s clothes, and building an increasingly inappropriate rapport with Alice".
It continues: "Jessica begins to question if Sian is really who she claims to be. Quickly, she realises something more insidious and twisted is going on - and Jessica, Nick and Alice will be forced to fight for each other and their own lives."
The Cuckoo continues on Tuesday 9th April on Channel 5 at 9pm.
Check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
