Martin Compston says his new role in ITV drama Our House was the ‘most emotionally draining job’ ever

Virgin Radio

7 Mar 2022, 10:36

Actor Martin Compston is leading another intense thriller, called Our House, and while chatting on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show with Sky, the Line Of Duty star explained why this show was one of the most frustrating and draining jobs of his career. 

Our House, based on the bestselling novel of the same name, launches on ITV tonight at 9pm (Monday 7th March). Martin stars alongside Tuppence Middeleton as estranged couple Fi and Bram Lawson, whose family home is sold without their knowledge. 

Fi arrives home to find strangers moving into their home, and from there, events start to spiral beyond her control, and what’s worse, she can’t reach husband Bram or her two children. 

Once that panic sets in, Martin admitted that’s when things get really intense for the fractured family. 

He told Chris: “The house itself does become somewhat of a character in the book. Good telly does make you anxious, it gets you frustrated and you're just screaming at the characters. 

“I think [if they] probably just sold the house and downsize and go their separate ways, everything would have been fine, but we are in this world now, especially in London, I think everybody's terrified of selling because they don't think they'll get back in just with house prices, so life revolves around this house rather than sort of what should just be their feelings.”

According to Martin, that frustration was not only on screen, but behind the scenes as well. 

He continued: “As an actor, it's probably the most emotional, emotionally draining job I've ever done. It took a lot out of me to film it but in a good way, sometimes as an actor, you kind of get warped enjoyment of playing those dark, depressing roles. But yeah, I was glad when it was over.”

The four-part drama will air over consecutive nights, and for Martin, he’s glad viewers will get to experience the show in the way it was meant to be seen. 

He added: “I'm not a fan of dropping episodes all at the same time because there's definitely something in, especially something of the cliffhangers, the shared viewing experience. 

“People watching it the night before, talking about it the next day but the fact it’s over four nights is like the closest thing you'll get to a binge.”

Our House begins tonight (Monday 7th March) at 9pm on ITV and ITV Hub. The remaining episodes will air each night consecutively at 9pm.