Ciarán McMenamin is back as team leader Matt Anderson in the fifth series of time-travelling dinosaur drama Primeval, airing at 8pm on Tuesdays, exclusive to Watch.

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Matt was brought in as the new team leader following the disappearance of Danny. His CV includes distinguished military service and a decoration for heroism…

How does it feel to be back for Series 5 of Primeval?

“Coming back and seeing how Matt’s character develops through the next series has been great. Matt clearly has a big secret that he’s hiding from the team, and as we realise at the end of Series 4, a mission that he has to see through to the end.”

In the last episode we saw Emily go back through the anomaly to her own time. How does Matt cope without her?

“I think Emily touched a nerve for Matt. He’s always been the kind of person to avoid getting too close to people – of course he’s had relationships, but nothing that’s lasted. But Emily is different – like Matt, she doesn’t want to get too close to anyone either. And, like Matt, she too is out of her time. He admires her spirit and eagerness to bring down the creatures. It’s clear to him that she’s made for this kind of life.

“Sending her back at the end of series four was hard for Matt; he wanted her to stay but had the weight of his mission on his shoulders – he couldn’t afford distractions, and that meant Emily. I imagine he’s often thought about what her life has been like since she returned to her own time, but it’s been something he’s had to accept and deal with. It’s clear at the beginning of Series 5 that she made a big impression on him…”

Also at the end of Series 4, Matt reveals his secret mission. Will Series 5 see Matt follow more of the mission?

“Matt’s mission comes to the fore in Series 5, as he realises to achieve his aims he has to let other people in the team in on his mission. It’s a big deal for Matt – the thing he’s been trained to do, his life’s purpose if you like. But as the situation gets more complicated and he starts to realise just what his mission involves, he knows he can’t do it alone. He still puts his role in the ARC above everything else, but he knows he has limited time to achieve his mission, and this will impact on his job…”

Can you tell us anything more about the romance with Emily?

“Matt and Emily are like kindred spirits – they share a sense of adventure and love the adrenalin of chasing down a creature and solving a situation. Of course, both Matt and Emily have their own obligations – Matt to his mission and Emily to her husband and her life back in the Victorian era. But it’s clear at the end of series four that Matt and Emily find it hard to separate; if there’s any chance they can be together again, overcoming their existing lives will be the hardest obstacle.”

There are lots of crossovers with the Victorian worlds with your character – and you’ve been in David Copperfield before – was it good to be back working in that period of history?

“Well my costume in this series was a lot more relaxed than it was in David Copperfield! What was great about heading back to the Victorian era in this series was that it’s such a departure from the norm for Primeval, very different from anything we’ve done this time around.

“David Copperfield was about looking at a man struggling to succeed in Victorian society – we’re a little more light-hearted about our visit to the 19th century, but still getting that great atmosphere.”

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