21 December 2023 , 13:52
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Sheridan Smith was forced to face her phobia of water filming new drama The Castaways - which is set mainly in and around water.
The upcoming new series, which is set to come out on Boxing Day, is adapted from the book of the same name by Lucy Clarke. It stars the one and only Sheridan and Céline Buckens as sisters. The dramatic series showcases the solo investigation into what happened to Sheridan's character Lori when the plane she was on supposedly crashed.
Although most have moved on while believing everyone on the plane to Fiji died, Lori's sister Eric (played by Céline) refuses to give up on her and flies to Fiji to investigate what happened when the credit card of her missing sister Lori is suddenly used on a remote Pacific island.
Just from the title itself, it's no surprise the entire series is set in and around bodies of water - something Sheridan isn't too fond of. Speaking to The Mirror and other press during a Q&A session, the Gavin & Stacey star admitted she was 'terrified of water' before she started filming.
Sheridan had to face her fears of water and heights (THE CASTAWAYS 2023 © Clapperboard Studios/Paramount+/Photographer: Marq Riley)When asked how different her character, Lori, was to other ones she's played, Sheridan said: "Well, she starts off very much like a wallflower. I mean, she kind of brought up her younger sister and is a motherly figure towards her... I mean, I was terrified of water. And I'm in the water for most of the show.
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"And I'm scared of heights and I was up a tree and on a cliff so it was a challenge but I like a challenge and I was in safe hands with the guys so I'm really pleased I took it. And we got to film in Greece for six weeks. I mean, how amazing." Thankfully, the actress doesn't have a fear of flying.
She joked: "I'm alright flying and I have been on a flight since so I don't have PTSD." As the show involved a lot of action, Sheridan had to train before they started filming.
She explained: "I had a few sessions with the stunt guys, first in a swimming pool then in the sea. I couldn't even go underwater without holding my nose. They had to keep putting me in the shallow end. But I did get braver. The stunt team was amazing. They were always nearby, so if I had to dive out of my depth, knowing that I couldn't swim, then they'd be nearby to grab me when I came up."
Other stars in the gripping new series include Brendan Cowell (Avatar: The Way of Water), Dominic Tighe (Hotel Portofino) and Lasarus Ratuere (The Tourist).
The series will be available on Paramount+ on 26 December.