John Hannah stars as Dennis, a retired detective turned pub landlord in Benidorm, in the new Channel 5 series 'Benidorm is Murder'. The 64-year-old actor distinguishes his character from typical television detectives by highlighting Dennis's sense of humour.
A different kind of TV cop
Hannah, known for roles like John Rebus and Jack Cloth, told Metro that Dennis 'recognises when something is ironic or weird, which I don't think you get to see a lot in TV cops. They're serious-thinking loners. Divorcees, suffering some existential moment.' While Dennis shares some of those traits, his humour sets him apart.
The series follows Dennis as he runs a bar for British tourists in Benidorm. His retirement is interrupted when Rosa (Carolina Bécquer), a Spaniard who has watched every episode of Midsomer Murders, arrives seeking a job. Upon learning Dennis is a former detective, she persuades him to investigate the death of a Robbie Williams impersonator who fell from a hotel balcony.
Filming on location in Benidorm
The six-part series was shot on location in Benidorm. Bécquer admitted that as a Spaniard, 'you hear all sorts of things' about the town. Hannah joked that his late working-class parents would have loved holidaying there. Despite concerns about filming on the busy strip, Hannah said: 'At first we were wary, but people were no different from filming in any other city. We were completely awry in our assumptions that it might get a bit leery.'
Most passersby were curious, wondering if it was a reboot of 'Benidorm' or if they could appear as extras. Several regular holidaygoers feature in cutaway shots.
Blue-collar storytelling
Hannah praised the series' focus on working-class characters, calling it 'a real relief' compared to many crime capers set in wealthy environments. He recalled leaving drama school in 1985 as a working-class actor, when shows like 'Boys from the Blackstuff' told working-class stories. 'It seems like we've moved away from that. If you do upstairs downstairs, they tend to concentrate on upstairs,' he said.
The dynamic between Dennis and Rosa draws on Hannah's own experiences working on building sites as a teenager, learning quickly from older colleagues. Bécquer called Hannah a mentor: 'When I got there, I didn't know what I was doing. He really took me under his wing and gave me so much advice.' Hannah joked that in his 'dotage', Bécquer reminds him of the scene's context if he wanders off.
Production and future seasons
Director Simon Delaney had an exacting vision, with Hannah describing him as 'particular' and 'precise', noting the number of takes. There were vague allusions to production issues from shooting on location with a non-native English-speaking crew. Despite a charged atmosphere between Hannah and Delaney at the screening, discussions for a second season are underway.
The cast stayed in Benidorm's historic Old Town, avoiding the more touristy areas. Hannah drank non-alcoholic beers on set. Guest stars included Denise Welch, whom Hannah worked with in the 1980s, and Alistair McGowan. Bécquer said they returned with 'colourful stories'. Hannah added: 'Every bar has a tribute act of some sort, or a stripper of some sort, or a juggler of some sort. It's lively. But all good fun. Well, maybe apart from the stripper. I wish they'd never come back and told us about that. Let me just say Sticky Vicky. Other than that, you really don't want to know.'
'Benidorm is Murder' airs tonight at 9pm on Channel 5.
