Tchéky’ a star of over 100 films and both series of The Missing where he starred as the French detective Julien Baptiste, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour in series two.
We caught up with him to talk through the highly-anticipated new series.
“Baptiste is recovering from surgery and he doesn’t want to get drawn back into the police world but while on vacation with his wife, he gets a call from an old colleague and it starts from there. He does realize his own fragility, how he is ‘not the man I used to be’.
“The tumour is part of Baptiste’s story and his character of course; it’s now part of who he is but there is something stronger than him as a character – his work, the way he thinks and acts as a detective.
“Huge credit to the writer of the series, the brothers Harry and Jack Williams, for their imagination, their sensitivity and for allowing me to explore and get into Baptiste as a character. I’m extremely proud of him.
“At first I was anxious to do it because I was afraid by the subject but Tom Shankland’s directing of the first Missing series – the way he worked with me – made me want to jump into the project and it was one of the best experiences I’ve had as an actor. The series has received such recognition and affection in the UK, it’s fantastic and such a gift.
“I have had a personal experience of the effect that a brain tumour diagnosis can have on someone. A friend of mine began to behave differently all of a sudden and it was only when his wife explained to me that he had a brain tumour that I understood why that was.
“All that was needed was some understanding and some patience.”
Tchéky has supported the work we do for several years now, including previous Brain Tumour Awareness Month (BTAM) campaigns.
Baptiste continues this Sunday BBC One at 9pm.