The actor highlights how the series’ dark humour adds authenticity to the portrayal of Northern Ireland’s coping mechanisms.

Colin Morgan, best known for his role in Merlin, has spoken about the “dark humour” in the new BBC drama Dead And Buried, saying it adds to the show’s authenticity. The Northern Irish actor, who plays Michael McAllister in the psychological thriller, explained that the type of humour featured in the series is a defining characteristic of his home country.

Morgan, 38, from Armagh, said: “A very Northern Irish trait is the ability to deal with pain with humour, often leaning towards the darker side. The greater the pain, the greater the need to offset it in whatever way you can.” His character, Michael, is part of a storyline where he unexpectedly crosses paths with Cathy McDaid (played by Annabel Scholey), who is unaware he has been released early from prison after killing her brother.

“The dark humour is a coping mechanism for Michael and many characters in Dead And Buried,” Morgan continued. “There’s a lot of it in Northern Ireland, and it only adds to the show’s twisted appeal and authenticity.”

In addition to the focus on humour, Morgan also reflected on using his own Northern Irish accent for the role, explaining it allowed him to connect with the character more immediately. “When an accent isn’t required, there’s a definite shorthand with a new character,” he said. “We speak a similar language already, so we’ve got off to a good start.”

Annabel Scholey, 40, who plays Cathy, also embraced the Northern Irish accent for her role. The actress, originally from West Yorkshire, worked with accent coach Brendan Gunn for weeks to ensure she portrayed Cathy authentically. “If I had been limited because I wasn’t secure in the accent, it would have been a disaster,” Scholey explained, adding that she found much of the character within the accent itself.

Scholey, who has spent significant time in Northern Ireland due to her daughter’s Northern Irish heritage, expressed her admiration for the region, calling it “vividly beautiful” and filled with “friendly, open and artistic people.” She praised the local crew, describing them as “excellent” to work with.

Dead And Buried, written by Colin Bateman, was filmed earlier this year in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. The first episode airs on Monday, September 2 at 10.40pm on BBC One Northern Ireland, with the full series available on BBC iPlayer that evening. The show will also be available on Virgin Media in the Republic of Ireland.