Monarch Of The Glen
Monarch Of The Glen
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cast and production credits . . . . . . . . .
Interviews with the cast
Susan Hampshire plays Molly . . . . . .
Alastair Mackenzie plays Archie . . . .
Dawn Steele plays Lexie . . . . . . . . .
Hamish Clark plays Duncan . . . . . . .
Alexander Morton plays Golly . . . . .
Lloyd Owen plays Paul . . . . . . . . . . .
Paul Freeman plays Andrew . . . . . . .
New faces in the Glen
Richenda Carey plays Lady Dorothy
Hermione Gulliford plays Hermione
Rae Hendrie plays Jessica . . . . . . . . .
Martin Compston plays Ewan . . . . .
Monarch Of The Glen
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
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31
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35
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44
44
45
46
Introduction
Monarch Of The Glen
returns to BBC One
the status quo as a returning Archie was, when
faced with their father’s stubborn traditionalism.
Then Molly, Glenbogle’s guardian angel, looks set to
spread her wings and fly in the face of expectation
– into the arms of a new man. Even Golly, the very
essence of the estate, whose loyalty and advice
have been food and drink to Archie, is beset by his
own family turmoil when his estranged daughter,
Jessica, returns.
Barbara McKissack, BBC Scotland’s Head of Drama,
explains: “We join Glenbogle in a new era, with
Archie and Lexie firmly at the helm, looking
forward rather than back.Viewers have wanted that
for so long and it’s lovely to see them together as
the couple everyone hoped they would become.
At last, an air of prosperity settles on the turreted,
Victorian edifice of Glenbogle, but within this lochside Lairdom it is family, not fortune, that is about
to pose problems. Although life has never been
sweeter for Archie and Lexie, the family MacDonald
has adjustments to make.
“The key thing that has changed for Archie is that
his problems have been solved,” explains series
producer Stephen Garwood. “But Archie, being
restless and adventurous, needs challenge.
“When the strain of putting Glenbogle into the
black is stripped away, he needs to find something
else – and his quest obviously leads him into
difficulties and dangers.”
Archie’s feverish pursuit of fulfilment is just part of
Monarch’s rich mix of laughter, tears, warmth and
wit. His hell-bent bid to regain some challenge in
his life has an impact on everyone close to him.The
solid ground of Glenbogle is on the move.
First, there is the seismic shift of coming to terms
with Paul. His newly-discovered half-brother shows
disturbing signs of being just as eager to overthrow
Monarch Of The Glen
“That leaves other characters to have a different
view of the world of Glenbogle and what they
contribute to it.This has always been a place
where, behind the scenes, lots of change happens
and where people find that they have been changed
by experience – this year is no exception.
“The family has been changed by Hector’s death, by
Paul’s arrival, by Molly’s new status in the house and
by Lexie and Archie’s new-found commitment to
each other. Now the established world order is
about to be completely thrown in the air –
anything could happen in terms of the future of
Glenbogle and how the whole dynasty continues.”
Adds Douglas Rae, executive producer at Ecosse
Films: “The community can shift and change as
people come and go.That gives us the opportunity
to bring in new characters, but in such a way that
people will see they’re not just bolted on.They
actually come in for a reason and there’s a reason
for them to stay.”
As followers of the show will already be aware, this
new series heralds Archie’s departure. Says Douglas:
“Clearly,Alastair has been an incredibly loyal and
wonderful performer over five series. But one has to
understand an actor’s desire to move on and take up
new challenges.”
28
Introduction
Stephen Garwood is keenly aware of the affection
fans hold for Monarch.“One of the challenges for us
has been to find a reason why Archie would leave the
two things he loves the most, Lexie and Glenbogle –
and we didn’t want to cheat the viewers.To split up
with her emotionally would be wrong.
“We’ve come up with a device that we think works
– but I can’t give it away,” he adds tantalisingly. “We
also looked for ways of bringing new characters
into the show and the most obvious place to find
them was under our nose.
Stephen adds: “They already exist in the community
and we haven’t really explored that area except in
guest stories from time to time. So, when the family
is forced to leave the house temporarily and go
into the village, we meet a new set of satellite
characters there.
“The village setting provides a wealth of
opportunities such as the rather hopeless, but
popular, policeman who has an unfaithful wife.There
are so many ways of discovering new people.”
One of the biggest changes for the family will be in
coming to terms with the return of Paul, the secret
son of Hector. But it will be even harder for this
independent outsider to accept his place in the
bosom of Glenbogle.
Another outsider about to make his mark is
Glasgow tearaway Ewan, played by multi-awardwinning actor Martin Compston, the young star of
Ken Loach’s film Sweet Sixteen. Says Barbara: “Martin
is an exceptional talent and he brings a whole new,
young generation to the cast.There’s also a lot of
urban chaos coming in with him.”
Stephen agrees. “Ewan has some lessons to learn
and will make some mistakes and win some hearts.
We’re dipping our toe in the water with this
character, but I have been really impressed with
what I’ve seen of Martin’s work – he joins a rank of
really strong actors and so it’s a great place for him
to learn his craft.”
