Bertie Carvel doesn’t think BBC can afford a ‘Doctor Foster’ return.
The 42-year-old actor isn’t expecting a third series of the TV thriller because of the success his former co-stars Suranne Jones and Jodie Comer has enjoyed since the second season aired three years ago.
He’s quoted by The Sun newspaper’s Bizarre TV column: "It will be difficult to get the band back together. That’s the challenge with British TV, there aren’t the budgets to keep people in golden hand-cuffs with such huge options.
"It was a blessing we were able to do the second and I wasn’t too busy at that stage. The further we go in time, everybody’s career is doing very nicely.
"You have to make a big investment in something in order to make it an endlessly returnable series."
While Suranne has gone onto appear in the likes of ‘Save Me’, ‘Vanity Fair’ and ‘Gentleman Jack’, Jodie has become a global star with her role as Villanelle in ‘Killing Eve’.
Meanwhile, next month Berie himself will play a British spy in Channel 4’s ‘Baghdad Central’, but he has refused to say too much about the upcoming police drama.
He added: "I can’t say much without giving the plot away. But I enjoy that stuff and I carry the scars."
Meanwhile, ‘Doctor Foster’ creator Mark Bartlett previously revealed plot details for a potential third series, but he admitted any return would have to come "at the right time".
He explained: "That ending of series two leaves a lot open to come back to: where has the son Tom gone and what’s happening to him?
"What happens to the parents? That’s the sort of story territory we’d be in, but it’s not written yet.
"No one has ever put pressure on me to make more of it. I think the BBC would rather I did something new, but if we do bring ‘Doctor Foster’ back it will only thrive if we do it at the right time."
Doctor Foster star Bertie Carvel says BBC can’t afford drama comeback
