The Northumbria Mysteries cast share behind-the-scenes stories from Northumberland

During a premiere for BBC One’s The Northumbria Mysteries, the star-studded cast revealed all.

The event took place at Newcastle’s Tyneside Cinema on Thursday, October 15 – celebrating the imminent release of the drama, made by North East production company Lonesome Pine.

Starring Robson Green alongside co-star Liz White and supporting cast member Gurjeet Singh, the series puts the region’s stunning landscapes in the spotlight.

Liz White, best known for her role in Life on Mars, plays DI Rose O’Connell, an oxford-educated detective who has moved to Northumberland for reasons unknown.

“We've got some amazing locations on this journey, places that I've never been before,” Liz explained. It’s really been an unexpected joy of the job.

“We've been filming sometimes at sunrise, sometimes at sunset, you know, at the top of Dunstanburgh Castle, it's just incredible.”

On why the county provided the best setting to tell this particular story, Liz highlighted the strength and variety of Northumbrian communities.

In the series, Rose is assisted in a murder investigation by unlikely accomplice Joe Ruby, an ex-con played by Robson Green, whose experience as a criminal provides an unexpected insight.

“Rose is very by the book,” Liz said. “But she can't help but understand that Joe's local knowledge and his knowledge of people that might have similar histories to him is really valuable.”

Robson added: “Joe is a character who's got so many regrets in his life.

"He wants redemption. He wants forgiveness, and the only way he'll get it, he thinks, is by involving himself in solving mysterious murders.

“I think it is a real nod to everyone who's made a mistake in their life and is still living with them.”

Robson described, although the two characters are wildly different and start off on a bad foot, their relationship evolves throughout the series.

“They're polar opposites,” he said. “They don't like each other. But in order for the crime to be solved, they have to be together.

“When they find out what that connection is, throughout the series, they then have to wonder what to do with it. And I think that's a really lovely human thing.”

Manchester actor, Gurjeet Singh, known for Ackley Bridge, plays Raj Singh – a young detective with bags of enthusiasm to make up for what he lacks in experience.

He said: “When we get a chance to do something like The Northumbria Mysteries, which is set around working-class people up north, it's super important that these stories go out.

“It's important that everyone sees themselves on the screen, whatever their background is, whoever they are.

“Raj is that young, enthusiastic, passionate DS who wants to move up in the ranks and he wants to prove himself and he wants to get the job done.

“It's a universal story, especially from my character's perspective. He's this working class lad who's got a dream.”

For Gurjeet, this was his first opportunity to spend time in Northumberland – something which was made even more enjoyable thanks to Robson’s passion for the area.

“He's a fountain of knowledge,” Gurjeet said. “I have said many times he is like the David Attenborough of the North East.”