For Douglas, Monarch’s success is simple. “It has
entered the folklore of television because, in
addition to the humour, there are genuine
emotional storylines affecting family members and
the community,” he says.
Stephen agrees: “Monarch is the perfect way to
spend a Sunday evening which will allow you to
laugh, maybe to cry and be entertained for an hour
in the company of old and new friends in some
wonderful scenery.”
“Beneath that ‘action man’ exterior is a little boy
who has never known what it’s like to have a family
and he wants to find a home,” says Stephen. “But
what he hasn’t quite worked out is what the
definition of home might be.
“He cuts a swathe across the whole tradition of
Glenbogle because, even though he wants to be
part of it, he doesn’t understand it. So that
inevitably puts him into conflict with Archie and,
later, with Lexie.”
www.bbc.co.uk/monarch
www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice
Adds Barbara: “Paul is the grit in the oyster for
them all this year. How do you accept somebody as
part of your family that you didn’t know existed
before? It’s fantastic news for Archie that he has a
brother – now he has a chance to have that
brotherly love and friendship that he’s missed. But
will he take that chance?”
Monarch Of The Glen
29
Cast and
production credits
Cast
Susan Hampshire
Alastair Mackenzie
Dawn Steele
Hamish Clark
Alexander Morton
Lloyd Owen
Julian Fellowes
Paul Freeman
Richenda Carey
Hermione Gulliford
Rae Hendrie
Martin Compston
Molly
Archie
Lexie
Duncan
Golly
Paul
Lord Kilwillie
Andrew
Lady Dorothy
Hermione
Jessica
Ewan
Production credits
Producer
Head of Drama, BBC Scotland
Executive Producers
Writers
Niall Leonard (eps 1, 10)
Mark Holloway (eps 2, 9)
Andrew Taft (eps 3, 8)
Leslie Stewart (ep 4)
Jeremy Front (ep 5)
Michael Chaplin (ep 6)
John Martin Johnson (ep 7)
Directors
Richard Signy (eps 1, 2, 3)
Robert Knights (eps 4, 5, 6)
Ian Knox (eps 7, 8)
Brian Kelly (eps 9, 10)
Michael Chaplin
Series Creator
Monarch Of The Glen
Stephen Garwood
Barbara McKissack
Douglas Rae, Robert Bernstein, Gaynor Holmes
30
Interviews
Susan Hampshire
plays Molly
Far from being a dotty dowager, Molly – now the
Second Lady of Glenbogle – has style, panache and
a penchant for getting men to fall in love with her.
But that can bring its own problems to a woman
who was last on the singles market 40 years ago.
“She is hugely nervous about the whole process of
being ‘available’ again after Hector’s death,” says
Susan Hampshire sympathetically. “She doesn’t
know how to cope with it and isn’t at all convinced
that she is doing the right thing.
“I think she is going through all the doubts that any
woman of her age would have.To be single again
after decades of marriage must be terribly hard.
What do you do, what do you say, how do you
behave – do you ever have to take your clothes
off?” she laughs.
“It is so different when you’ve been married for a
long time; you’re used to each other and it almost
doesn’t matter what you look like because you’re
so familiar. So seeing someone else is a really big
deal for her at this stage in her life.”
Monarch Of The Glen
Susan is all in favour of this on-screen exploration
of the romantic relationships of an older woman.
“It really isn’t tackled very often and yet it must
happen all the time,” she points out. “It is a huge
shock when someone loses a long-time partner,
for whatever reason.
“But your life doesn’t end when there is no man
in it and it doesn’t mean to say you’re not ready for
a new one, or ready for love – it can be such a
huge adventure.”
Viewers have certainly picked up on the postHector Molly and Susan has seen an increase in
attention from young men. “It has been a real
surprise.They send me very nice letters and I
truthfully don’t know why,” she says modestly.
“But then maybe before Hector died, they just saw
her as an appendage. Curiously, since he died,
people are very much more interested in her as a
human being.They liked and sympathised with
Molly before, but now they really want to know
what is going to happen to her.”
31
Interviews
One major happening is the return of Molly’s
prodigal daughter, Lizzie (played by Saskia
Wickham). “She is a bit of a tearaway and a free
spirit,” Susan explains. “So Molly hasn’t really seen
her very much, but she does have a good
relationship with her and, even more importantly –
Lizzie has her only grandchild.”
One thing is certain: love in many guises will play a
big part in Molly’s life. Not only is she the object of
ardent affection, but she decides that the lonely folk
of Glenbogle also need a helping hand – so she sets
up a dating agency.
The move has its repercussions when Andrew
(played by Paul Freeman) overhears and
misinterprets one of her client conversations.
“When Andrew came into the story in the last
series, everyone thought he was very tasty and
wondered what Molly was going to do about him,”
smiles Susan. “Now we are exploring how she
comes to terms with a real relationship and
whether she can cope with it.”
Coping is Susan’s stock in trade. Always in demand,
she managed to fit in a new adaptation of Agatha
Christie’s Sparkling Cyanide between series. “I play
another widow, this time with a questionable son,”
laughs Susan who, in real life, has been happily
married for over 20 years.
“I’m also still busy converting a derelict barn in the
Chilterns – the planning permission finally came
through last autumn. It’s very exciting to go off into
the depths of Shropshire to find special pieces of
wood and old slates and I was planning to make a
film about it.
“But it just hasn’t been possible. I’m enjoying it
very, very much – but you have to get your
priorities right and, at the moment, my priorities
are learning my lines and being here on time.”
Monarch Of The Glen
32
Interviews
Alastair Mackenzie
plays Archie
It will be a while until the impact hits Glenbogle,
but viewers of Monarch Of The Glen will soon
discover that the darkly handsome, newly married
Laird has itchy feet.
On a personal level, one of those challenges is the
new dynamic within Glenbogle as Paul – Archie’s
newly discovered half-brother – takes up his place
in the family.
For Alastair Mackenzie, the series has been a
life-changing break that has made his face familiar
round the world. Now – like Archie – he has
achieved success and is looking for a new
mountain to climb.
“The advent of Paul does cause some initial
antagonism,” Alastair admits.“Then, slowly but surely,
Archie comes to realise that Paul is not only useful, but
that he belongs to Glenbogle because of his father.”
“When we join the series Archie and Lexie have
been on their extended honeymoon, so Archie is
already a different person,” Alastair points out. “He
has always been more concerned with trying to
keep the estate from the debtors, pre-occupied
with making sure it doesn’t go bankrupt.
“Now it is up and running – it is finally clear of all
debts, the mission has been accomplished. So, after
travelling all over the world and being reminded of
the wandering, roving spirit that he truly is, Archie
wants to find something new to challenge him.”
Monarch Of The Glen
Archie’s emotions are all too familiar for Alastair,
who has also seen an important and personal
project materialise through the release of his debut
film, The Last Great Wilderness. Along with his film
director brother, David, Alastair formed his own
production company, Sigma Films, and wrote and
starred in the film alongside David Hayman and
Victoria Smurfit.
Meanwhile, work on Monarch continued and
Alastair had to try and balance the series, his film
and his family – daughter Martha and partner,
Trainspotting actress Susan Vidler.
33
Interviews
“I’ve absolutely loved Monarch and I will miss
everyone dreadfully after all this time,” he says. “But
I decided that seven months a year is too long to
be away from home. I had to sit down and start
prioritising. I have a three-year-old child and you
need to spend more time with young children.
“There was a point when I hadn’t seen Martha for
weeks. I felt really miserable, but didn’t really know
what it was, just that I felt pretty grim.
“Then, when I did go home, I had such a fantastic
time with her that when I got back on set,
someone said to me, ‘I can tell you saw Martha at
the weekend – you just look so much happier’. I
just need that fix. So now I’m looking forward to
getting a bit more normality back into my life.”
Not that Alastair will be saying goodbye to the
Highlands even when he finally leaves the series. He
grew up just 20 miles from where Monarch is
filmed and he is now actively looking for a plot of
land to create his own Scottish retreat.
“A local woodsman built some wonderful log
cabins for the Activity Centre in the show,” he says
with an enthusiastic grin. “They are beautiful
creations – precision engineering with a chain saw.
“I just love the idea of living in an organic
structure in the woods. I also love interior design
and working out how you want everything to
work, but in our house in London we’ve had a
nightmare with builders and architects; it was a
very unhappy experience.
“The thing about a log cabin is you don’t have to
worry about that; they always look beautiful
because the interior is – logs.”
Not that this hugely popular actor will be escaping
the spotlight – he is planning an extended trip to
the States.
“Through Monarch I’ve proved I can do one thing,
but there is a certain amount of re-invention
required,” he explains. “I’m not going to move to
America lock, stock and barrel, but will go en
famille for maybe a couple of months. I’ve told
myself I’m never going to have another winter
in London.”
Monarch Of The Glen
34
Interviews
Dawn Steele
plays Lexie
Travel may broaden the mind, but an extended,
round-the-world honeymoon has left Lexie –
Glenbogle’s new First Lady – even more
determined to make her mark at home.
her driving test. “It has totally changed my life,” she
says happily. “I even went off to Australia and drove
all around there, that was amazing. It’s given me
such confidence.”
Now that she finally has her man and the estate’s
perilous finances have been dragged into the black,
this resourceful and energetic Glaswegian has time
to look beyond the Gothic turrets of her domain
and give a helping hand where it’s needed.
No wonder: Monarch is Australia’s number one
imported show and seeing Dawn, driving round the
Outback, must have been quite a surprise for her
fans. “But,” adds this home-loving Scots lass, “It also
means I can go back to my flat in Glasgow a lot
more, just jump in the car, go back and have two
nights in my own bed.
“Lexie is always supportive of the community –
always fighting for the underdog,” says Dawn Steele.
“I think it’s because she feels she has to be true to
her working-class roots. She never forgets she
came from the kitchen.
