When did the idea for first come to you?
The idea dates back to around 1982, when I was working on and kept pushing for a Catholic priest character. After I left Brookside in 1989 I kept coming back to the idea, but when I couldn鈥檛 get it made as a drama series it became the script for my feature film . There was still so much to cover that the idea then stayed with me over the years.
What was it that appealed?
One of the huge advantages of telling a story about a Catholic priest is Confession, where a person will walk into the room and tell a priest the absolute truth - and the viewer will know it鈥檚 the absolute truth, because it鈥檚 Confession.
It鈥檚 also really interesting to explore the clash between the soul and the body. Between principles and practicalities. We all know what we should do: you know what the code you should abide by says, but the practicalities sometimes mean you have to divert from that. That鈥檚 what of Broken is all about. Christina () knows what she鈥檚 doing is wrong, but the practicality is she鈥檚 got to feed her kids.
I鈥檝e also spoken to so many wonderful priests on Merseyside, and I wanted to write a drama about a priest who鈥檚 a good man trying to do the right thing to reflect that.
Where do the ideas for your characters come from?
A lot of them are invented. People often think a writer only writes from life. Often it鈥檚 been informed by his or her life, but we are storytellers and we are allowed to make things up! Everything you see in Broken has been informed by my life and it鈥檚 come from somewhere within me, but it鈥檚 not autobiographical. Your story will also invent characters, and characters evolve as a result of the story.
What are you particularly proud of about Broken?
The series tells stories that just aren鈥檛 told elsewhere, such as the machines in betting shops story. I think these machines are deadly and they hurt predominantly working class people and that鈥檚 a story that should be told, but I just don鈥檛 think it ever has. And with a lot of the people I meet and care for it鈥檚 been a major issue, yet it鈥檚 untouched by drama.
I sit down to write eight hours a day and sometimes I don鈥檛 write a word; it鈥檚 so bloody hard, you may as well write about something that matters because it won鈥檛 be any harder. And of course, if you can do somebody a favour or if you can help a cause or help people searching for justice then it鈥檚 a no-brainer to do that. If you are helping people who are searching for justice that provides you with an energy that wasn鈥檛 there before. They keep me going - touching on important issues that affect people who are skint.
Tell us about the casting of Sean Bean
I really wanted for the part of Father Michael Kerrigan. It鈥檚 about the only time I鈥檝e ever said 鈥済et this guy鈥� for a role I鈥檝e written. Mainly because he鈥檚 a working class man and he鈥檚 full of humanity, and that鈥檚 what I wanted in the character.
I also knew how good Sean Bean is, because I worked with him on . I knew he wasn鈥檛 just a good actor - he is a great actor. Truly great.
When I was trying to convince Sean to play the role there was a moment where he mentioned that it鈥檚 a character who is passive and listens. I said that鈥檚 not passive - he doesn鈥檛 listen to people鈥檚 sins, he takes them on. After Confession a priest goes out heavier, while the other person goes out lighter. And then I started jumping round the room telling Sean what confession means and how active it is. How, as the priest, you are more active and I think it was that which convinced him.
What is Broken about?
There are many stories in Broken. In a way it鈥檚 about the Eucharist, where a priest who thinks he has failed his people is shown by his people that he has served them well. And it saves him. It redeems him. So it鈥檚 about redemption and compassion and forgiveness.
If you want a film to which we owe a debt of gratitude, it would be , where is suicidal and thinks his life had been a disaster, but his guardian angel shows him what life would have been without him and demonstrates that his life has not been a failure; it鈥檚 been a success. So it鈥檚 the same themes as It鈥檚 A Wonderful Life, except it鈥檚 longer, a bit darker at times!
And even though it鈥檚 about a Catholic priest - it鈥檚 about this world as it is now.