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The Tunnel (TV series)

From Alfawiki
Adapted from the English Wikipedia article The Tunnel (TV series), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 10 August 2025
The Tunnel
Company typeTelevision series
IndustryEntertainment
FoundedOctober 16, 2013; 13 years ago (2013-10-16)
Headquarters
United Kingdom / France
ProductsTelevision drama series

The Tunnel () is a British-French crime drama television series inspired by the 2011 Danish-Swedish show The Bridge. It debuted on 16 October 2013 on Sky Atlantic in the United Kingdom and on 11 November 2013 via Canal+ in France. Featuring Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy as detectives Karl Roebuck and Elise Wassermann, the storyline centers on their collaborative inquiry into a serial murderer who leaves the upper body of a French politician and the lower body of a British prostitute within the Channel Tunnel, triggering an international investigation. The assailant, known as the "Truth Terrorist," embarks on a moral mission to highlight societal problems affecting both nations.

Announced in January 2013 as a joint venture between Sky and Canal+, Tunnel was created by head writer Ben Richards in partnership with original creator Hans Rosenfeldt. This production was notable for its bilingual script, marking a pioneering effort in British-French television co-productions. Filming took place from February through August 2013, with a budget of £15 million, utilizing locations in Kent, England, and Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France, supported by combined British and French production teams. Upon release, the series attracted strong viewership—approximately 900,000 viewers in the UK and 1.3 million in France—and earned generally favorable critical reviews, particularly praising Dillane and Poésy’s performances alongside its intense narrative style. Although some reviewers pointed out its close resemblance to The Bridge, producers acknowledged that the opening episode closely followed the original series.

On 16 February 2015, Canal+ and Sky Atlantic announced an eight-episode second season titled The Tunnel: Sabotage, which revolves around an air crash in the English Channel. Dillane and Poésy returned to their roles. The season premiered on Canal+ on 7 March 2016 and on Sky Atlantic on 12 April 2016, after a short postponement due to the 2016 Brussels bombings.

The third and concluding season, named The Tunnel: Vengeance, comprised six episodes and was revealed on 20 January 2017. Production commenced in March 2017, with Sky Atlantic releasing all episodes simultaneously on 14 December 2017. Canal+ aired this final installment later, starting on 4 June 2018.

In the United States, PBS broadcasted the first season between June and August 2016, followed by the second season from June to August 2017, and the third season from July to August 2018.

Main

Series 1

Series 2: Sabotage

  • Nicolas Wanczycki appears as Thibaut Briand
  • Mish Boyko plays Stefan Cyzrko
  • Edyta Budnik features as Vladka Horvath
  • Clarke Peters portrays Sonny Persaud
  • Paul Schneider is cast as Artem Baturin
  • Con O'Neill appears as Neil Grey
  • Jan Bijvoet plays The Chemist
  • Emilia Fox features as Vanessa Hamilton

Series 3: Vengeance

Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy

Stephen Dillane stars in the role of Detective Chief Inspector Karl Roebuck from Northbourne Police, a veteran British detective recognized for his determination. His character shares similarities with Martin Rohde from The Bridge, yet is depicted as more intellectual and emotionally complex. Dillane was drawn to the show due to its political narrative and literary style.

Clémence Poésy embodies Capitaine (later Commander) Elise Wassermann of the French DCPJ, serving as Roebuck’s counterpart. Her character resembles Saga Norén from The Bridge, including traits like driving a Porsche 944 and exhibiting behaviors aligned with Asperger syndrome. Poésy initially found Elise’s stern demeanor demanding but valued her candidness. Both lead actors opted not to view the original Scandinavian series to preserve their creative interpretation. Additionally, Poésy provided her own English dialogue dubbing for the French version.

Guests

The production includes prominent guest appearances such as Joseph Mawle portraying social worker Stephen Beaumont, Tom Bateman in the role of journalist Danny Hiller, and Tobi Bakare as Chuks Akinade. Thibault de Montalembert features as Olivier Pujol, head of Calais police and Elise’s superior officer. Sigrid Bouaziz and Cédric Vieira play police officers Cécile Cabrillac and Philippe Viot, respectively. Banker Alain Joubert and his spouse Charlotte are portrayed by Mathieu Carrière and Jeanne Balibar. Angel Coulby appears as Laura Roebuck, Karl’s wife, while Jack Lowden plays their son Adam. Keeley Hawes guest stars as Suze Harcourt, a care worker battling addiction, alongside Liz Smith who depicts Harriet, an elderly woman under Harcourt’s care.