“But now she rarely gets to see any pots and pans
– she is much more involved with marketing plans
and accounts – the boring stuff.That’s why she
needs an outlet in the village.”
Dawn has been having a few new outlets of her
own, in that the 27-year-old finally took and passed
Monarch Of The Glen
“I used to have to rely on lifts, but now I can just
go when I want. If I just have one day off, I can
drive up to the gym in Inverness, or potter around
this amazing scenery. It’s given me so much
more freedom. “
Looking back, Dawn wishes she had taken
the plunge earlier. “I was just never interested,”
she explains. “When I was 17, I remember having
a few lessons and I hated it; I just found it
too stressful.
35
Interviews
“Now I’ve got a new Mini Cooper, which is great
and so nice to drive. But I know I should have
learned straight away when I first started on
Monarch – it’s taken me four series up here to get
round to it.”
It has taken rather longer for Lexie’s brother-in-law
to discover his Highland heritage. But, after a
lifetime not knowing about his real father, Paul is
making his presence felt. “Lexie is mainly very
supportive of Paul,” says Dawn. “She was the one
who wanted to bring him into the family and get
everyone to really accept him.
“They actually have a lot of things in common –
Paul never knew his father and Lexie’s father left
when she was really young. But there will be times
when they clash, especially when he is setting up the
Activity Centre and wants to benefit youths from
other cities – she wants it to benefit the locals.”
There are problems, too, with Lexie’s nearest and
dearest – Duncan and Golly. “She has always been
really close to them and that helps her to know
what is important on the estate. But sometimes she
gets caught between them all.
Not that Lexie is likely to turn into a perfectly
polished glamour puss any day soon. “She’s relaxed
a bit with her clothes,” laughs Dawn with relief.
“When she first got engaged to Archie she felt she
had to wear suits to make the point about
becoming the Laird’s wife.
“But now she can allow herself not to be quite so
smart and posh. She’s more mature, more confident
and happy, and that allows her to let some of the
quirkiness back in – and that’s great.”
Dawn’s high profile on the show has earned her a
rare accolade – readers of a Scottish newspaper
voted her the country’s number one “Most
Wanted” single female and featured in the male list
was her new, young, co-star Martin Compston, in at
number four.
“I don’t often feel very glamorous,” she grins.
“Working on The Key I was given wrinkles round
my eyes and some grey in my hair to look 47 – but
I found it much harder playing 17.”
“Lexie feels she has to support Archie – and
sometimes he makes decisions that may not be what
Golly and Duncan want. She has to be the girl inbetween who has to try and keep everyone happy.”
Dawn couldn’t be happier at the moment, despite a
frantic workload, which meant finishing work on
Monarch one evening and driving to Glasgow to
begin work on a major new BBC family saga early
next day.
“It is called The Key,” she reveals. “There I was, in a
period costume, with a big steam engine, 300
extras and the actor Kevin McKidd, saying ‘Hi, I’ve
got to kiss you today’.
“The hardest thing was that I wasn’t allowed any
make-up, even though I age from 17 to 47; I get
beaten up, so there are cuts and bruises; I wear
cardigans; and I’m really padded out to look fatter.
“But it’s so nice to play parts like that where
looking glamorous is not an issue – you can just
concentrate on the acting.”
Monarch Of The Glen
36
Interviews
Hamish Clark
plays Duncan
There is an extra twinkle in Hamish Clark’s roguish
eyes when he reveals just what Duncan will be up
to in the new series of Monarch Of The Glen – the
lad becomes a hit with the ladies.
“Duncan has never been short of girls over the
four series,” Hamish insists manfully. “In fact, in the
first series, there were lots of little hippie chicks
who liked the cut of Duncan’s jib. If you look back
he was averaging three a series, but they were
always blowing up in his face – he was either like a
rabbit caught in the headlights, or being jilted.”
But when Kilwillie’s niece, Hermione, descends on
Glenbogle with her mother, the daunting Lady
Dorothy, things are about to change. “This time he
has a choice,” says a happy Hamish. “He is slightly
more his own man this time round – probably
because he knows that she is even more desperate
than he is.
Monarch Of The Glen
“Hermione unashamedly introduces him to the high
life and dangles car keys in front of him and
Duncan, unashamedly, goes for it.”
Romance and riches are rare enough in Duncan’s
life; when they come as a complete package he just
can’t resist. “The scenes with Hermione are really
good fun to do; hilarious, good old heightened
reality stuff,” Hamish explains. “It’s good to have a
laugh and a bit of flirtation.”
But other female relationships will also take their
toll on Duncan’s life when Golly’s estranged
daughter, Jess, returns to the estate after studying
Land Management at university. “With Jess there is
rivalry, but lots of respect and an attraction and
fondness – plus, Golly is like a father to both of us.
“That is pregnant with potential, whereas, with
Hermione, it’s high comedy. I am just really pleased
37
Interviews
with how they have written the part up over the
past couple of years. Now he spends a lot less time
mending fences and has much more inter-action
with the other characters – girls, mainly.”
