Those tuning into Protection aren’t only going to be gripped by edge-of-your-seat action, but also the very realistic portrayal of the struggles of a working mother.
The first few months of the year have provided us with an abundance of hard-hitting, can’t-look-away TV – from Adolescence, the Netflix release that’s been dubbed a ‘wake-up call’ we can all learn lessons from, to the true tale of A Cruel Love: The Ruth Ellis Story. Now, Protection is the new ITV series, starring Siobhan Finneran, that’s a must-watch.
It’s astounding to think Siobhan didn’t take on a leading role until nearing the age of 60, yet portraying Liz Nyles in Protection, was the first time the actress had taken the principal character in a TV series.
It has to be said her role in the witness protection drama has definitely been worth the wait. Liz is a principled woman, scrupulous about the security of her witnesses, or Protected Persons as they’re known, and will go to above and beyond to keep the families she’s protecting safe.
Liz is also a single mum to a teen, caring for her father who has dementia and is recovering from a stroke – and has a difficult ex to top everything off.
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Like a lot of women, Liz finds herself a part of the ‘sandwich generation,’ caring for kids and teens during a difficult time in their development, while simultaneously being leaned on by infirm parents who need their help.
“Like hundreds of thousands of women, Liz is trying to keep a balance between personal and professional,” Siobhan explains, adding, “So hopefully her character will resonate with loads of people – until that all gets blown up of course!”
In conversation with The Independent, the actress delves a little more into the concept of the emotional burden Liz is carrying. “My children are more grown up now,” she says, but continues, “A lot of people I know are at that stage where they’ve still got youngsters growing up, but their parents are now reliant on them.
“That’s happening everywhere, isn’t it? They’re stuck in the middle, trying to deal with teenage kids and ailing parents, and becoming the parent to all of them,” she concludes poignantly, summing up the experiences of so many women watching her character’s story unfold.
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Like many of these women, Liz has always put others first, keenly feeling the pull of her duty as a police officer, mother, and as a daughter. Also in a way that’s so easy to identify with, the character found herself working in witness protection to work around the needs of others.
“She went from being a regular detective to Protected Persons so she could spend more time at home,” Siobhan explains. It’s therefore not surprising that she wants a little excitement in her life, but the little bit of joy she chooses ends up costing Liz dearly.
“She has decided to take something for herself and has launched thrillingly – and unwisely – into a secret affair with a married, more junior colleague,” Siobhan explains.
“Sometimes people do something totally out of character and hope it works out for the best, but she ends up completely compromised,” she continues, referring to a terrible incident that befalls a family her character is responsible for, that could potentially be blamed on her compromising them with her affair.
(Image credit: ITV)
It’s a great occurrence for those tuning in to see their own experiences reflected in the show, between the dramatic scenes that act as escapism. While Siobhan is proud to portray these challenging aspects of normal women’s lives, she still believes more can be done.
“I think there’s room for improvement,” she says, adding, “But we’ll know when that’s been a success when we stop talking about it really, and it’s just the norm, you know?”
The actress is also relieved she can switch between comedy shows and serious drama, and the respite this offers her. “I was very, very lucky that when I finished doing Protection, I went on to make the second series of Alma’s Not Normal,” she explains.
“So that was the complete antithesis of what I’d just done. I can’t say that I’d have been desperate to do another big, heavy drama on the back of [Protection], because you can kind of go, ‘that’s enough of that for the time being. Let’s change it up and go and do something different.'”
