Neil Maskell plays Dennis Caddy

I had been in Shameless many years ago and Paul Abbott funded and supported a film called Tony that I’m very proud to have acted in about ten years ago. My first encounter with his work however was when State Of Play came out. I’ve gone back and watched that series a couple of times and it’s still one of the most compelling, precisely paced and fully formed pieces of television ever made. He writes funny, three dimensional, detailed characters with their own agenda across the ensemble.

Dennis Caddy is a former soldier in the British Army and a ringleader inside Albion which is a far right, racist organisation. He appears, at first, to be representative of the cocksure thuggery that always accompanies and characterises that brand of politics. His status inside the group is high, his history of military service propping up his acolytes’ admiration and base instinct nationalism. What this series draws attention to is the money and power behind the recent apparent increase in the volume and normalisation of fascistic ideology.

For research I read a lot of online right wing blogposts and discussion forums. Twitter was useful as you don’t have to join to look up an individual’s tweets and links endorsing this sort of ugly agenda, and only a couple of links away from British Nationalist organisations. The overlap is almost total. It’s handy if you’re looking for stuff to use for a part but not very good for one’s soul.

I had to adopt a Manchester accent to play Dennis so to balance the negativity of my reading about British fascism I indulged in my love for John Cooper Clarke, Ian Brown and Shaun Ryder via podcasts and YouTube clips devoted to them. I’d be lying if I didn’t admit to watching a lot of early Oasis interviews as much for nostalgic purposes as preparation but at least I had a brilliant excuse.

On NO OFFENCE we filmed under an enormous Victorian railway bridge with graffiti, scrubland and detritus bestowing every arch with a decaying splendour. It felt like an echo of the series themes of nationalistic contradiction and political power. I couldn’t believe that a location might contain so much story, resonance and ironic observation for us to act in. The locations department are rarely celebrated but they really pulled a rabbit out of the hat that day.

I loved working and spending time with the cast. They are a genuinely passionate, series defining team and keep the show anchored to a reality that it is always in danger of spinning away.

And whenever I needed a belly laugh I’d seek out Ste Johnson, a wonderful comedic soul who lifts everyone’s spirits across departments. It is a fucking laugh going to work with that geezer.