Strike star Tom Burke breaks silence on whether he should have landed amputee role
STRIKE star Tom Burke has revealed whether he thought the role of Cormoran Strike in the adaptation of the novel by J.K. Rowling, should have been offered to an actor with a disability.
Strike star Tom Burke plays Cormoran Strike in the BBC adaptation of the novels by J.K. Rowling
Cormoran Strike is back for chilling new mystery ‘Career of Evil’
Burke will return to screens on BBC One tonight as he appears in the third season of the detective miniseries, Strike: Career of Evil.
The television adaptation, which is based on the third of the Cormoran Strike novels, will see detective Cormoran Strike (played by Tom Burke) and partner Robin Ellacott (Holliday Grainger) take on their most shocking case to date.
Private investigator Cormoran, who is an ex-Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch investigator, lost the lower half of his leg in an IED explosion while serving in Afghanistan.
And ahead of the third series, Tom has now broken his silence on whether he thought an actor with a disability should have been given the starring role.
Strike star Tom Burke has broken his silence on his thoughts on whether he should have got the role
Tom Burke plays Cormoran Strike in the BBC series
When asked his opinion on landing the role of an amputee in an interview with Radio Times, the actor said: “I’d be dishonest if I said I was completely decided on that.
“But the fact I’m even getting to play a character that the producer, director and writers want me to play is a rarity in the industry.”
He continued: “You’d think it happens all the time. It doesn’t.
Explaining the difficulties actors face in getting cast in something, Burke admitted: “There are so many hoops to jump through.”
Strike actor Tom Burke acts alongside Holliday Grainger, who plays Robin Ellacott
Strike fans in shock over Tom Burke’s missing leg
Strike star Tom Burke will return to screens in Strike: Career of Evil on BBC One tonight
There was no way in hell I was going to turn it down. I wanted to do it too much.
The 36-year-old confessed: “It’s by far the best part I’ve ever been offered, one of the few I’d happily sign away however many years to…
“There was no way in hell I was going to turn it down. I wanted to do it too much.”
Burke, who is best known for his performance playing Athos in the BBC show The Musketeers between 2014 and 2016, also portrayed Dolokhov in the BBC adaptation of War & Peace.
Strike star Tom Burke also appeared in Strike: The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm
The adaptation of the novel, written by J. K. Rowling under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith, will follow on from last year’s Cuckoo’s Calling and The Silkworm.
A synopsis from the BBC reads: “When a dismembered leg is sent to Strike’s office, it sends both Cormoran's and Robin’s lives into disarray, forcing them to confront ghosts from their pasts.
“Their partnership reaches breaking point as Robin’s wedding approaches and they disagree about how to ensnare a man who abuses children.”
The full interview can be seen in the latest issue of Radio Times, which is out now.
Strike: Career of Evil airs on BBC One tonight at 9pm.