The Gold’s Hugh Bonneville on ‘fascinating’ talk with Brian Boyce

Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville is playing detective chief superintendent Brian Boyce in The Gold. Brian spearheaded the investigation into the £26 million Brink’s-Mat robbery in 1983 and the case is being explored as part of a new BBC miniseries. Ahead of the drama airing, Hugh exclusively opened up to Express.co.uk and other media about meeting the “fascinating” detective.

On November 26, 1983, six men armed with weapons broke into the Brink’s-Mat security depot near Heathrow Airport where they inadvertently stumbled across gold bullion worth £26million.

What began as a “typical Old Kent Road armed robbery” according to detectives at the time, became the biggest theft in world history.

The disposal of the gold caused the birth of large-scale international money laundering which united blue and white-collar criminals and helped fuel the London Docklands property boom.

The Gold, which is inspired by the true events which took place, focuses on the criminals and police officers involved in the enormous theft.

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At a press screening for The Gold, Hugh told Express.co.uk and other publications he had the opportunity to meet the real-life Brian.

He revealed he had lunch with the former top Metropolitan Police detective, adding: “It was great – I spent a fascinating couple of hours with the real Brian who is now retired.”

The Notting Hill actor said Brian opened up to him about his approach to policing in the 1980s and gave him a “real insight” into London crime.

The Gold’s writer Neil Forsyth joined Hugh and Brian on their lunch to learn more about the real person behind the monumental investigation.

Hugh added: “I think Neil has really rung all the juice out of the conversation [about the] service because it is all there in the script, even in this first episode.

“It’s his discipline in terms of when he took over the Flying Squad, which he did briefly.

“He had this vision of the Sweeney of everyone hanging out in pubs and smoking.

“[Brian] said, ‘Right we are going to go for runs every lunchtime,’ and that lasted about two weeks, I think the Sweeney was delighted he was off their case.”

The Sweeney is Cockney rhyming slang for Flying Squad – with Sweeney being short for Sweeney Todd which rhymes with Flying Squad.

Reflecting further on his meeting with Brian, High shared: “He was very interesting, particularly about his earlier career as he grew up in North London.

“He and his mum hid under the kitchen table when there were bombs and his father hammered into him, and dictated to him, the sense of right and wrong.”

The 59-year-old added: “In later life, he was actually investigating his own people as he wanted to be a straight police officer.

“It was fascinating, it was a real privilege to meet the real man.”

Hugh stars alongside Jack Lowden, Dominic Cooper and Charlotte Spencer in The Gold.

Tommy Bulfin, BBC’s commissioning editor, said: “The fact that we have assembled such a talented and exciting ensemble cast is a testament to Neil’s incisive interrogation of one of the most infamous robberies in British history and the remarkable events which came in its wake.

The Gold lands on BBC One at 9pm on Sunday, February 12.

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