The Responder's Martin Freeman defiantly breaks silence on backlash over role
Hollywood actor Martin Freeman is returning to lead the cast in the BBC gritty drama The Responder, as he plays burnt-out police officer PC Chris Carson.
The Responder: Martin Freeman stars in BBC trailer
Martin Freeman has waded in on the conversation surrounding the return of BBC crime drama The Responder. The first series focused on a burnt-out police officer trying to uphold the law whilst his mental health unravels.
The show was such a huge success that it earned six Bafta nominations, with Martin bagging himself an international Emmy for his performance. Now the show is back for a second series, with Freeman reprising his role as PC Chris Carson.
Speaking to The Times, Martin defended the Liverpool-based police drama and says that "most police are decent people." The comment came after a survey in 2022 by the Policy Institute at King’s College London said 67 per cent had confidence in policing.
Martin said: "Young people’s reflex opinion of the police is 'Urgh.' Go and live in a fascist country. I’ve always had a bit more of a nuanced idea about what the police were for, just trusted that most of them are decent people. What’s the likelihood that they’re all bastards? Not very high."
He added: "But would your street be better if they weren’t there? Clearly what the police do not need is a pass, but they also don’t just need a kicking."
During season one, PC Chris Carson is demoted to gruelling night shifts but ends up getting tangled with the gritty underworld of Liverpool drug gangs.
As he tries to uphold the law and move from one crisis to another, he also attempts to maintain his personal relationships whilst battling his mental health struggles.
Martin told The BBC: "I like the fact he has to go through a lot of stuff. It's interesting - it brings him into conflict with himself and other people."
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The Hollywood actor is best known for his iconic roles as Dr John Watson in Sherlock and Bilbo Baggins in The Hobbit Trilogy. He also shot to fame when appearing in the rom-com Love Actually and Ricky Gervais' comedy series, The Office.
He also made headlines after announcing that he was eating meat again after spending 38-years as a vegetarian. Martin took on the diet when he was a teenager in 1986.
Speaking to Nick Grimshaw and professional chef Angela Hartnett on the podcast Dish, he explained that he had gone back to eating meat because their replacements were "very, very processed."
The Responder returns to BBC One on Sunday at 9pm.
