Hidden Series Three | Interview with Sian Reese-Williams (DI Cadi John)

Hidden Series 3 is back for a third and final series. Where did we leave Cadi at the end of series 2?  

Cadi had found her place within the dynamic of her family after her father passed away. After fighting it for some time, she seemed to be happy to stick around and get to know her sisters properly for the first time. And there was the possibility of some romance with Rachel on the horizon. So everything seemed to be as steady as anything would ever be for someone like Cadi – which we find out, might be just a bit too safe for her in the long run. 

How did it feel reading through the third and final script?   

I shed more than one tear knowing these would be the last ones I’d be reading. But it felt like a really exciting story that takes the show into a bit of a new direction. I wanted to see a satisfying end to the characters’ journeys – to stick the landing I suppose – and I think we’ve done that. I felt very proud reading them. 

What can you tell us about the case in this series?  

What Hidden does so well is play with the audience’s moral compass. Nothing is black and white. “Good” and “evil” sit on a sliding scale here and we have to question what we would do if we found ourselves in such desperate situations as the characters in the show. And series 3 really is the most ambiguous of all of them. I think it’s an extremely moving story this time round and it’ll take the viewer all over the place emotionally! 

We get to know Cadi a lot more this time around. Did you tackle any new challenges with Cadi’s character for this series? 

Seeing Cadi a little on the back foot was quite fun. She’s normally pretty in control and able to park her personal life while she’s at work, but she gets quite distracted by that in this series. It was nice to see her really give in to her vulnerabilities.   

Was it emotional on the final day on set?  

Of course. It’s a job that’s been with me for 5 years now, which means the people have too. So it felt very surreal to be saying goodbye to it all. Although, the final day was a night shoot till 5am with a rain machine so I was also quite excited to get to bed! 

What was your favourite scene to film?   

There’s a scene in, I think, episode 5 between Cadi and Vaughan in a cafe. Cadi opens up to Vaughan in a way she hasn’t before and it felt not only like she’d really grown since their first scenes together but also that they’d come full circle. They really feel like partners and I love their quiet friendship. And to have that moment with Sion after such a long time together felt essential really. Easily my favourite scene.  

Who was most fun on set?  

Justin Melluish who plays Glyn. We only really had 2 or 3 weeks working together but those weeks were filled with laughter and fun. 

Looking back at the three series as a whole, what’s been your favourite memory?

The epic locations and the wonderful friends I made on set. It was such a fantastic bunch of people working on Hidden – cast and crew, and it really did feel special in that sense. I’ll miss it greatly.  

What’s your favourite thing about Cadi as a character? What will you miss about her?

Her clothes – I get the short straw on wardrobe with most characters I play so she was an absolute godsend! No, I’ll miss her quiet confidence and her ability to be extremely cool under pressure – both things I’m sure we could all work on. But also, her boots.