Despite starring in a multitude of projects, including Paramount’s new thriller The Game, Robson Green admits that he suffers from major anxiety each time he gears up to go on set.
He’s one of our favourite actors – but Robson Green has revealed he suffers from crippling Imposter Syndrome on set.
The actor, 60, has thrilled fans in everything from Soldier, Soldier to Grantchester and even enjoyed a 90s pop career with his pal Jerome Flynn.
However, despite decades of success, Robson Green admits he still battles self-doubt. “I suffer from anticipatory fear” he says, “I project as an actor. I have an image of how things should be and I work things out in my head. This is terribly destructive.”
However, once the camera starts rolling, he finds it all falls into place. Robson adds, “Suddenly, you’re there and all of that worry goes because your theatre training kicks in.”
Robson landed on the set of Paramount’s new thriller The Game two weeks behind his co-stars, Sunetra Sarker and Jason Watkins. But there was no time for confusion. “I came in late,” Robson says, “I didn’t know what was going but I hit the ground running.”
Set in Spain’s Basque Country, The Game is a tense four-part psychological thriller that reunites former Being Human co-stars, Robson and Jason.
Here, Jason plays Huw, a retired detective still tormented by the case he never cracked – the Ripton Stalker. Years earlier, the serial killer narrowly evaded capture, leaving Huw with nothing but the memory of their voice – and a haunting sense of failure.
When a neighbour’s apparent suicide and the arrival of a new face, Robson’s character Patrick, reignite old suspicions, Huw becomes convinced his old nemesis is back.
As he spirals deeper into obsession, his marriage, reputation and sanity hang in the balance. “He’s just a regular guy in extremis trying to work it all out,” Jason says.
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In the original script, Huw was a keen runner – but Jason quickly vetoed that. “I can’t really run anymore because of my attempts at professional football as a teenager,” he says.
“My knees aren’t what they should be. So I made it quite clear early on that I wouldn’t be running, only cycling and playing golf.” Robson still can’t get over his pal’s skills, grinning: “He’s got a very good swing!”
Sunetra Sarker, on the other hand, plays Huw’s long-suffering wife Alice – and she couldn’t be more different from her on-screen character. “Alice was the voice of reason,” she says, “It’s very different from the real Sunetra.”
Alice and Huw start the series close, but his obsession with Patrick drives a wedge between them. It’s not the first time Huw’s struggled. “He was sectioned for a couple of weeks,” Sunetra says, “They’ve rebuilt things but his obsession triggers her trauma too.”
Despite the heavy themes, Sunetra loved working with Jason and Robson – and her mum was impressed too. “She couldn’t believe I was working with Robson Green,” she says. Both actors are veterans with long careers filled with iconic roles, from Touching Evil and Wire in the Blood for Robson to The Crown and Line of Duty for Jason.
Behind the scenes, Sunetra and Jason built up Alice and Huw’s bond by staying in character, even off camera. “They’ve got these pet names and in-jokes,” she says, “Jason and I did the same whenever we could.”
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Jason adds: “But the more Huw tries to convince Alice he’s right about Patrick, the more insane he seems. He wants peace in his retirement but he can’t let this case go.”
Meanwhile, Robson relished the challenge of playing Patrick – the charming, unsettling newcomer with a dark edge. “I’m addicted to true crime,” he says, “I’m fascinated by destructive behaviour – where it comes from and how it destroys people’s lives.”
To prepare, Robson drew inspiration from James DeAngelo, the notorious Golden State Killer, also known as the Original Night Stalker. “He would invade people’s homes and mess with their heads,” Robson adds.
Despite the series’ dark subject matter, the shoot itself was anything but grim. Filming in Spain felt like a summer adventure for the cast, with daily group drives to set and plenty of off-camera laughs.
“It felt like going to summer school,” Sunetra says, “We were living like students.” A lively WhatsApp group kept the fun going. Robson jokes: “I’m glad you don’t have eyes on it!”
The Basque Country provided another major perk: incredible food. “Many a Spanish meal was had in the Basque Country,” Robson says, “I was certainly well looked after.”
He even got to share the experience with his son Taylor, who visited him during filming. “We spent time in San Sebastian and the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao,” he says, “He’s a history nut so he loved it!”
More than anything, Robson was thrilled to work with Jason again. When his agent mentioned Jason’s involvement, he signed up immediately for The Game. “I love reconnecting with people I’ve worked with before,” Robson says.
“Watching their careers and journeys from afar, it’s a joy.” Even the demanding schedule – which initially worried Robson – turned out to be a blessing. “We shot a huge showdown with Jason in just half a day,” Robson says, “What I thought would be stressful was actually joyous.”
With powerhouse performances and a nail-biting storyline set against the Spanish backdrop, The Game promises to leave viewers questioning whether the real danger lies in the monsters we chase – or the ones closer to home.
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