- Home
- TV
- Drama
- Aidan Turner says meeting with Parkinson’s patient for ITV’s The Suspect was “invaluable”
❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).
Aidan Turner says meeting with Parkinson’s patient for ITV’s The Suspect was “invaluable”
"I feel like everything we talked about was vital, crucial to me finding Joe's character."
ITV
- James Hibbs
Published: Tuesday, 12 July 2022 at 3:31 pm
ITV's The Suspect will bring Michael Robotham's best-selling novel of the same name to screens, telling the story of Doctor Joe O’Loughlin as played here by Aidan Turner.
Ad
Joe is a clinical psychologist who meets with a detective in order to aid them with a potential murder enquiry. However, questions abound as to whether he knows more about this case than he's letting on, and whether he might have something to hide.
In the series Joe has recently been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and at a recent Q&A attended by RadioTimes.com and other press, Turner spoke about his research around the illness for the role.
He said: "I met up with a great guy, his name is Drew Hallam. He's 39 now, the same age as me. And he was diagnosed with Parkinson's when he was 35, which is very young to be diagnosed with that illness.
Aidan Turner as Joe O'Loughlin in The Suspect ITV
"He's an amazing guy, we met up a few times. We talked endlessly about the details of how the medication makes him feel, what was it like in the early days? What were the first few weeks like? Do you remember them? Because I was talking to him about how reckless Joe might be, he said 'Absolutely. I didn't know what to do with myself.'"
Turner explained that Hallam found it most difficult upon diagnosis to be told that he couldn't hold his children.
Want to see this content?
This page contains content provided by Google reCAPTCHA. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as Google reCAPTCHA may use cookies and other technologies. To view this content, choose 'Accept and continue' to allow Google reCAPTCHA and its required purposes.
Accept and continue
Turner continued: "That's hard, I can't imagine what that would feel like. And he's a really accomplished musician, he’s an incredible guitarist, amazing, he showed me videos, off the charts. He can't do any of that anymore.
"So he was really interesting to talk to, because I felt like there were these parallels with Joe. I feel like everything we talked about was vital, crucial to me finding Joe's character with the Parkinson’s. So that was invaluable, moreso than any of the books I read, which were also helpful."
The Suspect is made up of five episodes and also stars Shaun Parkes, Sian Clifford, Camilla Beeput, Adam James, Anjli Mohindra and Bobby Schofield.
Additional reporting by Morgan Jeffery.
Amazon Prime Day 2022 is here
Taking place on 12th-13th July, Prime Day is an exclusive sales event for Prime members.
With early Prime Day deals already live, we are seeing discounts across Amazon devices like the Echo Dot and up to 50% off movies and TV shows on Prime Video.
Along with access to Amazon Prime Day, a Prime membership also gets you free premium delivery and a subscription to Prime Video and Amazon Music.
Sign up for a 30-day free Amazon Prime trial
The Suspect will air on ITV next month. For more to watch, check out more of our Drama coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.
Ad
The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.
Authors
James HibbsDrama Writer
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
Ad
Ad
Get the Christmas double issue
Too much to watch at Christmas? Let Radio Times do the choosing to find something the whole family will enjoy.
Loading...
Ad
Loading...