Millions tuned in to watch Bob Servant creator Neil Forsyth’s new BBC series over the weekend.
‘The Gold’, created by the Bafta award-winning writer from Broughty Ferry, began on Sunday evening.
The six-part series covers the 1983 Brink’s-Mat robbery, when six men broke into a security depot near London’s Heathrow Airport.
£26 million worth of gold bullion was taken from the scene, making it the biggest theft in world history.
Neil said: “There were four million people who tuned in to the first episode and now all episodes are on the iPlayer so I hope we’ll see a lot more giving it a watch.
“The reaction has been fantastic and I’m delighted with how it has ended up.”
He added: “People have been trying to create a show about the robbery for years.
“I was approached to help write a story which was initially for a movie.
“I felt that there was too much in the story to have it crammed into a film and proposed that it would be made into a television series.
“It was a long but great process.”
Neil Forsyth’s ‘dream cast’ for The Gold
The show boasts big name actors, including Downton Abbey’s Hugh Bonneville and Mamma Mia star Dominic Cooper.
It filled the 9pm slot previously occupied by police drama Happy Valley, which finished last week with 7.5 million viewers.
Neil said: “I didn’t really have anyone in mind when I was writing the show, I just wanted to make sure I was getting the scripts in good shape to send out.”
“I’m delighted with the cast we have. I’ve been wanting to work with Jack Lowden who plays Kenny Noye for a long time. He should be the next James Bond.
“I was able to have actors that I have already worked with too. Emun Elliot is in ‘Guilt’ and fellow Dundee United fan Robin Laing is also in the show.”
Following a busy 2022, Neil is looking forward to a calmer year.
He said: “We have finished up on the third and final series of ‘Guilt’ which will be out in April.
“I’ve also just finished on a film called ‘Dance First’ which is a biopic on the Irish novelist Samuel Beckett.
“It was fairly busy last year so I’m excited to be spending more time at home writing things that may hopefully go into production next year.”
Conversation