Enjoy twists and turns in The Control Room

It’s strange how life pans out sometimes. Our entire futures can be altered by a chance encounter or, in the case of Iain De Caestecker, a family holiday.

In 2015, he told Dazed magazine: “My family visited LA when I was about 10 and my brother and I went around interviewing strangers. We pretended to be two young Russian documentary filmmakers, putting on these indistinct eastern European accents. It’s really weird now that I look back on it. Back in Glasgow, we tried making comedy movies and sketches at home. He decided he wanted to go to acting classes at weekends, and I just copied him. When I was eight or nine, someone came into class and put me in a short film called Billy and Zorba. That was my first experience of being in front of the camera, and after that it was all I wanted to do.”

It’s a far cry from the path to a medical career he’d originally intended to take, which would have seen De Caestecker follow in the footsteps of his parents, who are both doctors; his mother, Dr Linda De Caestecker, is the Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Perhaps she was able to offer him some professional advice as he prepared for his latest role – as Gabe, an ordinary guy working as an emergency call handler for the Strathclyde Ambulance Service in Scotland’s second city, who receives a message from a mystery woman that looks set to change his life, and not for the better.

It’s a far cry from some of De Caestecker’s previous roles, which have seen him battle alien threats in Agents of SHIELD, heal sick animals in Young James Herriot, tackle the supernatural in The Fades and be the first actor to play Adam Barlow in Coronation Street.

“The Control Room is one of the most exciting scripts I’ve ever read, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time so I’m thrilled to now be bringing it to life,” claims the 34-year-old star. “I’ve always loved working with the BBC and am especially delighted to be filming alongside this fantastic cast and crew in my hometown of Glasgow.”

The three-part drama, which is being broadcast on consecutive nights, should appeal to those who love edge-of-the-seat thrillers such as Line of Duty and Bodyguard. Jed Mercurio isn’t behind it, but it has been made by Hartswood Films, who produced Sherlock and Dracula, and features a script by Bafta-winner Nick Leather.

“Nick has written a roller-coaster ride of a story that will thrill audiences with every twist and turn,” says executive producer Elaine Cameron. “We are delighted to have such a visionary director in Amy Neil, she’s like a tiny Scottish female Hitchcock! As with many Hartswood dramas we are incredibly lucky to have attracted some amazing acting talent.”

Joining De Caestecker on screen are Joanna Vanderham, Sharon Rooney and Taj Atwal.

For now, The Control Room is the only production on the actor’s slate, so whatever he’s planning is something of a mystery – perhaps he’s waiting for fate to take a hand before making up his mind.