OHMYGOSSIP — Wunmi Mosaku added a lot of extra swearing to her ‘Passenger’ character’s dialogue.
The mysterious ITV drama set in Northern England has been written by ‘Broadchurch’ actor Andrew Buchan and has been described as a British ‘Stranger Things’ since it launched.
Andrew was happy to include the blunt language used by real-life Northerners, and Wunmi – who plays police officer Riya, who is investigating the disappearance of a young girl – added her own expletives into many lines because she felt they were appropriate for the character.
Discussing her character’s colourful language, Wunmi, 37, said: “Oh I really did enjoy it, I added a few too many a couple of times. You’re only allowed nine f**** a page and I was bringing 10 or something.”
There were concerns that ‘Passenger’ had so much swearing in it that may have broke ITV rules on foul language.
But producer Lucy Dyke insists that the final cut of the show was within the rules for bad language.
Lucy said: “We’ve been through compliance and it is compliant with what ITV need. There’s not actually that much swearing in it. I think the swearing that is in it is really joyful.”
‘Passenger’ has an all-star cast that also includes Natalie Gavin, Arian Nik, Jo Hartley and David Threlfall.
‘Shameless’ star Threlfall wasn’t shocked at all by any of the foul language after portraying deadbeat dad Frank Gallagher for years on Channel 4’s ‘Shameless’.
In a joint Q A with the cast, writer and producer, he said: “About the swearing, having spent 10 years swearing in the North on another show I think this is pretty mild, you don’t have anything to worry about.”
‘Passenger’ is available now on ITVX.