In The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, Dick Turpin (Noel Fielding) sets out on a journey of wildly absurd escapades when he’s made the reluctant leader of a band of outlaws - and tasked with outwitting corrupt lawman and self-appointed thief-taker Jonathan Wilde (Hugh Bonneville).
In this irreverent retelling set in the 18th century, Turpin is the most famous but least likely of highway robbers, whose success is defined mostly by his charm, showmanship and great hair. Together with his gang of lovable rogues, Turpin rides the highs and lows of his new endeavours, including a brush with celebrity, all whilst trying to escape the clutches of the thief-taker.
The six-episode first season will premiere globally with the first two episodes on Friday, March 1, followed by one new episode weekly through Friday, March 29, exclusively on Apple TV+.
The show features an incredible British cast from top to bottom and Marc Wootton (Arthur Christmas), Ellie White (Stath Lets Flats), and Duayne Boachie (Hollyoaks) join Fielding's Dick Turpin as Essex Gang members, Moose, Nell Brazier, and Honesty Courage.
During our hilarious conversation with the trio, they tell us more about their respective characters, the bond they formed on set, what they enjoyed about working with special effects, and why The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin felt like a Marvel movie audition for Duayne.
These three are a riot, and you can watch our full conversation with them in the player below (the transcription doesn't do them justice).
I loved the series and seeing you on screen together. What about the camaraderie your characters have as the Essex Gang did you all most enjoy exploring?
Marc: To be honest, narratively, we’re shooting chronologically so we get to experience it all. We get to experience the feeling of Tom King repressing us all. Then, he gets shot in the face. Oh, I shouldn’t ruin that, it’s a plot spoiler! Then, something happens to him…it’s a twist of fate where there’s a new leader, Dick Turpin, Noel Fielding, the dandy. We get to experience those things as it goes, so it’s not that weren’t best pals at the beginning, but by the end…
Ellie: You’re properly rooting for them. I think, certainly from my character’s perspective, I’m cynical and think everyone’s a bit crap. I want to leave the gang and then, you know, stuff happens and I become incredibly fond of these people. Through the audience’s eyes, hopefully, you will feel fondly about them as well.
Duayne: We definitely became one big happy family throughout and there is an underlying theme about family I liked to see. They build a strong love for each other and, just like siblings, you argue, you fight, but in the end, the love is there and the foundation is there. I feel like we get that.
Marc: Behind the scenes, that existed as well which isn’t always the case. Sometimes, it can be a bit bristly and weird, but we were really fortunate to have a wider cast of really kind people. We would, more often than not, the four of us be hanging out together under umbrellas trying to keep dry because it was raining in the woods at four in the morning. We would do lots of night shoots too.
Duayne, Honesty seems to love Turpin so how did Noel react to that reverence your character had for his character?
Duayne: [Laughs]
Marc: You know what, Noel has got a restraining order.
Duanye: Nah, I liked the fact that Noel’s character actually embraces Honesty’s love and admiration for him and also gives Honesty so much confidence to express himself and be the Honesty that was surprised by Tom King. That did feel really nice.
Marc, we often hear that period costumes aren’t much fun to wear but you get the freedom to “slay” in that dress. What was that like on set?
Marc: Great! I mean, it’s so easy, especially if you need to go to the loo. I don’t quite understand why dresses haven’t become more of a thing. I know kilts are a thing and there was a bit of a man’s Prada dress Beckham wore a few years back, but I don’t know why we’re not wearing dresses. They’re brilliant. They’re freeing and really liberating. There’s a samurai kind of vibe. You can do anything and there’s a lot of air and wafting going on. It’s the future. Men in dresses.
No offence to you, Duayne and Marc, but Ellie’s character is much smarter than you two -
Duayne: Honesty is a genius! [Laughs]
- and she’s forced to be the mum of the group, albeit reluctantly. What was that dynamic like for you, Ellie?
Ellie: I didn’t have to try very hard. Behind the scenes, it was art reflecting life in many ways. It was great because I think the dynamic works between all three of us and you need someone to sort of, I don’t want to say be the straight person because I don’t think she’s completely straight, but she knows what she’s doing and they don’t. These lads need some guidance and I’m their guiding light.
Behind the scenes, did the friendship the three of you developed bleed into your characters and lead to any changes along the way?
Marc: I don’t think it changed anything but I do think we were incredibly lucky to all get on. As I say, outside of our gang, every day you show up on a show like this, there’s a brilliant comedy performer that you see on the call short. Asim Chaudhry…Greg Davies…Jessica Hynes…Tamsin Greig…Marc Wootton. The list is endless.
Ellie: My mum was an extra.