James Frain assumes the role of Kieran Ashton (known as "John Sumner"), Karl’s former colleague who faked his death to become the Truth Terrorist—the main villain in season one and a covert adversary in season two. Driven by personal grief and betrayal connected to Karl’s affair with his late wife, Frain described this character as his most unsettling role, aiming to render Kieran’s motivations comprehensible though not excusable.

Development and production

Sky announced in January 2013 the creation of an Anglo-French version of the Danish-Swedish series The Bridge. This ten-episode project was a joint venture between Sky Atlantic and Canal+. Elaine Pyke, director at Sky Atlantic, commissioned the bilingual show—incorporating both English and French dialogue—to establish the channel as a premier destination for British drama, following previous productions like Hit & Miss and Falcón. This approach represented a pioneering bilingual format for British and French television.

As an equal partnership, the production featured a combined British-French team with no single party holding ultimate authority. The writing team, led by Ben Richards (known for his work on Spooks), consisted of British and French writers who collaborated closely, with scripts translated into both languages. The directing roster included five individuals—three from Britain and two from France—with Dominik Moll appointed as the lead director. Executive producers comprised Anne Mensah from Sky; Fabrice De La Patellière representing Canal+; Jane Featherstone, Karen Wilson, Manda Levin, and Ben Richards from Kudos; Nora Melhli of Shine France; and Lars Blomgren from Filmlance. Ruth Kenley-Letts served as series producer.

Jane Featherstone highlighted the joint nature of the project aimed at engaging audiences in both countries despite contrasting preferences in narrative pacing. While drawing inspiration from the original series, the creative team crafted a distinct storyline. Richards worked hand-in-hand with Hans Rosenfeldt, creator of The Bridge, preserving signature scenes such as the female protagonist undressing at work, the male protagonist’s relationship with his son, and a journalist caught in a car bomb incident. Nevertheless, over time the plotlines diverged considerably to introduce new character developments and dramatic elements.

Filming and locations

The production budget was approximately £15 million. Principal photography commenced in February 2013 and wrapped up by August 2013, focusing mainly on locations in Kent and northern France. Within Kent, filming centered around Discovery Park in Sandwich, facilitated by support from the Kent Film Office. A decommissioned Pfizer site was repurposed to represent settings such as the Calais police station and Elise's residence. The shoot spanned five districts: Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Hythe, Swale, and Thanet. Noteworthy locations included Folkestone Harbour, The Turner Contemporary art gallery, Westwood Cross shopping centre, alongside towns like Dover, Folkestone, and Margate. The Kent Film Office authorized road closures to ensure smooth filming operations. Approximately £2.5 million of the budget was invested locally on accommodations, locations, parking facilities, and catering services, contributing positively to Kent’s economy. In France, filming received assistance from the Nord-Pas de Calais Film Commission and benefited from Tax Rebate International incentives. Production included 31 shooting days across Boulogne-sur-Mer, Calais, Dunkerque, and Wissant.

Significantly, The Tunnel became the first television drama to shoot scenes inside the Channel Tunnel itself. Extensive negotiations with Eurotunnel secured permission under stringent safety protocols. To avoid monotonous visuals, filming did not take place at the tunnel’s midpoint.

For its second series, filming returned to locations in Kent and France, involving 85 days on-site in Kent between April and July 2015 plus an additional 50 days dedicated to pre- and post-production activities, with expenditures around £1.5 million. Filming sites included Eurotunnel, Folkestone Harbour, Discovery Park, Deal (including its pier), Folkestone, Dover (covering both port areas and Dover Castle), Westwood Industrial Estate Margate, Ramsgate, The Barn in Upstreet, St Martin's Hospital, and Knowlton Court.

The third series featured East Kent settings such as Reculver, Botany Bay, Ramsgate Royal Harbour, and the Port of Dover.

Broadcast

The Tunnel made its debut on 7 October 2013 during the international television market event MIPCOM held in Cannes, France.

In the United Kingdom, the series premiered on Sky Atlantic on 16 October 2013, with episodes broadcast weekly until 18 December. The initial episode attracted an average overnight audience of 362,000 viewers, a figure regarded as robust for the channel, with consolidated viewing numbers rising to 803,000 plus an extra 90,000 on Sky Atlantic +1. However, by the second episode, viewership had dropped to 236,000, and the final episode garnered 267,000 overnight viewers.