This could be why Hamish feels he needs to keep
his strength up.The hugely popular actor has been
out pounding the Scottish turf at every
opportunity.
“I’ve been running a lot at night in the hills behind
Newtonmore,” he reveals. “It’s really great at night,
after work, to just go and run it all off. It is so, so
beautiful that it doesn’t matter whether it’s raining
or not.
“But the weather has been tremendous this year.
Yesterday I was out until midnight in the hills, up on
the ridges, after watching the sun setting in the
glens. It was spectacular.”
Always health-conscious, the 36-year-old really gets
into his stride when he heads north of the border
for Monarch. “I always did hill walking because my
mum and dad live in the Highlands and when we
were kids all our holidays were spent fishing,
walking and climbing. But it’s weird – as I get older,
my lifestyle gets more healthy,” he laughs.
“Because of Monarch everyone knew me, it was
amazing. I’d never been to either country and when
I arrived in New Zealand we flew in through the
cloud and before I’d even got my bags off the
carousel, people were shouting, ‘Duncan, Duncan’.
“One morning before breakfast I was swimming in
the hotel rooftop pool – I felt like James Bond,
looking out over the yachts in the harbour.Then I
was asked if I could come down because the Prime
Minister [Helen Clark] was at the hotel for
breakfast and wanted to meet me.
“She was a really nice woman and a fan of
the show.”
But the modest actor is down to earth about his
fame, even though he has been asked for his
autograph all over the world – including the top of
Table Mountain. “I feel as though it’s not really me,
it’s Duncan,” he explains. “It is him that the public
respond to and him they’re cheering.
“I’m just his caretaker.”
“I was invited to start the Laggan 10k race recently,
which I had done last year. But this time I decided
to not only start it, but to run in it as well. I did a
good time and then, when I got back, I handed out
the prizes, which was excellent.”
The London-based star has covered all the bases
when it comes to keeping his perfectly formed
body in trim.When he is at home he is a regular at
the gym, where he has a personal trainer.
“He’s even designed a work-out with weights that I
can do while I’m on Monarch because, obviously, we
don’t have ready access to a gym.”
But Hamish did take some time out from his
regime between series, to travel Down Under for a
promotional tour of a website for Australians and
New Zealanders anxious to trace their Scottish
roots and visit their ancestral homeland.
Monarch Of The Glen
38
Interviews
Alexander Morton
plays Golly
There are two women in the life of Golly,
Glenbogle’s fiercely loyal ghillie, and for both of
them he holds complex and deep-seated feelings
which look set to cause him heartache and distress.
This sternly silent man has long held a special
affection for Molly, the widow of his old boss.
As Molly finds new companionship with Andrew,
Golly suddenly realises that his relationship with
her is about to change forever. And, to complicate
matters further, the return of his estranged
daughter, Jess, turns his already rapidly changing
world upside down.
“She’s his daughter and he loves her,” says
Alexander “Sandy” Morton. “Without knowing it,
he will actually have planted the seeds of his own
love for the land in her and now she has gone one
step further and has studied it at university.
Monarch Of The Glen
“She now does what he does and I think he finds
that very challenging at first; he just isn’t used to
having her around. She suddenly appears and takes
over the house. It’s the first time that he has had to
deal with any parenting problems at all and he is a
bit lost – it’s a shock to the system.
“So many things have changed in Golly’s life after
the death of Hector and his feelings for Molly are
developing,” he continues. “I’m really hoping he
might get a bit of sympathy.”
Golly may be the strong, silent type, but his
character has always attracted a lot of female
attention, something that makes Sandy smile. “He
did smarten himself up in the last series, because
he wanted to impress a lady friend. So, when he’s
not working on the land, he does look quite good
in his designer jeans,” he concedes.
39
Interviews
“But one thing a lot of people commented on was
his leather jerkin – and actually I have had that
since I was at drama school and a pal of mine sold
it to me for £2 19s 6d. It’s one of my favourite
things and I’d never part with it.
“It’s just great to see it on screen. I’d treated it
almost as an heirloom now, just keeping it hung up
– but it is rather special. It used to have a beautiful,
bright red tartan lining, so when I went to Wembley
in 1967 and Scotland beat England 3-2, I was
wearing that jacket inside out,” laughs Sandy.
However, fortune wasn’t on Sandy’s side when his
feet were – quite literally – taken from under him.
“Between series I fell down the stairs and hurt my
leg; it was extremely painful but I was so pleased
that I could move it. I thought, it can’t be too bad if
it’s not broken,” he explains.“But actually the doctor
said that a break would have been easier to heal.”
The accident meant that a film part Sandy had been
cast in looked in jeopardy. “I had a day’s filming on
I Sleep When I’m Dead, directed by Mike Hodges
and starring Clive Owen. Although I knew it was a
sit-down scene, I had to let them know what had
happened and that I would be on crutches.
“I had to hop around for weeks, I was like Long
John Silver – all I needed was the parrot.”
But Sandy’s troubles weren’t quite over – like
Golly’s problems with women, they came in twos.