Marc: That day was extraordinary! In the market square in London.
Ellie: She didn’t make the cut [Laughs].
Duayne: My daughter was there!
Marc: I know it gets oversaid and I worry it becomes a cliche, but all I can tell you is that it’s true. It was a family affair and it felt wholesomely like that.
To begin with, Dick Turpin comes across as an idiot and it’s hard to figure out why any of you would follow him. What’s your take on why they all get behind him?
Ellie: I think it’s very difficult for my character because she would obviously be an excellent leader. Also, I think she’s diplomatic and can see Dick appeals to these two absolute losers…who are her friends. I think she’s willing to maybe not be the one who actually has to lead because when she’s put under pressure, she buckles. It’s probably good for her to sit back and be cynical rather than have the heat on her.
Duayne: I think Honesty gravitates to kind hearts. So, when Dick comes into the gang, the fact he’s given the freedom to express himself is what makes Honesty happy.
Marc: I think Moose is quite repressed. He’s just fallen into the groove of being a highwayman and then suddenly this guy saves his life and comes out with all these words that sound amazing and it’s quite exciting and liberating to suddenly be given the freedom to put on a dress. And to knit. And to do things he hasn’t even imagined that are quite mind-blowing. It gives him a huge amount of confidence and lets him know he doesn’t just have to be a heavy or highway robber.
Hugh Bonneville will know him for his loveable role in the Paddington movies but he’s a real hateful villain here. What was that back-and-forth like?
Marc: It was a masterclass in acting.
Ellie: It was kind of intimidating actually. He’s a very brilliant actor.
Marc: He’d say, ‘Let me do that again,’ and he’d do a tiny different thing with his eyes. And then you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s proper acting.’
Duanye: I was literally in awe being on set with him and watching the things he does. He’s so amazing.
Marc: He’s really chilled, very down to Earth, and incredibly easy to get on with.
There are some fun supernatural elements to the story I think will surprise people, but how much did you enjoy working with those special effects?
Marc: Surprisingly, it didn’t get in the way. Sometimes, I though, ‘Oh, it’s going to be green screen,’ but it wasn’t. They were practical effects. This guy [Duayne] really is on a carriage zipping through the forest with branches just missing his head for real.
Duayne: I loved it. It was a dream, honestly. Just the fact they had a fantasy element in there with all these different kinds of things and the action. We did it for real. I’ve always wanted to do my own stunts, [and the scene jumping into the water] was the first time I got to sink my teeth into something like that and I did it again and again and again.
Ellie: We also filmed a lot on location so that helped. There wasn’t that much on set so it felt very real. At one stage, I’m tied to a burning stake and I was actually surrounded by fire.
Marc: There was a wood in Wales we went to with moss everywhere, and you’d feel it because you’re there rather than being in a studio and it being pretend.
Duayne: It made me feel like, for Honesty’s character, that he’s literally like a superhero. I feel like it’s something he always wanted to do in his life from when he was young. It was great.
Marc: I don’t want to drop him in it, but this guy just sees the show as a massive audition for Marvel.
Marc, you mentioned the amazing guest stars in this series and it’s such a great showcase for British actors. What does it mean to you to see British comedy showcased to such a huge audience on Apple TV+?
Ellie: I’ve never been part of a global show like this before and you’d think that would mean you’d have to forgo some of the British sense of humour, but it feels like it’s encouraged to be a bit weird and a bit eccentric. To be sarcastic and have really big, silly characters and it feels like a traditional British sitcom on a larger scale. That’s amazing to see that so encouraged because you wouldn’t necessarily equate that with a global streaming platform, but Apple TV+ really encouraged it.
Duayne: The fact it could appeal to so many different people and age ranges too. It’s literally a family show from grandmum to the daughter, son, nephew, and uncle, dogs and cats…they can watch it as a family and enjoy it! [Laughs]
Marc: As Ellie said, it’s widely eccentric and all that British eccentricity was definitely encouraged and writers are being quite particular rather than broad, homogenised stuff. There is a breadth to it which makes it all very understandable but we’ve kept a lot of weirdness at the heart of it. I’m sure a lot of that is to do with Noel as an exec as things pass through his filter and he has quite a peculiar view of the world.
I had such a good time with this show and your characters, and while I can guess the answer, do you think you’d all like to come back for a possible season 2?
Duayne: Of course! We would love to, man. Definitely. It was such a great pleasure to work on something like this and it would be fun to see where it can go.
Marc: Yeah, I can’t wait to see where they go if they get granted the permission to do more.
Ellie: Yes!
Duayne: Do I get to be a superhero?
Marc: Marvel, here we come.