The Split creator reveals unlikely inspiration for Barcelona specials
A popular ITV reality series provided part of the inspiration for the upcoming episodes.
After initially only planning on a three-season run, The Split creator Abi Morgan has opened up about the unlikely source of inspiration for her Spain-based specials.
The Split: Barcelona sees the Defoe family return two years later for a two-part outing this Christmas, which sees the formidable divorce lawyers leave the office behind as they travel abroad to celebrate the marriage of Nathan (Stephen Mangan) and Hannah’s daughter (Nicola Stern), Liv (Elizabeth Roberts).
Back when she was writing the feature-length specials, Morgan took inspiration from the series that she enjoys watching, including a popular ITV reality series.
"The BBC have always been incredibly supportive of the show and they suggested the idea of a special, as a way to get this family together again that doesn’t demand the commitment to six episodes," Morgan told RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview.
"Very quickly, I thought about those beautiful shows abroad that I love, from The White Lotus through to Mamma Mia and Love Island," she revealed.
"There is something about the escapism of a beautiful city, another country that has a similar but different culture and Spain felt very immediate to us."
Morgan was also keen to explore this family dynamic in a more relaxed environment, away from the corporate world of Noble, Hale Defoe.
She explained: "We liked the idea of taking this family out of the place that they're known for and out of the urban slick environment, the cool aesthetic of London and that high-end end of divorce."
"What would happen if you saw them on their downtime? We play that all the time. We see them in their homes and we see them behind the scenes of the office. But one thing about going away for a destination wedding and the perfect three-act structure of it; the arrival and the pre-drinks, the hen night and then the wedding itself.
“The will they or won't they, and then taking that through into the aftermath and actually what is the way forward? Will they stay together and how is that going to end?”
Read more:
- The Split creator teases future of show after Barcelona specials
- The Split's Nicola Walker says series return "genuinely felt like a gift"
Morgan felt "really lucky" that all the actors returned for the sequel to continue Hannah (Nicola Stern) and the surrounding families' stories.
"It was really important to me that we ended the third series with a sense of hope and with a sense that [Hannah] wasn't dependent on another relationship," she added.
"It was really about this woman finding herself and giving herself time to work out what she wants as she comes out of a relationship."
In the specials, Morgan wanted to explore the next stage of Hannah’s life without her husband of 30 years, when her adult children have left home.
"What's this next phase in her life going to look like? I felt just irresistible to be able to come back and capture that moment," she added.
"I think that's what we're doing – we’re capturing these three brilliant, crazy, funny, painful, tender few days with this family as they regroup and fall apart and then rebuild each other up again."
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The Split: Barcelona will air on BBC One at 9pm on 29th and 30th December. Both episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer from 29th December.
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