Emily Watson Talks To TV Choice About The Politician's Husband And Working With David Tennant



Emily Watson, who stars alongside David Tennant in the new BBC Two political drama The Politician's Husband has spoken to TV Choice about the series. 

TV Choice - Interview Extra

Emily Watson


Emily Watson, 46, first achieved recognition for the 1996 film Breaking The Waves, and has gone on to win several awards, including the Best Leading Actress BAFTA for the 2011 drama Appropriate Adult.

In The Politician's Husband, writer Paula Milne's follow-up to the 1995 drama The Politician's Wife, Emily plays ambitious junior minister Freya Hoynes, who's married to a senior cabinet minister Aiden (David Tennant.) They're the golden couple of Westminster — until Freya's career starts to overshadow that of her husband's...


How would you describe The Politician's Husband?


It's a little bit like Macbeth in that it's about the cost of ambition — after all, you can't want to be Prime Minister, as Freya's husband does, without being lethally ambitious. It's kind of a companion piece to The Politician's Wife, but it's very different. The Politician's Wife [which starred Juliet Stevenson and Trevor Eve] was about a wife whose husband was cheating on her, and she gets her own back by going into politics. This is very much about a couple who are potentially equals in the political world, and which one's going to end up on top.

Did you know David Tennant before this?

I'd never met him before, but I'd sort of admired his work. Since we have finished filming I do text him occasionally, but we don't socialise, because I think we're quite similar creatures in that we're quite intense about our work, but very private people, with young families. Who don't go out!

How did the two of you handle the sex scenes?

It was kind of hilarious, really. I mean, it's just such a weird thing to be doing, especially when you get to my age. You just think, 'What are you doing, Emily? Really?' David was equally embarrassed and squeamish about it, but we just said, 'I'm sorry! Let's go for it!'

Has doing The Politician's Husband made you think differently about any political stories you read in the press?

Oh God, yeah. I think being a couple in politics must put immense pressure on your personal life. You do wonder what goes on behind closed doors.

Will viewers see politics differently after watching this drama?

I think the cynicism you see is quite shocking. Not that we're under any illusions that politicians are all good-hearted souls working away for our benefit, are we?




The Politician's Husband begins on BBC Two on Thursday 25th April at 9pm

Find out more here



Comments