Sandylands Series Two | Interview with Sanjeev Bhaskar (Les Vegas)

Where do we find Les at the beginning of the series?

At the end of the first series, we left Les and Emily out at sea, afloat on a pedalo. At the start of the new series, they are back in Sandylands having to hide. But hiding is becoming much more difficult for them, mainly because of the surprise arrival of Les’s estranged wife, Donna. That adds to the many challenges he is already facing.

How would you characterise his relationship with Donna?

It’s complicated. To bring the audience up to speed about why she walked out, we shot some flashbacks, which was a great chance to put on wigs and 80s and 90s clothes. Those scenes show that Les fell for Donna straight away, and that feeling has never gone. That makes their relationship very complex now. He describes himself as a little moth to her flame, and he can’t help himself when it comes to her.

Can you amplify that?

He still loves what he first thought was wonderful about her, despite the fact that she left him to raise their daughter on his own. One of the reasons for his predicament is that she didn’t share his vision. He has always had pipe dreams – that’s the only lens through which he sees the world.

Does that make Les charming?

I think so, but it’s also his biggest flaw. When you have dreams to look at, why would you bother looking at reality? Les is selfish, but there is also an innocence to him which makes that hopefully palatable. You wouldn’t root for him if he didn’t have that. We cheer the little guy and the person who dares to dream. Look at the movie Cool Runnings – it’s crazy, but also wonderful. Les is like Don Quixote. He is very difficult to hate because he lives in a dream world. You can’t dislike him because he doesn’t set out to cause pain. He’s chosen an alternative, fantastical view of the world. There is hope in that, and hope is a very sweet thing.

Why has Les Vegas got himself into such a mess?

All the flaws in his character come to a head in this series. He thought he was smart enough to fake his own death, escape to Peru and be rolling in it. But as his name suggests, his self-image is far greater than the real thing. First his daughter has turned up and popped that balloon and now his wife.

How did you find it working with Tracy -Ann Oberman?

It was glorious. We’ve known each other for 20 years, but this was the first time we have ever worked together in television. We have been looking for something to do together and this was a fantastic opportunity. She is perfect casting. The character needs to be funny, feisty and glamorous, and Tracy -Ann is all of those things.

What is it like collaborating with Natalie Dew?

She’s an absolute delight, one of life’s lovely people. She is brilliant at what she does and great fun. She is always so well prepared and is such an asset on set. Beyond work, she is a ball of light to be around.

What makes Sandylands stand out from other comedies?

It contains genuine character development. Most sitcoms don’t have that. They have a set -up, and that’s what you return to every week. Very successfully in many cases. There is absolutely nothing wrong with putting the same characters in the same situation every week and making sure they never change. But what I like about Sandylands is that the characters evolve. Yet remains very silly.

How has Les evolved?

He has developed because of his daughter. He was estranged from Emily, then suddenly he had to be in close contact with her. Now he has to learn to be a father, and he has never had to do that before. He realises he is dealing with an adult. How do two adults try to find a relationship they have never had before? That gives the characters real substance.

Finally, why has Sandylands instilled such love in its audience?

It’s a wonderfully British show. There’s something very specifically British about the seaside setting. Those seaside towns had their heyday 50 years ago and are now caught in a weird time capsule. They still have the end -of -the -pier madam who will read your fortune, the sticks of rock, the kiss -me -quick hats and the fish and chips on the beach. Sandylands is a uniquely British bit of escapism. Long may that continue!