‘It’s the original odd couple story’: Leeds actress stars in new Channel 5 detective series Cooper and Fry

Of course, double-act detective series have long been a staple of British television, with shows like Dempsey and Makepeace, Inspector Morse and Sherlock.

The mid-Eighties series, starring American actor Michael Brandon as Lt James Dempsey and South African-British actress Glynis Barber as Sgt Harriet Makepeace, sparked a wave of male-and-female detective duos.

Now, a new series called Cooper and Fry, starring Robert James-Collier and Leeds actress Mandip Gill, is joining the ranks of these mismatched detectives.

Set in the mystery-shrouded Peak District, the four-part series, based on the novels by Stephen Booth, follows the affable local DC Ben Cooper, played by James-Collier and the guarded newcomer DC Diane Fry, played by Gill.

Thrown together to investigate a string of mysterious deaths, they must learn to work together to get results. As their personal lives begin to intertwine, a unique friendship begins to form.

The series adapts four of Booth’s early novels including Black Dog, Dying to Sin, Blind To the Bones and Dancing with the Virgins.

Gill, 37, best known for her role as Yasmin Khan in Doctor Who, says she was drawn to the series because, despite the characters’ different backgrounds, they share a surprising number of similarities.

“It’s about two police officers who get on quite well,” explains the Leeds-born actress.

“You often see shows where the partners are very different and take a while to get on the same page. But in this case, even by the end of episode one, you can already see that although they come from different backgrounds and both have things going on in their personal lives, they’re actually quite similar.

“Working with Robert makes it hard not to like him, both as a person and in what he brings to the character of Cooper. So when they said, ‘Can you play it a bit colder?’ I found that difficult. It would’ve made me seem rude as Fry, especially since the questions Cooper was asking were quite simple and genuine.

“I think it’s interesting that you have two police officers, two characters, who are both similar and different at the same time, but who genuinely get along.”

James-Collier, best known for his portrayal of the scheming Thomas Barrow in Downton Abbey, says he was drawn to the role of DC Cooper because of the character’s backstory.

Alongside being popular in his local community, Cooper is also grappling with the loss of his father, whom he believes was murdered.

“What really drew me to the role was his backstory with his dad,” explains the Salford-born actor.

“As the series progresses, you get to explore a range of emotions. Cooper is grieving and can’t get closure because of his father’s death, which is fascinating to portray as an actor. You find those nuanced moments where the vulnerability behind his ‘nice guy’ persona comes through.

“Interestingly, one of those moments is brought out by Diane later in the series. He finally allows himself to let his guard down, opens up about his father, and that strengthens the relationship between Cooper and Fry.”

The 49-year-old actor adds: “With a story arc that spans four episodes and with Mandip’s character having a similar journey, it’s a gift for any actor.

“You have to build it slowly; you don’t want the emotional moments to arrive too quickly. Cooper isn’t just a nice guy, he carries trauma he hasn’t resolved, and that ongoing turmoil becomes more apparent in the later episodes.

“It’s challenging and really rewarding to play.”

James-Collier adds, “It’s the original odd-couple story. She’s quite pragmatic and closed off, and he’s completely the opposite, off the charts, does what he wants, backs his own talent. It’s just that classic dynamic.”

The series differs from the standard detective drama format as it blends modern policing with folklore and supernatural elements.

“What initially attracted me was the folklore element, which made it different to any of the other shows where I’ve played a police officer,” explains Gill.

Gill, who grew up in an Indian Punjabi Sikh household, says she was raised to believe in the supernatural.

“I don’t know if it’s a cultural thing, a religious thing, or maybe just my family, but they believe in some pretty superstitious stuff,” Gill laughs. “There are some really random things we do as a family, and honestly, I still can’t work out whether it’s part of my culture, religion, or just us.

“I was brought up around some unusual beliefs, things like black magic, or the idea that there are people out to get you, or that you need to break coconuts to ward off bad luck.

“So for me, I can totally understand why this village would believe in that sort of thing. When it’s something your parents believe in, you just go along with it. Sometimes you even do it to appease them, like, ‘Sure, I’ll smash the coconuts if it means I’ll get the next job!’

“So personally, I’m not really superstitious, but funnily enough, on the very first day of filming, some pretty strange things did happen.”

James-Collier adds: “I love all that stuff. When we were doing the read-through for the first episode, I actually asked our director, ‘Is this thread going to continue through the series?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, very much so.’

“I was thrilled, because it fits perfectly with the setting. We’re filming in the Peak District, and the landscape itself feels like a character, it’s vast, intimidating, and sometimes quite foreboding, just because of the sheer scale of the national parks, the mountains, and the woods.

“So when you tie in that supernatural element, it becomes this fascinating, darker, slightly grittier story than what you usually see on Channel 5. Cooper and Fry feels like a real departure into more serious, moody drama territory and I think that’s really exciting.”

Cooper and Fry airs on Channel 5 on Tuesday, November 18