Freddy Syborn interview
Writer Freddy Syborn says it was a dream come true to work with League Of Gentlemen stars Steve Pemberton and Jeremy Dyson on Series 2 of Bounty Hunters.
How excited were you to get working on the show again?
I was very pleased people seemed to like it. We tried to do something ambitious with the series, hoping to make a comedy with action set pieces and a thriller-style plot. So it was great to know that our audience wants to find out what happens next.
Did you already have an idea of where the show was going to go during Series 1?
To an extent. We left it on a good cliffhanger. We wanted to put Barnaby and Nina's relationship through the ringer. We also knew, I think, where we'd ultimately like Barnaby to end up. If the first series deals with his relationship with his father, this one gives him some closure.
You've worked with Jack Whitehall before, why do you think you work so well together?
A lot of the time, we think in different but complimentary ways about the stories we want to tell, but we also have the same sense of humour. Plus we know each other so well by this point we can complete each other's sentences, which is helpful when we're taking turns typing.
What's different about this second series, what can the audience expect and how does it develop?
From a writing perspective, second series are much easier than first ones. You know what worked and what didn't, what you want to try and make work, and what you're like, 'why did we ever think that was a good idea?'
So we tried to learn some lessons from Series 1. We've stripped some of the plot back to really focus on Barnaby and Nina, everything we can get from these two great performers and our wonderful supporting cast.
Do you let the cast collaborate with suggestions for their characters?
Yes, definitely. It's really great fun. Rosie Perez, Charity Wakefield and Sophie Thompson are all phenomenal. They were incredibly useful and supportive during the process.
Were you excited to hear that Steve Pemberton would be joining the cast?
It was mind-blowing. He is one of the greats; I can't think of many other actors on British telly whose work I watch by default. Working with Jeremy Dyson was also brilliant. Both Jack and I grew up loving The League Of Gentlemen, so to write an episode with Jeremy featuring Steve was very literally a dream come true. For me, the League has never been bettered.
What would you like the audience to take away from Series 2?
Hopefully people enjoy it, find it exciting, provocative and possibly touching, too, if that's not asking for too much! Certainly Rosie and Jack's performances are brilliant and our director Toby Macdonald is wonderful, so I think people are in for a good time!
What makes Bounty Hunters different from other comedy dramas?
We've tried to make a comedy drama/thriller with a dynamic plot and huge action set pieces, that's probably what differentiates it the most.
What's the most challenging thing about writing this show?
I think finding the balance between drama and comedy, making sure the ambition doesn't get in the way of clarity of the story or the humour.