Emily Watson: 'Too Close would be much more conventional if my character was a man'

In the ITV drama, the Chernobyl star plays Dr Emma Robertson, a forensic psychiatrist who must assess her latest patient and potential criminal, Connie (played by Denise Gough).

However, the lines between doctor and patient become blurred as Connie taps into Emma's insecurities, and the two women get 'too close' for comfort.

Speaking at a press event, Watson said: "I was just reflecting on how different this story would be if my character had been a man. It would have gone down a much more conventional route. I just feel that the two women are able to reflect each other's experience in a way that's a really, you know, a really creative thing. Being a creative person, it's your job to reflect what you see, and that's right there in the heart of this."

She continued: "If it had been a man and a woman, it just would have been a different thing, I think. And... the conventional chemistry of most dramas is a man and a woman."

In their sessions together, Emma hopes to uncover what happened on the night of someone's death. This means probing Connie's complex relationship with her best friend, Ness, and discovering what "triggered Connie's despicable behaviour".

The first trailer for the drama was released in March 2021, in which Emma and a male character talk about her new high-profile patient, Connie, who's been dubbed the 'yummy mummy monster'.

The series is based on the novel by Clara Salaman (written under under the pseudonym Natalie Daniels), and was filmed last autumn in London. The Too Close cast has now been released in full.

Too Close will air on ITV soon. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide or our dedicated Drama hub.