SAS Rogue Heroes stars on meeting their characters' real-life relatives

Two additional new characters fans will get to know in season 2 are John Tonkin and Jock McDiarmid, played by Jack Barton and Mark Rowley respectively, who are based on real-life figures who were part of the SAS during the Second World War.

When joining the series, Barton and Rowley both spent time researching the lives of Tonkin and McDiarmid - and met their real-life families in the process.

Speaking about the research he did, Barton said when speaking exclusively with RadioTimes.com: "We had Ben Macintyre's book, which is just a godsend, such a well-written, but also just informative, deeply detailed account of all of these guys’ lives within the SAS during that time in the SAS.

"I think at the beginning of any job I'm super anxious to do a good job, especially going into real-life characters.

"I spent a lot of time burrowing into the corners of the web to find his obituary or anything and talked, amazingly, to Jane Storey, his daughter, who lives out in Australia now."

Barton continued: "It was lovely and was really, really helpful, and gave me loads of information, her blessing, all this stuff.

"I did all of that stuff, but at the end of the day, I think in a way some of it can get in the way, even when that's the thing that provides you an access point.

Read more:

• SAS Rogue Heroes star Connor Swindells wasn't meant to return for season 2
• SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 first-look trailer teases explosive new episodes

"It can get in the way because it's too heavy or whatever. So very quickly I realised I had to let that go and just, I guess, trust everyone else."

Meanwhile, Rowley admitted that he, at first, struggled in his own research as there's "not a lot out there on the internet", but revealed that it was "two months into filming that production managed to put me in touch with the family".

He continued: "So when I got in touch with the family - and you know what it's like, you shoot out of sequence anyway - so I had made that direct choice of what I had and what the book was talking about, and what I could find online of who he was and how he could fit into this gang. So I had an idea of the flavour of it.

"But then when I talked to the family, I was like, 'Oh, OK, I'm on the right track.' Maybe he's not a swearer in real life. And a lot of people are gonna get a shock, but I think that is part and parcel, isn't it?

"So I've definitely taken a flavour of his courageousness. When he got a medal in France, it's really interesting, they said this: 'He has a complete disregard for personal safety. So he will go above and beyond for his friends.' I'm like, 'Wow, what a guy.'

"So even though a machine gun nest is trying to shoot him up, he's still finding this machine gun nest so he can let his friends get away. That's courageousness."

The second season of SAS Rogue Heroes will see the SAS now under the command of Paddy Mayne, and leading the fight as their focus turns from North Africa to Europe, and an incursion into Italy.

SAS Rogue Heroes season 2 will air at 9pm on New Year's Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, while season 1 is available on BBC iPlayer now.

If you're looking for something else to watch, visit our TV Guide or take a look at the rest of our Drama coverage. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.