Happy Valley's James Norton has said he 'didn't want to leave' Cornwall after wrapping up ITV's near drama series Playing Nice. The final episode of the psychological thriller, which also stars Niamh Algar, James McArdle and Jessica Brown Findlay, aired last Monday and Norton has shared his love of the Cornish landscapes and Cornish people which shaped the mini series.
The series explores every parent's worst nightmare - what happens when children are switched at birth. Based on the best-selling novel by JP Delaney, originally set in London, the ITV adaptation was based in Cornwall for its 'unique' setting. Some local filming locations include Mevagissey, Penzance, Minions and Newlyn East
Norton, 39, has previously spoken of his fondness for Cornwall, saying it is an "amazing place". He added that filming locations took them to "some of the most beautiful cliffs and coastline in the country," and the team enjoyed wandering around the towns and villages on breaks.
"It's a really special thing to entrench ourselves in the community." he said.
Speaking to the BBC, James said the local community "really welcomed" the cast and helped him get to grips with his Cornish accent for the series. He described his character Pere's accent as "quite a light touch," adding: "The sense I got was people kind of slip in and out, there's not one thick Cornish accent, there's lots of different variations.
"They were very forgiving and encouraging and helpful in my becoming a token Cornishman."
The actor took on surfing for the role, braving freezing cold waters in the middle of winter, but says he "loved" the experience. "We met a surf instructor called Pete, who’s now become a friend, and he took us surfing to get us ready for the surf scenes. Luckily for me, my character Pete is not a good surfer!
"Instructor Pete runs a surf school called King Surf in Mawgan Porth and he was a hero. I loved it." Norton added that Pete had been the crew's "gateway" to the community. "The cast were really welcomed into the community and we all hung out at Rettorick Mill in Watergate Bay, and went surfing most weekends," he said.
The sweeping landscapes only add to the mystery of the series and the crew wanted a unique look for the series, compared to the books setting in London. "The locations for the shoots were absolutely breathtaking," James said.
"We had an amazing three months, I didn't want to leave at the end."
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