Page 26 - Fujifilm Exposure_13 Shiner_ok

Harbour Lights shines for a second season
IN THE NICK OF
IN THE NICK OF
F rom Albert Square, East
London to West Bay in Dorset may not be much in miles, but for actor Nick Berry
the journey has proved rich- ly rewarding. Having first made his name playing heartbreaker Simon Wicks in Eastenders, the affable Berry defied the accepted wisdom by turning his back on soap stardom just when it was at its height.
He turned up next in Heartbeat, a feelgood drama trading heavily on a collec- tive nostalgia for a lost time. The series capitalised on his talents, and in return he brought it a large and loyal following. Six years on he decided enough was enough and set off looking for new challenges, this time through his own company, Valentine Productions.
For once it seemed that his Midas like judgement had let him down, as the
first series of the seaside melodrama Harbour Lights underwhelmed critics and turned off audiences. But to dismiss Berry after one sur- prising failure would be to underestimate the qualities that have established him as one of British TV’s favourite stars.
Returning with a new series, promising slicker, leaner and more dramatic shows, he is clearly enjoying his work - although his true ambitions lie in a direction
that may surprise some. More surprising is his can- dour when analysing the fail- ure of the first series.
“Finding something that appeals to audiences across all kinds of age groups is a bit of a fluke,” Berry con- fides, on location. “When we came here the first time I think we weren’t sure what we were making. I think they were trying to please too many people, and there were too many characters trying to give it that community
Photos: On location with Harbour Lights, starring one of television’s most popular actors, Nick Berry
EXPOSURE • 24 & 25