January 1st 2025.
Gwilym Lee, known for his roles in Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody and Midsomer Murders, is now taking on a new challenge in the form of BBC drama SAS Rogue Heroes. In the highly anticipated second season, the 41-year-old will be portraying Lieutenant Colonel Bill Stirling. But little did we know, Gwilym has a real-life connection to the military through his grandparents.
His maternal grandfather served in the Merchant Navy during World War II, while his paternal grandfather, lovingly called Grampy, was an engineer in the RAF. It was Grampy who first told Gwilym a story that resonated with the acts of subterfuge and deceit portrayed by British army officer Dudley Clarke, played by Dominic West in SAS Rogue Heroes.
Gwilym recalls, "When Grampy was in France, they used to build wooden airplanes on the airstrip to make it seem like they had more hardware than they actually did. The Germans flew over, saw them, and dropped bombs on the wooden planes the next day. This was exactly the kind of deception that Dudley Clarke was known for – these little acts of war that often go unnoticed."
Clarke is considered a master of military deception for his ability to fool the Nazis, and Gwilym's character, Bill Stirling, also leaves behind an impressive legacy as the "real genius" behind the SAS. But unlike some of his co-stars, Gwilym's character is not involved in the front line action. He explains, "He straddles a role between being a politician and a soldier, operating behind the scenes. As an actor, it was frustrating not to be on the front line with the boys, firing guns and having explosions go off, but it also added to the character's frustration and sense of impotence."
The first season of SAS Rogue Heroes followed the formation of the Special Forces unit, the SAS, during World War II. It was a critical success, earning a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Gwilym admits he felt a sense of pressure as a new cast member in season two, saying, "I was a huge fan of the first season, and I didn't want to be responsible for a lack of quality in the second. I wanted to continue telling this brilliant story to the same high standard."
Despite the pressure, Gwilym had a more comfortable experience filming season two compared to some of his co-stars who had to endure tough conditions in the Moroccan desert. He jokes, "We were a bit jammy filming in beautiful resorts in Croatia while they had to deal with heat and sand in the first season."
But the change in filming locations also added to the dynamic of his character, who has to prove himself to the battle-hardened men in the SAS. Gwilym praises his co-stars, saying, "They were incredibly welcoming, generous, and open-hearted in their approach to work, despite some big alpha personalities on set."
SAS Rogue Heroes series two is now available on BBC iPlayer and will air on BBC One from 9pm tonight. If you have a celebrity story, video, or pictures, you can get in touch with The Agency entertainment team via email, phone, or by visiting their Submit Stuff page. They'd love to hear from you!
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