DERMOT CROWLEY
Dermot Crowley plays Peter Hatchard.
Guest-starring
in MIDSOMER MURDERS was an adventure for Dermot Crowley – because he learnt to
go deep-sea diving, gut fish and operate a boat.
“I play Peter Hatchard who spent a lot of time abroad within the Hong Kong
police force, which he enjoyed enormously. As he got older, the tug home
happened and he decided to settle back in Devon.
“He is now running quite a profitable fish business and loves cooking. He is
enjoying his second marriage and has found a lot of happiness. He has a few
moments of regret for his lost life, but he helps out Barnaby when he comes to
the coast on an investigation and they even stay at his house,” explains
Dermot.
“It was all a big adventure. I have never been on a catamaran before in my
life so it was fun and exciting. They got me in diving gear and I learned how to
work on boats and gut fish and all about diving. It was exhausting but I'm
adding all the new skills to my CV!
“I wasn't a great swimmer and I didn't learn until about three or four years
ago, but I'm pretty good now. I didn't like being dumped in the sea, though, but
there were plenty of crew and a stuntman around – as well as somebody ready to
jump in and rescue me if I sank!”
In a change from previous MIDSOMER MURDERS, large parts of Dermot's episode were
filmed away from the Home Counties, in Devon.
“We filmed in Beer, in east Devon, which was lovely. It was beautiful
countryside. Working with John Nettles was an absolute and utter joy, too. I
hadn't worked with him before but he is charming and funny. I didn't know Polly
Hemingway, my screen wife, before either, but we socialised together in Beer and
I hope that created an ease between us which will show on screen.
“Unusually for television, the director did a session with all the principal
characters to talk through the back story of how we met and what our previous
relationships might have been. That was really helpful.”
Dermot recently appeared as lawyer Mr Vholes in Bleak House and his other
credits include Dead Gorgeous, Trial & Retribution V, Rebel Heart, Falling
For A Dancer, The Sculptress, Staggered, Grushko, Testimony of a Child, Wilt and
Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.