Canal+ in France launched the show on 11 November 2013 by airing two episodes back-to-back and wrapped up the season on 9 December. The premiere episode attracted 1.3 million viewers, ranking among Canal+'s highest-rated original series launches. Across the first season, the average audience was approximately 1.04 million per episode.

The second season, titled The Tunnel: Sabotage, aired on Canal+ from 7 to 28 March 2016. Its UK release on Sky Atlantic was postponed from 5 April to 12 April due to the Brussels terrorist incidents and concluded on 31 May. This season was also accessible through Sky's On Demand platform.

Season three, known as The Tunnel: Vengeance, debuted on Sky Atlantic on 14 December 2017 with all episodes available simultaneously. Canal+ broadcast this season from 4 June to 18 June 2018.

In the United States, The Tunnel was shown across various PBS stations: Season one aired from June to August 2016; Season two from June to August 2017; and Season three from July to August 2018.

Endemol Shine International manages the series' distribution within the U.S.

Home media

A Region 2 DVD collection of Series one was released in France by StudioCanal on 20 December 2013. This four-disc set included bonus features such as behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Clémence Poésy and Dominik Moll. In the UK, Acorn Media UK issued a three-disc DVD version on 13 January 2014, which contained making-of segments, interviews with cast and crew members, and a photo gallery.

The box set for Series two became available in France via StudioCanal on 29 March 2016.

Starting from 1 February 2014, Sky offered free access to the initial episodes of The Tunnel along with other original Sky productions on YouTube within the UK as a strategy to attract new subscribers.

All three seasons can be streamed on Voot Select in India.

Reception

Critical response to The Tunnel was mostly favorable. Alex Fletcher of Digital Spy described it as "gripping" and commended the performances delivered by Stephen Dillane and Clémence Poésy. Gerard Gilbert from The Independent highlighted its intelligent production values and praised its effective adaptation from the Scandinavian original while noting its ambitious cinematic approach. Ellen E Jones lauded both leads for preserving the essence of their characters while bringing unique qualities.

Keith Watson of Metro regarded the series as a faithful remake with considerable promise for expansion into a global franchise, referencing existing adaptations like the US-Mexican version and suggesting further international prospects.

Gerard O'Donovan from The Daily Telegraph provided mixed early reviews, pointing out limited distinction from conventional crime dramas but remained open to future developments. Harry Venning of The Stage emphasized the successful interplay between British and French law enforcement characters and praised the chemistry between Dillane’s and Poésy’s roles.

Julia Raeside at The Guardian termed it a "perfectly cast remake," highlighting Dillane's restrained performance alongside Poésy's chilling portrayal. She also applauded the compelling dynamic between the lead characters. Andrew Anthony described the show as an "attractive proposition" marked by assured storytelling, whereas Sam Wollaston criticized it for resembling the original too closely and noted that the Channel Tunnel lacked the striking visual appeal of the Øresund Bridge.

In summary, critics generally acknowledged The Tunnel as a commercially successful adaptation featuring strong acting performances and potential for further international franchise development.

Broadcasting Press Guild Awards

Year Category Nominee Outcome
2014 Best Multichannel Programme The Tunnel, a joint production by Kudos, Shine France Films, and Filmlance for Sky Atlantic HD & CANAL+ Template:Won

Globes de Cristal Award

Year Category Nominee Outcome
2014 Best Television Film / Television Series
(French: Meilleur Téléfilm / Série Télévisée) 		Tunnel, created by Dominik Moll and Ben Richards, Series 1 (Canal+) Template:Won

Guild of British Camera Technicians

Year Category Nominee Outcome
2016 BSC/ACO/GBCT Television Drama Operators Award Joe Russell for The Tunnel: Sabotage – Episodes 2, 3, 5 & 6 Template:Won
Year Category Nominee Outcome Ref
2014 Best Drama Series The Tunnel Template:Nom
2014 Best Performance by an Actor Stephen Dillane for The Tunnel Template:Won

Royal Television Society

Year Category Nominee Outcome Ref
2014 Male Actor Stephen Dillane, The Tunnel Template:Nom
2014 Original Score – Music Adrian Johnston, The Tunnel Template:Won
2014 Original Title Music Adrian Johnston and Dominik Moll, The Tunnel Template:Won
2016 Drama Editing Katie Weiland for The Tunnel: Sabotage Template:Nom
2016 Drama Sound Simon Bysshe, Nigel Squibbs, Jamie Caple, and Jeremy Price, The Tunnel: Sabotage Template:Won

See also

Further reading

External links

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