“When you see a young person hoodwinked into a dark machine – that jeopardy is universal”: Martin Clunes, Louis Ashbourne Serkis, Ed Whitmore and Marc Evans on Out There

Rooted in the growing phenomenon of county lines drug trafficking, Out There follows a father-son duo under extraordinary circumstances while shedding light on a disturbing and ongoing issue wreaking havoc on rural communities. The cast and screenwriters of the upcoming ITVX series recently discussed the series and how it ventures into uncharted territory, intertwining crime and connection in rural areas.

Screenwriter Ed Whitmore revealed that the creative process involved extensive consultation with police forces, as the story is rooted in a relatively new and evolving issue first observed around 2016 or 2017. For law enforcement, the turning point came with bizarre cases – such as people from Tottenham being found dead in Brighton – leading to shocking revelations. This idea of significant discoveries being made in unlikely places intrigued Whitmore, “Like rural Wales – where you know what the rules are.”

Co-screenwriter Marc Evans, a native of Wales, added, “Something about the countryside is very porous – in cities, people look behind locked doors, whereas in farms, nobody even locks their doors and it’s a safe place until it’s not anymore.”

Filmed in one of the UK’s largest geographic counties, with the fewest police officers per capita, the setting underscores the challenges faced by rural law enforcement. Evans noted, “For officers calling for backup, it can be 40 minutes before someone arrives.”

“He’s the master of his own domain, territorial and confident in his own world,” Whitmore describes Nathan, and praised Martin Clunes for being the perfect choice to portray him, explaining, “Martin is brilliant at embodying characters who are very likeable and relatable but with an edge of ice or steel – and Nathan needed that inner steel to go on the journey he does.”

Discussing the show’s themes, Evans remarked, “It’s the force of capitalism in drugs. The market in city estates is saturated, so now it’s expanding, taking over entire countryside towns through addiction.” Further explaining what they learned from the police they worked with, he shared that vulnerable local kids who know the terrain often become intermediaries between urban dealers and the new rural market. 

“It’s interesting, because he has stability and grounding in his life,” says Louis Ashbourne Serkis about his character Johnny, the teenage son of Nathan who is caught up in the drug dealing network. Although he doesn’t quite fit the typical profile, Serkis explains Johnny knowingly delivered a backpack of drugs to a hotel at his friend Rhys’s request after losing a package he gave him to keep because he spends a lot of time alone as his father is often preoccupied with the farm. Additionally, he wants to be a good friend to Rhys’s and has a crush on Rhys’s sister. Whitmore added that the “lost package” trick is a classic manoeuvre in county lines operations. 

While Serkis shared how he had to learn farming for the role, Clunes brought his own experience to the role of Nathan, joking, “I didn’t have to go off to farm camp to learn; I could bring that with me.” adding that he could already drive a tractor and check a sheep’s mouth and notes that Out There presents not only the industry of county lines but also farming. 

Clunes highlights Nathan’s struggle, describing him as a devoted father carrying the ever-present wound of losing his wife two years ago. He underscores the magnitude of the drug trafficking operation, citing a high-ranking Weymouth officer who referred to it as a “business model”, echoing Evans’s earlier reflections on the capitalist nature of the illegal drug trade.

With county line operations dominating headlines in recent years, the screenwriters and cast were already familiar with the issue before beginning their research. However, for international audiences less acquainted with the problem, Whitmore emphasises its universal resonance, stating, “When you see a young person hoodwinked into a dark machine – that jeopardy is universal.”

Christina Yang

Out There is released on ITVX on 19^th January 2025.

Watch the trailer for Out There here: