The Secret A true story A Hat Trick Production for ITV
CREDITS CAST James Nesbitt: Colin Howell Genevieve O Reilly: Hazel Buchanan Laura Pyper: Lesley Howell Glen Wallace: Trevor Buchanan Jason Watkins: Pastor John Hansford CREATIVE TEAM Writer: Stuart Urban Based on the book by Deric Henderson Director: Nick Murphy Producer: Jonathan Curling Executive Producer: Mark Redhead
SYNOPSIS The location: a seaside town in Northern Ireland in 1991. The scene: two bodies in a carbon monoxide filled car. A former nurse Lesley Howell, and a police officer Trevor Buchanan, have apparently taken their own lives together. This is the true story of a Sunday school teacher and a respectable dentist who formed a murderous partnership. Hazel Buchanan and Colin Howell meet at their local Baptist Church in Coleraine, Northern Ireland and embark upon a passionate and destructive affair, which climaxes in an elaborate plot to commit the perfect murder to kill both their partners, Lesley and Trevor, and make it look like a suicide pact. The killers fool the police and get away with murder, but their relationship soon sours and they separate. They rebuild their lives, each remarrying and prospering, but can never escape what they have done. As a series of disasters befalls Howell, he finally confesses his crimes to the horrified elders of his church. Convicted of murder, Howell implicates Hazel in the killing. Hazel admits involvement but pleads not guilty, claiming she was coerced. In a climactic murder trial, Howell gives evidence against his former lover. EPISODE ONE EPISODE DESCRIPTIONS When Colin Howell and Hazel Buchanan meet at their local Baptist Church in rural Northern Ireland, they start an affair which will have cataclysmic consequences. EPISODE TWO Colin and Hazel carry out his plan to kill Lesley and Trevor, and stage it to look like a suicide pact. But will the community and the police believe their story? EPISODE THREE As the inquest approaches, Colin and Hazel have to hold their nerve. But even if they do get away with it, can their relationship survive?
EPISODE FOUR The past catches up with Colin as he is finally driven to confess his crime. But when Hazel pleads not guilty, will Colin take all the blame? QUOTES Mark Redhead Executive Producer At its heart The Secret is a story of a love affair that starts discreetly in a church environment, and turns into a passionate and sexual adventure that leads to murder and then a bitter aftermath. It ultimately climaxes in the two central characters in the love affair turning on each other. That s a huge journey that unfolds over eighteen years. Stuart Urban brought this story to me and it immediately struck me as being absolutely remarkable. A double murder committed by two respectable people from a church in Northern Ireland was an unusual situation for a story. But what was really remarkable about it was the fact that they succeeded in getting away with the murder for so long. James Nesbitt is such an exceptional actor, that to find somebody to play Hazel was a real challenge because they were going to have to go toe to toe with him. We were really thrilled to get Genevieve and were astonished at how amazing she was. The audition she did for us, for this, was the best audition I have ever seen. It was quite extraordinary. Genevieve (O Reilly) and James(Nesbitt) had to play a huge variety of moments, from passion, to violent murder, to loathing, bitterness and recrimination, to guilt. They matched each other in the course of this extraordinary journey. Nick Murphy Director It s easy to get carried away with Colin s story but it absolutely not just Colin s story, and Hazel is just as important. Her involvement in the crime is every bit as important. She would argue to be a mere spectator of the crime but it s been demonstrated in court that this isn t the case. Colin s character changes hugely during the story, and James s ability to play that is extraordinary. I would say Genevieve brought a recognition that Hazel s character lived much more in the immediate now in any given situation than Colin, who is much more scheming and plotting.
Stuart Urban Writer James is perfect for the role, he comes from Coleraine where the murders took place, and is such an extraordinarily versatile actor. He can play charming, funny and he can play sinister. And I think that this role stretches him more than any other part I ve ever seen him play. It is truly an extraordinary performance. Deric Henderson Writer, Let This Be Our Secret Colin Howell spent the best part of two years preparing for the court case, he had rehearsed his lines. They weren t just spontaneous, they didn t just come out there and then when he was in court. Howell knew he was going to have a captive audience. Jonathan Curling - Producer Let s be very clear this show is based on court records, first hand accounts, on confessions, whether to the police or the elders in the church, and at every stage there were facts to be checked. James Nesbitt Colin Howell It was hard in the sense that this was a love story, and a murder story. They were in love and so that had a big part of our story. Genevieve s very compelling and brings Hazel to life. It was hard for us to play these lovers who turn into murderers, because you have to try and find what they saw in each other to make them go that far. Had Hazel been forgiven for leaving him? I don t think so, I think it was very clear that he wanted her. After a while the relationship stops and she begins to see another man, which probably devastated him. I think he was very much in love. For his life to be the perfect life he wanted to be a very successful dentist, a pillar of the church community, a wonderful family man. All I can do is try and create something that is truthful to the script, and the writing is so strong. The direction is so acute and so brilliant with Nick Murphy that hopefully we are building an honest portrayal of quite a complicated man. It would have been easier if he had been incredibly charming, with Colin it was a bit more complicated because he wasn t. I think some people didn t warm to him and there was a banality almost to him as well. I ve talked to many people who will have known Colin. I m from Coleraine. He lived opposite my sister, they had the same cleaner, my sister went to some of Lesley s coffee mornings, which I only found out recently.
Genevieve O Reilly- Hazel Buchanan/Stewart [Hazel Buchanan] played a huge part in murdering her husband. I feel I ve been able to play with creating a woman. She was a good mother, but I think maybe Colin turned her head. I think maybe they ended up falling in love with each other.