Sarah Parish on reprising her role as killer cop Elizabeth Bancroft in the return of ITV’s twisty crime thriller
Murderous cop Detective Chief Superintendent Elizabeth Bancroft, played by Sarah Parish, might have met her match as ITV crime thriller Bancroft returns for a second three-part series. When her estranged son Joe (Adam Long) is implicated in a double killing, how far will she go to protect her child?
Here, Sarah Parish tells us about the return of Bancroft to ITV…
What’s in store for Bancroft?
Sarah Parish: “It’s a different journey because she finds herself in a situation where she’s not in control. Bancroft has to use all her cunning and intelligence to get what she wants. She comes up against something she finds almost as evil as her. You see her even more dangerous…”
Are there any stunts?
SP: “There’s a big fight scene. I throw some punches, I throw some chairs, I try and strangle people - all sorts! There are more stunts than in the last one and they’re way more exciting. It’s just more juicy and scary!”
Francesca Annis joins the cast as Bancroft’s mum Carol, what does she bring to the show?
SP: “It was funny because when I read the scripts I never thought of Bancroft having a mum! But Francesca’s brilliant. There’s something classy and steely about her. I worried how Bancroft would interact with a parent but she brought a lot to those scenes.”
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Do you embrace the challenge of playing Bancroft?
SP: “Yes, it’s a big leap for me but I really enjoy it. I’ve played icy people but I don’t think you’ve seen me as evil as this. She’s so complex and I’m constantly trying to make her both likeable and unlikeable. I can’t think of another character I’ve found as difficult. It takes time to lighten up after playing her!”
Bancroft airs nightly on ITV from Wednesday 1 January to Friday 3 January at 9pm
