EYE of the storm

NIAMH ALGAR on being embroiled in a dangerous cat-and-mouse chase

- SEAN MARLAND

Niamh Algar couldn't be happier about being at the heart of the action in Sky's glossy thriller The Iris Affair. Starring as Iris Nixon, a mysterious maths prodigy who's swept into a high-stakes game of hide and seek across Italy, the Malpractice actor grabbed the opportunity to throw herself into as many stunt sequences as possible.

'Iris is so many characters in one and I loved playing her adrenaline side,' smiles Niamh, 33. 'Jumping off boats, leaping from buildings, blowing up things - and racing a Ferrari at high speed through the mountains was the absolute highlight!'

Written by Luther creator Neil Cross, the eight-parter begins with Iris cracking a series of complex online puzzles set by charming entrepreneur Cameron Beck (The Night Manager's Tom Hollander).

Meeting in a piazza in Florence, he asks her to work for him and help unlock a top-secret piece of technology known as 'Charlie Big Potatoes'. When Iris discovers its dangerous potential, she disappears with the all-important activation code, but Cameron is soon hot on the trail.

Here, Niamh gives her take...

What drew you to this role?