Babylon interview with Paterson Joseph

Who do you play, and what are they like?
I play Charles Inglis, Deputy Commissioner in the London Police Force.
Charles is ambition and tough. Cynical on the surface but with hidden integrity.


What are the chief strengths of Sam and Jesse’s writing?
Sam and Jesse have always been able to marry dramatic situation with a twist of the absurd. They've added depth and tension to the mix and the result is a notch up from anything I've ever seen them do.

It’s by no means your typical police show, is it? Is that part of the attraction for you?
It is a typical police show in that the cops are dealing with crime. The difference is that the cameras are turned on the inner workings at the top. This bird's eye view of policing London is absolutely unique and was a major attraction for me in taking this role on.

Has your opinion of the police changed as a result of working on the show?
Babylon has definitely added a degree of sympathy to my opinion of those at the top of the major police forces in the UK. Their challenges in a digital age, to keep us safe but keep us totally informed, are monumental and unenviable. At the same time I think they need to truly work on being transparent about their major flaws: Racism, sexism and bullying.