As Britain braces for its fourth heatwave of summer 2026, the BBC's new thriller The Rapture feels eerily timely. Based on Liz Jensen's 2010 novel, the series depicts a near-future where Wales routinely reaches 42°C and religious cults flourish. Starring Ruth Madeley as forensic psychologist Gabrielle Fox and India Amarteifio as inmate Bethany Krall, the psychological drama tackles climate change, faith, and trauma.
Iwan Rheon on the series' message
Iwan Rheon, who plays struggling journalist Dick, hopes the show prompts viewers to reflect. 'I hope people enjoy a female-led psychological drama that's genuinely thought-provoking,' he told Metro. 'It might make people think a little about the world and how it works, but at its core it's about people who've become a bit lost finding themselves again.' The 41-year-old former Game of Thrones star added: 'It's thoughtful, but it also has humour, warmth and a bit of cheekiness as well.'
Plot and character dynamics
Gabrielle Fox, still recovering from a car crash that killed her husband and left her paralysed, discusses her trauma with her psychotherapist (Ruth Jones). Meanwhile, Bethany Krall, imprisoned for murdering her mother, claims psychic abilities. Rheon acknowledges the series sounds 'a bit mad' when listing its themes—religion, climate change, psychic powers—but emphasises its human core. 'It's about two women and their relationship, and two people rediscovering themselves after going through real hardship,' he explained. 'It's dealing with huge themes like climate change, religion and the media, but it keeps bringing things back to believable characters. I think that's what makes it work.'
Rheon's role as Dick
Rheon describes Dick as 'completely lost, sitting in apathy and trying to rediscover himself.' He worked to avoid making the character a caricature: 'Things like him putting vodka in his orange juice might be funny, but they're also signs that he's struggling. I wanted people to feel that he wasn't just a bumbling idiot – he'd genuinely lost his way.'
Filming in Wales and working with Ruth Madeley
Filmed in South Wales, the production missed the current heatwave but gave Rheon a chance to return home. 'It was lovely to be back home,' he said. 'I'm really proud of what Wales offers as a filming location now. We've got fantastic crews, brilliant facilities and so many different landscapes.' He praised co-star Ruth Madeley as 'wonderful to work with' and 'a real leader on set.'
Rheon's career reflections
Known for dark roles like Ramsay Bolton, Rheon admits he'd welcome simpler characters: 'It's always more interesting to play complex characters because there's more to get your teeth into. Having said that, it would be nice to play someone completely straightforward every now and then. They don't always have to be tortured!'
All episodes of The Rapture are available on BBC iPlayer.
