Interview with Jeff Rawle

7 October 2015

Your storyline was hugely popular, wasn't it?

I know, I didn't realise it would create such a storm! I think initially I knew Silas would be this nice grandad type who you think you can trust, but is actually this very sinister character who was grooming young women online. I knew that there would be one murder, but it wasn't clear at first that he was going to be a serial killer. In some ways it's a 'penny dreadful' story, a 'look behind you' sort of storyline. A great whodunnit. But it also shows that anyone can fall for a scam, and I think that's quite a good moral to have. He was wholly convincing and got away with it for a very long time.

Why did you take the part?

I've always played jumpered fools in comedies! So to play the real baddie, the real arch villain, was irresistible. He was pure evil, nothing redeemable about him at all. There was nothing about Silas that you could like, you couldn't sit at home thinking, 'Ah, well, he's nice to dogs'. To be honest, it wasn't difficult. He was so evil, it played itself. He just was evil!

You'd never done a soap before, had you?

No, and to be perfectly honest, I thought I might hate it. I was dreading it, a bit. I didn't want to regret taking the part but I wasn't sure if I'd like the hours and the regime. But everyone was so lovely to me. I was three times older than most of the cast! But they were very sweet and went out of their way to say hello to me.  And the whole experience was very, very good.

Did the young cast look up to you and ask you for advice?

I'd like to think so. For a lot of them, it was their first job and so I suppose as a real old-timer who has been everywhere and done everything, they were quite fascinated by that. They wanted to know why I was doing Hollyoaks. And I explained that's what we do as actors. After Hollyoaks, I was in the National, playing Alan Bennett's father. You go on quite a journey as an actor and you never quite know where you're going to be next, but you have to do everything you do with all your heart.

The Hollyoaks cast and crew were all absolutely committed to keeping the quality as high as it could possibly be while keeping up the rate of work. They really, really cared about the show.

It's a funny world. It's a bit like being in The Prisoner! When you watch it on TV, everything seems spread out. But on the set, you go into the supermarket, then you go next door to the pub, and next door to that is a police station and next door to that is a hospital ward. The geography is mad. It's a surreal world to live in. But everyone is so kindly to each other on that show and I was there for a year altogether and had a great time.

What was the public reaction to Silas?

It was quite amazing. For quite a while afterwards, I couldn't go anywhere without someone shouting 'Silas' at me. There was one guy who was really quite cross one day and called me a murderer! I was astounded. In Richmond where I live, people think Hollyoaks is a gardening programme. And people in London are quite blasé in general. But the further north you go, the more people come up to you and talk to you. I was on a train up to Liverpool once and a young girl came and sat next to me and said, 'I have to talk to you - I haven't been able to sleep for weeks thanks to you!'.  So I had to dispense therapy to her on the train. By the time we got to our destination, I'd convinced her that I am actually a boring old git and I was of no threat to her whatsoever and she felt a bit better!

Did you know people think Silas might be the gloved hand killer…?

I didn't know that! I'm afraid I've been in theatre doing High Society since last February so I don't get to watch TV in the evenings, but I've just finished that so I will have to check it out. I love the idea that he is still being talked about. Perhaps he needs to make an appearance…

Would you consider a return to Hollyoaks?

I would! I had such an enjoyable time on it, and I was very sad to say goodbye to everyone on the show. So, never say 'never'. And he's still out there, somewhere, isn't he? That man is never going to be redeemed. There is no way back for him now. I think he's probably out to destroy himself. 

I love the idea of a gloved killer on the loose and I'm sure the writers have something excellent up their sleeve.

Were you sad that you weren't involved in Karen Hassan's exit as Lynsey?

Yes, I never got to kill her! I suppose Silas was robbed of the one person he'd have liked to have dispatched. I would have loved to have been involved in that. 

Which character did you feel most guilty about killing off?

The most surprising and the worst one was that he killed his own daughter. She was dispatched on Hallowe'en by mistake because she was wearing the same outfit as Lynsey and he killed the wrong one. That was quite a shock. I must say, there was a fear in the Green Room, when the scripts came in. People would say, 'Oh no, I've got a scene with Jeff Rawle - I'm done for!'. I wasn't always the most popular character because people didn't want to get killed off!

What do you think is the secret to Hollyoaks' longevity?

It's escapism, isn't it? It sets out to entertain and delight and it absolutely succeeds in that.

But they also cleverly add in storylines that are very much on teenagers' minds, like the transgender plot and online dating. Those things are pertinent to young people. And the murder storylines are absolutely enthralling. So it has a bit of everything.