Finders Keepers' Fay Ripley on the one present she refuses to give her husband

ok.co.uk:

Neil Morrissey and Fay Ripley are two of the national treasures of British television. From Line Of Duty to Cold Feet, Waterloo Road and Midsomer Murders, it is hard to find a drama that the pair have not appeared in.

Surprisingly, though, they’ve never starred in a series together – until now, as they team up to play a husband and wife in Channel 5’s new treasure-hunting drama, Finders Keepers. “We’ve strategically avoided each other throughout our careers until this point, and then the train crash happened,” jokes Neil, 61. “It was a joy every day.

Fay’s very prepared, very organised, very professional and hilarious with her and James Buckley [who plays Ashley Taylor], it was a laugh-fest all the way through.” Fay, 57, agrees. “It felt like we had worked together before,” she says. “Day one, we got in and we were on the same wavelength for most things – it felt very familiar.” “We also have the same agent,” adds Neil. “And I’ve seen Fay over the years on all the TV programmes that she’s done, she’s an absolute tour de force.” Neil plays Martin Stone, a detectorist who along with his soon-to-be son-in-law Ashley (James) stumbles on a hoard of buried Saxon treasure worth millions.

Legally, they should declare the find, but Ashley says they should sell it on the black market. Financial pressures are mounting at home and Martin wants to provide for his doting wife, Anne (Fay), who is planning their daughter’s wedding, so he goes along with the plan.