Sian Brooke, the Lichfield-born actress who plays officer Grace Ellis in the BBC drama Blue Lights, has said the role has "given me a greater respect and understanding" for police officers. The 46-year-old reflected on the challenges of the profession while discussing the "bravery of the storytelling" in the upcoming fourth series.
Grace reaches breaking point in series four
Brooke said her character reaches breaking point in series four, which she described as containing "lots to uncover and sink your teeth into". She explained that Grace's journey takes a difficult turn after passing her detective exams.
"Everybody has a point at which they break. For Grace, I think that happens in this series. She's done her detective exams, which are one of the hardest things, and she passes them," Brooke said.
"Then she automatically thinks, 'I am going to get the step up, and get the reward for all the hard work'. But there are bigger things at play within the force, and that progression is not going to happen. It's been a brilliant surprise as an actor because of the evolution of this character."
Newcomer Katie challenges Grace's confidence
Brooke said her character "meets her match" in newcomer Katie, who "whips things up on social media and within the community", causing Ellis to doubt herself. The actress described how this affects Grace throughout the series.
"It really knocks her, it knocks her foundations, and I think it knocks her ego. As the series progresses, she is extremely disillusioned," she said.
"There's revelations in terms of how the world truly works. Grace always thinks she can change people's opinion, that she has this superpower to penetrate people's thoughts or perspectives of the world, and actually she can't."
Greater understanding of police dangers
Asked what insights her character has given her into real-life policing, Brooke highlighted the daily dangers officers face. "I think you have a greater understanding of the dangers that they put themselves in and the dangers they encounter on a daily basis," she said.
"The way the job pulls them from a woman hiding in a wardrobe to people that are trying to launch things at you, and then to go home at the end of the day, and be yourself and live with that. What do you do with that? Do you compartmentalise it? Does it stay with you?"
Brooke added: "I think it's given me a greater respect and understanding, and especially within Northern Ireland." The new series of Blue Lights will be available on BBC iPlayer from September 29.
