Cold Feet star James Nesbitt admits he was shocked and scared by Adam and Karen love plot

Cold Feet Adam and Karen
(Image credit: ITV)

James Nesbitt on the worry he felt about the audience reaction when Adam and Karen got together in Cold Feet

James Nesbitt has admitted he was shocked when his Cold Feet character Adam fell in love with old pal Karen, played by Hermione Norris, in the last series of the ITV comedy drama, penned by Mike Bullen.

“Hermione and I were surprised by the creation of that story and were quite scared of it,” James told us. “We felt it might put us in a vulnerable position and that an audience wouldn’t go with it and we weren’t sure how it would work.  I just didn’t get it - I thought they were clutching at straws.”

Karan and Adam Cold Feet 2020

Adam and Karen are now an item in Cold Feet (Image credit: ITV / Big Talk)

However, after filming the new run, which sees Adam and Karen continue their relationship and make plans to move in together, James confessed that he was won over.

"Now it makes perfect sense,” he said. “Karen and Adam bring out good things in each other, there’s great chemistry and Hermione and I love working together. It’s one of the strengths of Cold Feet that it can tackle the idea that you can find love and friendship in later life in challenging circumstances. Hopefully the progression won’t disappoint. It will be intriguing and ultimately rewarding.”

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The new run sees the couple face a host of difficulties however, from the arrival of Karen’s difficult mother, played by Gemma Jones, to a surprising blast from Adam's past and a worrying work issue.

But James is pleased that whatever challenges lies ahead for Adam, the character is finally growing up.

“There was danger of him losing his likability a couple of series ago when he seemed more cynical. But now you see him trying to do the right thing,” he said. “In this series  you see him confronted with reality.  He’s on a journey of self-discovery that will hopefully lead him to a happier place. It’s feels like a mature show this time but with the same ingredients. I love it!’

Cold Feet returns on Monday 13 January on ITV at 9pm

Caren Clark

Caren has been a journalist specializing in TV for almost two decades and is a Senior Features Writer for TV Times, TV & Satellite Week and What’s On TV magazines and she also writes for What to Watch.


Over the years, she has spent many a day in a muddy field or an on-set catering bus chatting to numerous stars on location including the likes of Olivia Colman, David Tennant, Suranne Jones, Jamie Dornan, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Derek Jacobi as well as Hollywood actors such as Glenn Close and Kiefer Sutherland.


Caren will happily sit down and watch any kind of telly (well, maybe not sci-fi!), but she particularly loves period dramas like Call the Midwife, Downton Abbey and The Crown and she’s also a big fan of juicy crime thrillers from Line of Duty to Poirot.


In her spare time, Caren enjoys going to the cinema and theatre or curling up with a good book.