Yahoo News ‘Politically incorrect’ character in Peter James’ Grace detective series rewritten by ITV
Fans of Peter James’ crime novels will be looking forward to a new television adaptation which brings to life one of his most popular characters.
Norman Potting is a colourful figure in the DI Grace series, known for politically incorrect remarks which earn him regular dressings-down from his colleagues.
Potting made his debut in Looking Good Dead, which will be broadcast by ITV next Sunday. But those familiar with the novel will find him very much changed.
Except for his opening line - a complaint that “traffic was a bitch” on his way to the police station, which receives a disapproving look from a female colleague - all of Potting’s sexist, racist and homophobic language has been expunged.
James said that the screen version, played by Line of Duty’s Craig Parkinson, had been “modernised” to avoid causing offence to any viewers.
He created Potting in 2006, but said times have changed.
“The Norman I portrayed in the books was probably a decade older and a lot more politically incorrect than he is now. Things have changed and his comments back then wouldn’t be acceptable now.
“Craig Parkinson is inspired casting - he has this wonderful way of delivering wry humour, so he’s very funny without actually being overtly offensive.
“He’s really helped to modernise Norman in a wonderful way and bring him into our current world,” said James.
John Simm, who has the starring role as DI Roy Grace, added: “We’ve had to change Norman a little bit from the novels because the world has changed quite a lot - the Norman of the novels wouldn’t go down too well in this day and age.
“We couldn’t have anyone better than Craig, he’s a fantastic actor and just brings something unique. I’m looking forward to seeing how the character develops.”
Parkinson, who played DI Matthew “Dot” Cottan in Line of Duty, will also appear in future Grace episodes.
James has said that Potting is “one of my most popular characters”. The author will bring out his 18th Roy Grace book later this year and has sold 21 million copies, with his books translated into 38 languages.
Potting is described in the books as an “old-school policeman” with a “knack of upsetting just about everyone”.
In the print version of Looking Good Dead, Grace tells Potting that his language is “totally unacceptable” and warns him: “If you make one more racist or homophobic remark I’m going to have you suspended.”
Grace also points out to Potting that they work in Brighton, which “happens to be the gay capital of the UK. If you have a problem with that you’re either in the wrong job or the wrong city.”
Parkinson, 46, is smartly dressed in the role of Potting, which is also a departure from the books. On the page he is described as a pipe-smoking man in his mid-50s, “dressed in a brown suit that was a good 20 years old, a white shirt that looked like he had ironed it himself when he was drunk, [and] a green golf club tie covered in food stains”.
Looking Good Dead will be ITV’s second Grace film. The first - adapted from a book that did not feature Potting - was broadcast in March last year to positive reviews and good ratings.
Simm said he had been “thrilled” with the reaction to the first film. “Of course, I was nervous because we’re adapting a really popular series of books - I’m a huge reader and sometimes I don’t watch TV adaptations because I love the book so much and I just want a certain image to stay in my head.
“But we are working so closely with Peter James to bring the books to life, and hopefully fans will continue to be happy with what we’ve done.”
Other characters modernised for TV:
The War of the Worlds (BBC, 2019)
In HG Wells’ novel, the narrator’s wife gets barely a passing mention. In the BBC adaptation she became the star of the show, played by Eleanor Tomlinson as a feisty heroine and accomplished scientist.
Slow Horses (Apple TV+ 2022)
Gary Oldman said his character, a sleazy spy boss, was a toned-down version of the one who appears in Mick Herron’s books. “There are a few things we’ve diluted. I think that comes down to Apple policy, which is above my pay grade. I think there are certain things you can say in a novel that we don’t necessarily feel comfortable saying on television.”
Around the World in 80 Days (BBC 2021)
The book’s male Inspector Fix was transformed into Abigail Fix, intrepid female journalist, when Jules Verne’s story was adapted for the screen.
