Gentleman Jack star Sophie Rundle on Yorkshire-set ITV disaster thriller After The Flood

After The Flood, written by Mick Ford, combines all the hallmarks of a classic whodunnit with a fresh twist: the story unfolds against the looming threats of flooding and moorland fires.

Starring Gentleman Jack actress Sophie Rundle, The Crown actor Nicholas Gleaves and Bodyguard actor Matt Stokoe, the first series follows the investigation into the death of an unidentified man after a flash flood strikes a small English town.

The disaster thriller returns for a second series, introducing new cast members including Waterloo Road’s Jill Halfpenny, Sherwood actor Alun Armstrong and Deadwater Fell actor Matthew McNulty.

The six-part series follows newly promoted detective Jo Marshall, played by Rundle and her new partner DS Sam Bradley, played by Halfpenny, as they tackle a baffling murder investigation amid the escalating threat of moorland fires and the risk of further flooding

Rundle, 37, welcomed the series picking up a year later, giving her character the space to evolve.

“It was great to have a year’s gap between the stories because it gave the character a chance to grow and change, so I could bring something new to her,” says the Buckinghamshire-born actress.

“Over the course of a year, you naturally evolve as a person, and I think that was reflected in her too. She’s been a mother for a year now, and that has changed her, as well as her relationships. It was wonderful to return to this new side of her.”

The series sees Rundle and Halfpenny’s characters working closely together as they investigate a string of mysterious murders in Waterside, the fictional Yorkshire town where the drama is set.

“Jill is so brilliant. She’s so cool and was immediately a lovely presence on a personal level,” says Rundle.

“I think she’s a brilliant actress and a great character to have in the series. She’s everything that Jo wants to be, so it was a really fun, fresh dynamic to add into this world.”

Rundle, who has also starred in Happy Valley and Peaky Blinders, says she has loved leading a detective drama and relished the opportunity to film action scenes.

“It’s fun to do stuff that’s out of your comfort zone,” she says.

“I’ve spent a lot of time doing period dramas, sitting and talking, and doing emotional scenes. It’s exciting to get older as a woman and start doing more action-based work.

“That’s not a pivot I ever saw happening, but it’s great. I’m glad audience tastes are shifting and we’re hungrier for that kind of content, because it’s fun to do.”

Stokoe, 36, who is Rundle’s real-life partner, plays Pat Holman, her on-screen ex-husband.

The Durham-born actor says his character evolves from living a double life in the first series to becoming a more open and courageous father in the second.

“I think there was a lot of secrecy in series one,” explains Stokoe.

“He was kind of living a double life and prioritising self-preservation.

“There was a cathartic admission at the end of the first series, where he brought Joanna up to speed and told her everything he knew.

“In series two, he’s become a father. He doesn’t have any secrets from Jo, and as a by-product of that, he’s less selfish and much braver.”

Gleaves, 57, returns as Sergeant Mackie, with the first series ending on a cliff-hanger as his corrupt dealings were exposed.

“I think in this series he starts off in a pretty good place,” says the Lancashire-born actor.

“At the end of series one, there was a kind of checkmate as far as Pat and Jo were concerned. He’d turned off all the taps that he felt could cause problems.

“So at the beginning of the series he thinks everything is in a good spot and just wants to make sure everyone is still on the same page so they can move on with normal life.

“But then things start to evolve that make him feel a bit worried and suspicious, which tips him into a place he’s never been before, which was something I found really exciting to play.”

Addressing the environmental themes woven throughout the show, the cast say it is an important issue to explore alongside the murder mysteries.

“I think it’s an inevitable and important topic of conversation,” says Rundle.

“We have to find ways to explore climate change, even though it can feel overwhelming. It’s such an enormous issue that it can seem impenetrable or insurmountable to confront head-on.

“One really smart way to approach it is to distill it down to the very real, immediate impact on a small community that feels familiar and that’s what this show does.”

She adds: “We do procedural murder mystery drama so well in this country, but what makes one worth watching is what sets it apart. Adding a climate change perspective gives it a fresh shift in viewpoint.

“Placing a protagonist who is almost a force of nature herself directly in the path of a changing climate and exploring that alongside compelling murder mysteries, makes for really strong drama.”

After The Flood returns on Sunday January 18, airing weekly on Sundays and Mondays on ITV. All episodes are available on ITVX.