Plot Twist - Brokenwood's Broken Leg Mystery

NEILL’S PAINFUL SETBACK CAN’T SLOW THE KIWI SHOW’S SUCCESS

Just halfway through shooting the new season of The Brokenwood Mysteries, Neill Rea broke his leg and the irony wasn’t lost on him. It was only two seasons earlier that his character on the hit Prime series, Mike Shepherd, suffered the exact same injury.

A laughing Neill explains, “I spoke to our writer Tim Balme when I got the X-ray and I was like, ‘Mate, I’ve broken my leg!’ And the first thing he asked was, ‘What leg is it? Is it the same one we broke already?’ I got no sympathy − he’s such a writer, wondering how he could use it... thieves is what they are!”

While beloved Detective Inspector Mike broke his leg falling into a gravesite in the middle of tracking down a killer, Neill admits his scenario was a lot more boring, and perhaps slightly embarrassing − he was hanging out the washing!

“I broke it on a Saturday, then was shooting on Monday, had an operation on Thursday, then was back the next Monday. It was a nightmare!” tells the 48-year-old. “We shot something to explain it, but the producers chose not to use it so people will be none the wiser that I have a broken leg. Every so often there’s a strategic bar leaner in a scene,” he grins.

Adding to the broken leg is the fact that this season of the internationally acclaimed drama is Neill’s most challenging yet.