Richard Madden has revealed that the experience of making Bodyguard almost pushed him to quit acting.
Last year, Richard won over critics and viewers with his portrayal of David Budd in the BBC thriller, with multiple reports suggesting there could be a hugely iconic role coming up in his future.
However, speaking to The Sun, he admitted that making the show led to him rethinking his career.
“It really took it out of me,” he recalled. “I didn’t get to see my friends, my family, do anything. It’s a relentless job, it’s an unhappy place.
“At the end of filming I had just gone, ‘What am I doing this for? I’m supposed to be doing the thing I love.’
“I had to take a break for a couple of months and get myself back.”
Richard went on to note that it was only after seeing the first “rough cuts” of Bodyguard that he felt the show was “something he’s really proud of actually”.
In 2019, Richard won a Golden Globe and a National Television Award for his role in Bodyguard, though he was noticeably absent when the nominations were announced for the TV Baftas last month.
There’s already a lot of talk about whether Bodyguard will be back for a second run, with creator Jed Mercurio, who is also behind Line Of Duty, saying that while he’d be keen to write a follow-up series, he’s currently working through the “logistics” of making it happen.
“We’re talking about it,” Richard recently told Digital Spy, when asked about a second series. “[It’s] all in Jed Mercurio’s brilliant mind. So it’s up to him what happens next. I can’t wait to read it.”