“Just after I started work again on Monarch I did
the other ankle. I thought, ‘I can’t believe this’. I’d
only just got the other one back to normal. But this
time it wasn’t nearly so bad,” he says with relief,
“and they are both fine now.”
Monarch Of The Glen
40
Interviews
Lloyd Owen
plays Paul
Feel the fear and do it anyway – that’s the motto of
acclaimed actor Lloyd Owen.The ruggedly
handsome addition to the MacDonald family tree
cheerily admits he has no head for heights – which
is why he has taken up climbing.
“Paul is an outdoor action man; he sets up a new
project at Glenbogle – an outdoor activity centre
where there is climbing, football, canoeing and
everything that might appeal to kids from the
inner city.
“So, as I have to climb in this series, I’ve been
training on an indoor climbing wall just up the road
from the set. I have never liked heights,” he
confesses. “But I always think you should challenge
your fears.
“It was quite frightening when you’re low down and
I was really daunted. As you get higher, it does take
on a different perspective and, even though you
know you’re safely on the end of a rope, it is scary.
Monarch Of The Glen
“But I have to admit it has become a bit of an obsession
and it gives me something to do on my days off.”
Lloyd rejoins the series when Paul – Hector’s
secret son – decides to come back and give life at
Glenbogle a try. “I’ve built up my own little life
story for him,” he reveals. “I think his mother
would have told him that his father died and then
brought him up on her own. But she maybe had a
few boyfriends who came and went – so there was
never any reliable father figure.
“Then he decided to join the Army and has
developed into this rather lonesome figure who
really needs a family.”
Coming into a well-established series is nothing
new for Lloyd, who made quite an impact on
female viewers when he joined Hearts & Bones.
“That was the same – a new character coming into
an established story and smashing the dynamic of
the group.
41
Interviews
“Here, Paul changes that dynamic. He wants to
introduce things that don’t always go down too
well with everyone else.There are frictions with
Archie, which are very similar to the trouble Archie
had with their father.
“There is a tension there, yet they are more alike
than they allow themselves to realise. Paul is quite
forthright and determined and comes into
Glenbogle wanting to change things – just as Archie
did when he first came up from London.
“Paul’s idea is to bring kids in from the inner cities
to get a taste of something totally different to their
normal lives. He is an outsider there and yet he has
also fallen in love with the place.”
The magic has certainly cast its spell on Lloyd, who
has thrown himself heart and soul into life in the
Highlands. “I grew up in north London, but my
family are from Snowdonia in north Wales,” he
explains. “So I have some knowledge of this kind
of countryside.
“When I was with the Cheek By Jowl theatre
company some years ago, we did 35 countries in
three years. But I still think Scotland is exceptional
because the change in geography is extraordinary.
Scotland has got everything.”
The locals have taken this enthusiastic incomer to
their hearts – and their hearths, giving Lloyd a real
taste of Scottish hospitality. “I’ve just been to my
first proper ceilidh recently – for a retiring sheep
farmer who was moving to a croft on Skye.The
whole village threw a big party for him.
“I think it’s because there are so many choices to
be made about how you spend your time. Up here
it can be quite challenging.You think, ‘Well, what am
I going to do on my day off, I should plan a trip’.
“Having said that, it has made me do things I would
never have thought of anywhere else. I’ve been
spending a lot of time walking, hiking, doing the
climbing wall.Where I’m staying there is a guy who
used to play the bagpipes in the Strathclyde Police
Band, so I have asked him to teach me.
“With all the training I’ve been doing I’ve got
the lungs for it, but I can hardly get a note out at
the moment.”
Lloyd readily admits that his television career, which
also includes appearances in Coupling, The Vice and
The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles, helps to subsidise
the real love of his life – the theatre.
“Recently I did Edward II with Joseph Fiennes at
The Crucible in Sheffield and last year The York
Realist, which won the Critics’ Circle best play
award,” he says. “But the role I really want to
tackle is Macbeth.”
Meanwhile, he is more than happy in Monarch, but
with one reservation. “They haven’t given Paul any
romance so far,” bemoans Lloyd. “It would be nice
to think there was someone in the future, but I’m
still in the dark about who it might be.”
“They were doing wonderful dances, including one
called “Strip The Willow”, that I had no idea of at
all,” he admits with a grin. “But I was being helpfully
pushed around by people.That is what is so
wonderful about this job – you can get involved in
the community you’re working in and see a side of
life that the tourists don’t see.”
But London-born Lloyd says he is torn between
rural and city life. “It is very addictive up here, it is
so beautiful” he says, adding, “but I like the city, I
like the buzz and I can’t see myself living anywhere
other than a city.
Monarch Of The Glen
42
Interviews
Paul Freeman
plays Andrew
“It’s a great antidote to the whole business of
working as an actor where you’re surrounded by
people.To be able to get away so completely, with
not a road or a house in sight, is just wonderful. I
had done it before, but I’d rather lost touch with it.
