Interview: Nadeem Islam on starring in the new series of ITV crime drama ‘The Bay’

Not long after EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis lifted the glitterball on Strictly Come Dancing, Deaf talent is continuing to take over prime time television, with Nadeem Islam set to star in the third series of the seaside crime drama The Bay. 

Ahead of the first episode airing on ITV this evening, Liam O’Dell spoke to Nadeem about his character Jamal, filming in Morecambe and on-set antics…

“I’m not sure if this is a saying, but I’m not just ‘over the moon’ – I’m ‘over the universe’,” Nadeem tells me over email. The See Hear presenter and Small World actor’s comments come days ahead of his appearance in The Bay, the ITV detective drama which returns for a third series on Wednesday. 

“I’m so appreciative, fortunate and excited that I get to do this,” he continues. “I knew about The Bay, having watched it and seen how awesome it is. I was even more excited to be involved knowing who I would be working with.”

With Marsha Tomason taking over from Morven Christie, family liaison officer DS Jenn Townsend is the new detective supporting families rocked by crime in Morecambe, Lancashire.

In this series, mum Miriam Rahman (Rina Mahoney) is grieving the loss of her son, Saif, a young boxer. Siblings Adnan (Michael Karim) and Jamal (Islam) are also processing their brother’s death.

A smartly dressed man in contrast to the “messy lad” who plays him, Jamal is described as a reserved and isolated character. “The family is very involved with their individual situation, and so he often finds himself lost,” Nadeem explains. “He is also genuine and very quiet yet knows everything. He is loyal to his religion and to his family, and very committed to his own worth.”

The actor went on to add that Jamal is also a victim of “dinner table syndrome” – a kind of isolation experienced by Deaf people when conversations around the table are inaccessible – and while Nadeem is vocal about the struggles he experiences in hearing environments, Jamal is yet to develop the confidence.

“It’s obvious that he’s the only Deaf child in the family, and the family are not fully aware of his needs and access,” reveals Nadeem. “So hopefully, in the series, we can see that change.”

Early information about the series suggests that may well be the case, as Jamal forms a “rare” bond with DS Karen Hobson (Erin Shanager), who uses British Sign Language (BSL) to communicate with him.

“[It’s] weirdly fascinating, but realistic,” says Nadeem, “because I have met many hearing people who knew BSL from their past and it comes right back. Given that [Hobson’s] a police officer, someone in authority and someone who’s in a possibly tight schedule, I would assume that she wouldn’t try to be accessible.

“But things are changing, BSL is gaining popularity and people are taking time to learn the beautiful language. So, we explored it and it was just magical seeing Erin Shanagher in her performance.

“I also discussed this matter with the director Faye [Gilbert], who suggested that despite Erin’s character using BSL to obtain the information for the investigation, she’s also a human who wants to make sure that Jamal is feeling okay in the room, and she wants Jamal to change the hearing people’s perspective. So, I think it’s a nice touch for the character to have,” Nadeem concludes.

When asked about his co-star, Nadeem went on to describe Erin as a “legend”.

“She brought her motivation and energy to learn the signs throughout The Bay,” he explains. “She didn’t just learn how to sign her lines, she also learned how to sign for me. I don’t want to speak for her, but I do recall a lot of times where she seemed overjoyed to learn the language and to have that character development where she could represent the hearing perspective – striving to give the hearing audience a thought to learn and to be more accessible.”

The connection with other members of the cast and crew wasn’t exclusive to Erin, either.

With filming taking place amid an ongoing coronavirus pandemic, measures typically opted for on productions – such as face coverings and social distancing – aren’t the most accessible to Deaf people. It’s an issue Nadeem explored in a short Twitter video from 2020 which has since been viewed more than 21,000 times.

Yet Tall Stories Pictures, Nadeem tells me, were “so good” on that front. “They wanted me to feel comfortable and at ease,” he says. “For example, they asked me if I wanted to be involved in creating a sign video, which they edited and shared with the cast and crew. They got the clear visors for everyone, and made sure that the BSL interpreter, my pal Emma, felt welcomed and settled. So, immediately after the first take, it felt like home.”

‘Home’ being a fair way away from Morecambe for the London-based actor, who says the seaside town is “so different” from the UK’s capital.

“I’m amazed,” Nadeem explains, “there were no Starbucks! There was an incredible independent coffee shop around the corner which was so much better.

“Morecambe is well known for conserving its tradition and history. Just beautiful. At the house where we filmed, you could see the sea and the beach. I was so lucky because when we finished filming, I could run down and see the views.”

Known for playing comedic roles on stage (Leeds Playhouse’s Oliver Twist) and on screen (Deaf Funny), Nadeem concedes that he was a little cheeky on set.

“It has been very hard! Adjusting to this whole new side – the dark side, where there’s murder, investigations and secrets,” he says.

The actor, who doesn’t keep his love for Marvel’s Spider-Man hidden on his social media channels (or indeed, his web-spinning sign name), compared himself to spoiler-prone star Tom Holland when it came to keeping the twists and turns of The Bay under wraps.

“I couldn’t handle not saying a few jokes on the set,” Nadeem admits. “I really was a class clown growing up! It’s also hard because as I read the scripts, they didn’t reveal anything. We didn’t know anything until the very last few weeks, which is possibly for the best as I’m like Tom Holland who keeps spoiling things!”

Fortunately, a lot about series three of The Bay remains a closely guarded secret, ahead of the first episode being aired at 9pm tonight.

Photos: Tall Story Pictures.

By Liam O’Dell. Liam is an award-winning Deaf freelance journalist and campaigner from Bedfordshire. He can be found talking about disability, theatre, politics and more on Twitter and on his website.