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It’s a Sin: Lydia West talks filming ‘taxing’ confrontation scene with Keeley Hawes in final episode

*Major spoilers for It’s a Sin episode five below*

Isobel Lewis
Sunday 21 February 2021 14:48 GMT
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It's a Sin trailer

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It’s a Sin star Lydia West has opened up about filming her confrontation scene with Keeley Hawes.

*Major spoilers for It’s a Sin episode five below*

In the final episode of the HIV drama, which aired on Channel 4 on Friday (19 February), Ritchie (Olly Alexander) returns to the Isle of Wight to live with his parents after his health worsens.

Jill (West) and Roscoe (Omari Douglas) travel to the Isle of Wight to see him, but Ritchie’s mum Valerie (Keeley Hawes) keeps them from him. When she finally agrees to see Jill, Ritchie is already dead, leading Jill to tell Valerie that Ritchie’s death is her “fault” for making him live a life of shame.

Talking about filming the moment of confrontation on It’s a Sin: After Hours, West recalled: “It was a very taxing scene and I just wanted to break down.

Jill doesn’t see Ritchie before he dies
Jill doesn’t see Ritchie before he dies (Channel 4)

“Filming that scene was just epic. It was one of the first few weeks of filming and Keeley’s obviously phenomenal. She’s so lovely, so it’s really hard to just shout at her.”

Read more: It’s a Sin cast pays tribute to late actor Lynette Clarke

The episodes shot on the Isle of Wight where filmed in Rhos-on-Sea and Bangor, with West admitting that the scene was made even harder by the “freezing” cold weather conditions.

“They were like, ‘It’s the Isle of Wight, you’re really cold, you’re freezing,’” she said. “I was [shivering], like how can I act more cold, I’m so cold.”

Viewers of the show were left “speechless” by Hawes’s performance in the final episode, with many suggesting that the actor should receive a Bafta, Emmy and Golden Globe for the role.

It’s a Sin is available to stream on All 4.

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