“I live in London, so trying to do it near there
always involved an excursion.To be able to leave
my house in Newtonmore and be in a glen in
five minutes where there is nobody for 20 miles is
just extraordinary.”
Well known from films such as Raiders Of The Lost
Ark, The Long Good Friday and the TV hit ER – in
which his on-screen daughter, Dr Corday, is played
by Alex Kingston – Paul has spent a lot of his
working life in America where he is due to return
to promote the film Morlan, which gained him the
Best Actor award at the prestigious Cairo
Film festival.
Handsome, charming and affluent, Andrew Booth
could sweep any woman off her feet – but will his
softly-softly approach work on Glenbogle’s
winsome widow?
As his feelings for her grow, this suave suitor also
has to cope with the realisation that he might have
a rival for Molly’s affections. But faint heart never
won fair lady.
“There is a continuing tango of Andrew getting
closer to Molly over the episodes,” explains Paul
Freeman.“But there are also hints of jealousy from
Golly and a bit of a struggle between the two of us.”
Paul’s spell on Monarch has given him the chance to
rediscover a hobby that has helped him cope with
the pressures of filming. “It’s hill walking,” he grins.
“I hill walk like a lunatic. As soon as I’m off the set
I’ve got my boots on and I’m gone.
Monarch Of The Glen
“It is based on a true Dutch story about a couple
who enter into a suicide pact because the wife
is ill,” he explains. “But after she kills herself,
the husband doesn’t – he goes off with a young
blonde instead.”
He may have a reputation for playing chilling screen
baddies, but Paul insists he enjoys nothing more
dangerous than cooking and gardening. “I bought a
house in France last year, near Avignon, and I’m
looking forward to spending some time in the
garden there, among the vineyards.
“Not that it will be very relaxing,” he adds with a
laugh. “Last time we turned up there a family of
wild boar had been trampling through it, so there
was hardly anything left of what we planted in
the spring.”
43
New faces in the Glen
New faces in the Glen
Richenda Carey plays
Lady Dorothy
are best. “Look at JR in Dallas, or Alan Rickman in
Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves,” she points out. “But
they are characters we love to hate.
“Obviously, I have to play it from her point of view
and I imagine she has been rather disappointed in
life. She’s very, very urban – London urban – and
she has an innate snobbism that is to do with class,
but also with locality.
“She does assume that she’s right all the time and I
have a certain sympathy with that. My nearest and
dearest would say that I very occasionally may be
the same. But really, you just want to smack her.”
Cheerful and charming, Richenda Carey is relishing
her role as the woman who is about to unleash the
fury of Monarch fans everywhere.“I confidently
expect hate mail; I shan’t have been doing my job
properly if I don’t get any,” she declares.“I think there
is something rather delicious about horrid people.”
This versatile actress takes on the haute couture
mantle of Lady Dorothy, Kilwillie’s sister and a
scheming, sour-faced snob.With her spoilt daughter
Hermione, she will make her peevish presence felt
throughout the estate, leaving a trail of havoc in
her wake.
“She comes in like a dose of salts and a splash of
vinegar,” grins Richenda. “She is terribly irritating as
well as being this monstrous person and she’s very
snobby about Scotland, which immediately makes
her the bad guy.
As well as a brief appearance in Tomb Raider,
Richenda has worked with Mike Leigh and Victoria
Wood on television and has spent a lot of time on
radio drama. But this is only her second working
trip to Scotland and she has fallen in love with it.
“It is beautiful, what a lovely country,” she says.
“I have been going for walks and exploring the
countryside, climbing the hills.
“I was born near Bristol and have spent a lot of
childhood in the country, but have been living in
London because of work for the past 30 years –
gosh, that sounds a long time. But I love the
country and I’ve brought my hiking boots up here.
It’s such a bonus to the job.”
Hermione Gulliford
plays Hermione
Female fans will be furious: cute and cuddly Duncan
is about to be seduced by the girlfriend from hell –
and he’s going willingly.
“She will be appallingly patronising to the people
the viewers love – like Duncan and Lexie. It will be
like kicking a dog on screen.”
“There will be letters,” warns Hermione Gulliford
with a laugh at her namesake’s expense. “She’s not
at all interested in other people. Even when she
first meets Duncan, it doesn’t occur to her to ask
him any questions.
Richenda’s obvious happiness at playing this
harridan comes from her firm belief that baddies
“She is Lady Dorothy’s daughter and a real chip off
the old block. If she can’t get her own way she
Monarch Of The Glen
44
New faces in the Glen
So far, most of Hermione’s career has been on the
stage where her Olivia in Twelfth Night was
nominated for the Ian Charleson Award. She also
played Portia in the RSC’s world-touring
production of The Merchant Of Venice.
“We went to America, China, Malaysia and Japan,”
she explains. “The Japanese are notoriously very
quiet and respectful and that was a bit weird. But at
The Globe in Tokyo, we were told that they were
usually much quieter than that – so we must have
stirred them up a bit.”
Rae Hendrie
plays Jessica
does terribly manipulative things, or throws money
at the problem. She thinks the world should revolve
around her and everyone should come running. If I
met anyone like her, I think I’d probably run a mile.”
