Vigil writer speaks out on twist after major character death in first episode

After a row with his superior in the opening scenes, Burke is ordered to end his shift, and next thing we know he's found dead in his bunk, apparently as the result of a heroin overdose.

Of course, this being a thriller, there's rather more to his death than meets the eye – but the decision to kill off an actor as accomplished and popular as Compston at the very start is a brave move in itself.

Speaking exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the decision to cast Compston in the role, writer Tom Edge explains, "Our production company, World has almost developed a reputation for killing extremely good actors before the final credits have run on the first episode – I'm sure one day the entire announced cast of one of their shows will be killed within 30 seconds!

"But actually, what we really needed from that character is somebody who is good enough to make a really indelible mark with the limited time that they have on the screen," he says. "And certainly Martin can do that. I don't want to spoil anything, but I also feel like it's more than that, his ghost sort of hangs over the series as a whole."

So it looks like Compston's character will continue to affect the drama from beyond the grave. Edge adds, "I think his voice and his intention and ultimately the reason behind his death... I think they go a long way with it. And hopefully, he is a character who you feel like you have a relationship with right until the final moments. We knew we wanted someone great to take that on and yes, he really was."

Asked how Compston felt about taking on the role Edge says: "You know what, even though there were limitations to how much we were filming with him because of the nature of what happens to him, his approach was still really exacting. And we had a really good dialogue about the nature of the video messages that he leaves. And he worked really hard and was really precise.

• For the latest news and expert tips on getting the best deals this year, take a look at our Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday 2021 guides.

"And I think that came from knowing not only that he's a really committed actor who was always going to do a great job, but those scenes had to make an enormous impact compared to the time he would be on screen. So I'm really grateful to him for taking that on."

Want more Vigil content? Find out who sings the Vigil theme song or discover where Vigil is filmed with our location guide.

Vigil continues on BBC One on Monday 30th August at 9pm. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV Guide or visit our Drama hub for the latest news.