Interview with Tom Lewis (Elliot Scott)

How is it being back playing Elliot?

Honestly feels like slipping back into a favourite jacket that somehow fits better the second time round. It’s like he’s been living his life off-screen without me. You step back in and realise he’s grown in ways you didn’t expect. Elliot’s one of those characters who reveals himself slowly, so coming back meant discovering loads of new sides to him. More heart, more bite, more mess - all the fun stuff. He’s funny, he’s warm, but he’s also wrestling with feelings he hasn’t fully faced yet, and playing that tension - the lad who wants to be fine versus the man who isn’t - was great challenge. It’s what I love about working in television. You don’t revisit a character; you catch up with them. Feels like picking up a conversation we’d paused mid-sentence and finding he has far more to say this time

We met Elliot in season one, but will we be seeing more of him this season? Who is he, what does he do, and what might we learn as the story plays out?

Definitely more. Last season he hovered around the edges, this time he’s right in the thick of it. There’s this whole internal world he keeps under the surface, and the script for this season really starts to peel that back. There’s a moment later in the series - you’ll know it when you see it - that basically yanks him out of the emotional hiding place he’s been living in. Elliot’s a “keep it together and crack a joke” kind of lad, but this season doesn’t let him hide behind the smile anymore. He can read a crime scene better than he can read his own feelings, and all the stuff he usually buries quietly finally gets dragged to the surface. And that’s partly why he and Patience connect the way they do - they understand each other perfectly, they’re just terrible at saying it.

How are things between Elliot and Patience as the series begins?

They start the series in that messy middle space we all know and love; where you’re not “just friends” anymore but neither of you is brave enough to name it. It’s that classic dance - too much care to step back, too much fear to step forward. And you try to stay “friends” even though life is clearly nudging you elsewhere. And I get it! I’ve definitely been in that limbo myself before - who hasn’t? It’s awkward in the gentlest, most British way. And beautifully human. 

What do you think viewers will learn about relationships from what unfolds between Patience and Elliot?

Probably that love isn’t the whole job - you’ve got to actually talk. The show’s brilliant at those quiet, awkward moments where you know what you want to say, but you swallow it instead. Patience and Elliot are a lesson in how tiny silences can build into something big if you let them. It’s honest, it’s tender, and it’s a bit painful in the best, most recognisable way - because everyone’s been there. There’s also a really interesting lens on neurodivergent relationships. The show never turns it into a grand “issue”; it treats it as part of who these characters are and how they move through the world. That’s what I love about it. You see how communication styles differ, how patience ;) and misunderstanding often sit side by side. Love isn’t one-size-fits-all. 

People will still be interested in the neurodiversity storyline at the heart of the show. How important is it to you that neurodiverse actors play neurodiverse roles?

Massively. Authentic casting isn’t a trend - it’s simply the right way to work. When someone brings lived experience into a role, it shifts the whole energy of the story, and it shifts the way everyone behind the scenes tells that story too. Truth on set becomes truth on screen, and nowadays audiences pick up on that instantly.

What challenges did you experience during this series, if any?

Truthfully, I’d love to pretend I was battling huge artistic challenges, but my biggest challenge was remembering that Elliot is supposed to be having a stressful time while I was having a great one. This is honestly one of the best times I’ve ever had on a project. The entire crew, production team, and cast get on like a house on fire - it’s always a brilliant, relaxed, and supportive set. When you’re surrounded by people who make long days feel light, it’s very difficult to look convincingly tormented on camera. And then there’s the corpsing. If there were a BAFTA for “Actor Who Nearly Ruined the Most Takes From Laughing”, I’d at least get a nomination. Possibly a lifetime achievement award.

What are your most memorable moments in front of the camera? Funny or challenging?

There’s a silent disco scene with Elliot and Patience that’s stayed with me the most. On paper it looked simple - a cute moment of romance - but filming it was something else entirely. Dancing like no one’s watching is one thing; dancing like no one’s watching while a full crew is watching, and you’re the only one who can hear the music, is a completely different sport. Me and Ella had a blast doing it. We basically ended up in our own tiny music video while everyone else politely pretended not to judge our rhythm. It was one of those days where you think, oh right, this is why I love this job - and one of those days where you quietly pray no one ever releases the behind-the-scenes footage of your dancing.

You were shooting in both Belgium and York. What did you like best about both places? Any specific memories?

Belgium was amazing. The people are super kind, the food is fantastic, and the country has this effortless beauty to it - the kind where you turn a corner and constantly think, that’ll look brilliant on camera. And the catering… I’m not saying I considered staying there permanently, but the thought definitely crossed my mind around lunchtime most days. York, though - that hit differently. I grew up in Leeds, so filming in York always has that lovely “close to home” feeling whenever I’m there. It has an old-world charm you don’t get in many other places. One night after filming, a few of us sat on a quiet street eating chips, watching the world go by in that very York way - simple, easy, a bit magical. York has a knack for that. These tiny pockets of calm that stay with you long after you’ve left.