Interview with Daniel Rigby (Steve)

Who is Steve and what emotional baggage does he bring with him? 

Steve is on holiday with his mysterious wife, Justine (played by Valene Kane) and his two delightful children, Lola and Jack, who he loves very dearly. Coming into Summerwater, Steve is in a very tricky place in his marriage. For a lot of the characters, there’s a lot going on under the surface. There's something make or break about the trip that he's on with his wife and his family. There's a lot that he doesn't know about Justine that comes to light over the course of the series. He's essentially trying to do a bit of healing in his marriage, trying to make that relationship better. 

What do you think that Steve learns about himself and what does he learn about his wife and their relationship throughout their stay at this rainy lodge? 

He learns that nothing is quite as it seems in his marriage, and he learns a hard truth about how much you can ever know someone, even if you are married to them for years. He learns just how much he loves his wife and how far he'll go for her.

If you were trying to explain to a viewer coming into the world of Summerwater what to expect, how would you prepare them for this trip away with these families? 

Coming into Summerwater you meet an ensemble of people that all have their secrets and just like an archaeological dig, it all gets excavated over the course of the series and you find out some startling and amazing things about these characters. The drama revolves around one event, but over the course of that event you get to know all the skeletons in everyone’s cupboards.

What has it been like shooting in Scotland?

I haven't shot in Scotland before; I've done the Edinburgh Festival quite a few times, so that's my experience of Scotland previously. But we shot in beautiful locations over the course of Summerwater!

How would you describe the tone of the series?

It's a unique show with a unique tone. When I read the scripts, I expected one thing and the way that we shot it is surprising and exciting. 

Have you worked with Director Robert McKillop before?

I worked with Robbie before on Jericho in 2015. It was a Yorkshire western period drama that’s very different to Summerwater…