Yet Hermione, the Somerset-born actress, does feel
the need to defend Hermione, the spoilt, little rich
girl. “There is a vulnerable side to her,” she insists.
“If she was too awful, Duncan wouldn’t like her.
“She can’t help herself because that’s what she’s
grown up with. Until now, her love life has been
hopeless. She falls in love very easily and then
throws herself at these men who clearly can’t be
doing with her. So they make up all these dreadful
excuses – like terminal illnesses.
“But, playing her, I have to find things that I like
about her, otherwise she would just become a
caricature. I do feel she genuinely falls for Duncan.
There is a moment she realises that he is a proper
human being, someone genuine – not like the
City types she’s used to. Her motives are from a
good place.”
It was “like mother, like daughter” for real-life
Hermione, whose own mum was a drama teacher.
“I told her at a young age that I wanted to be an
actor and she wasn’t too surprised,” she grins.
“I also found out later that my great-grandfather
had been a keen amateur actor, so it must be in
the blood.”
Monarch Of The Glen
It is a happy return to the world of Glenbogle
for Rae Hendrie – but will her character, Jessica,
feel quite as delighted at the reception she gets
when she bowls back into the life of Golly, her
estranged father?
“She does do quite a lot of walking off, a bit of
flouncing,” laughs Rae, who initially won the part of
Jess while she was still at drama school. “I got my
degree results while we were filming,” she recalls.
45
New faces in the Glen
“I was so excited about the job, I’d forgotten they
were coming out.”
Martin Compston
plays Ewan
Since then, Selkirk-born Rae has appeared in
Rockface and Taggart, despite having recently moved
to London. “It’s exciting being in London, but I miss
my mum and dad,” she admits. “I live in the East
End, which is a little bit rough and ready, but it’s
great to be in the thick of things.
“I share a flat with two other actors, which is quite
good because we all go through our little lulls and
we spur each other on.”
Rae was a latecomer to acting, having gone to
Edinburgh University to study psychology and
linguistics. “I got involved in a production of Bugsy
Malone and was enjoying doing that a lot more
than I was enjoying my course,” she explains.
“So I dropped out and decided to apply to
drama schools.
“My parents weren’t exactly happy, but once they
realised it was what I wanted to do, they were fine
and really supported me.They were just worried
because they had it in their head that I was going to
be a psychologist and then, suddenly, I wanted to be
an actor. But every job is unreliable these days, so
you might as well do what you really want to do.”
Rae knows how tough it can be to keep an acting
career going, but this former cello player has more
than one string to her bow. “I started off singing
when I was younger – classical singing and
performing in Burns competitions.That led to me
doing parts in school shows, playing in orchestras,
doing ballet and contemporary dance – everything
but acting.
“Now, when I’m not acting, I’ve been working with
kids with behavioural problems in a school in
Camden and totally loved that.
“It’s been brilliant, so exciting and satisfying – never
a dull moment.When I got this part back in
Monarch they didn’t believe me, obviously. But I
think they will definitely be watching; I’ve got my
little fan base now.”
Monarch Of The Glen
Young actor Martin Compston comes to Monarch
Of The Glen trailing clouds of glory from his multiaward-winning screen debut in Ken Loach’s film,
Sweet Sixteen. Hailed as a new James Dean, or Paul
Newman, this likely lad could be forgiven for being
too big for his boots.
Instead, Greenock-born Martin is determined to
learn his new craft, ignore the hype and build a
career that doesn’t depend on the latest tabloid
headline.That’s why he turned his back on tempting
“get rich quick” offers from the States and plumped
instead for the role of street-wise Ewan, a loveable
rogue from the wrong side of the tracks.
“After Sweet Sixteen I kept thinking, ‘I don’t want to
rush into anything’. I had the feeling that for a lot of
people, all that attention would go to their head
and they would try and do too much, too soon,”
he says candidly.
“I needed to step back and chill out and wait for
the right things to come along and then just do
46
New faces in the Glen
what I thought was best.There has been some
pressure on me to move to London or America,
but I never went to acting school, or anything like
that, so I’m still learning my trade.
“The reviews I got for Sweet Sixteen were
unbelievable, but I’ve got a long, long way to go if
I’m going to make it to Hollywood. Anyone who
has made it there has got my total respect because
it must be so hard to get there. I’ve got years yet
and I need to learn. Monarch is brilliant for that
because it has a really talented cast and I’ll be on
set all the time.”
Plucked from school to star in Loach’s acclaimed
film, Martin had his sights set on a career as a
professional footballer – a dream he has had to
give up. “I was absolutely gutted,” says the former
Morton FC player. “I’m 19 now and that was a good
10 years of my life where all I had done was play
football and train every day, really hard.
“It was my only ambition, all I ever wanted to do
and I had a good chance of getting where I wanted
to be and to have to give up on it was a nightmare,
devastating. But acting’s not a bad compensation
and I know I’ve done the right thing.”
Monarch Of The Glen
47