The following article contains discussion of themes including suicide.
Gangs of London season 2 spoilers follow.
Gangs of London executive producer and director Corin Hardy has shared some behind-the-scenes details about the show's latest shocking death.
In this week's episode, I May Destroy You star Paapa Essiedu's character Alex took his life rather than directly going against the mysterious investors who are gaining power against his family.
Related: Why that Gangs of London brawl is more important than you think
This follows Alex himself having to eliminate his one-time trusted ally Sean Wallace (Peaky Blinders' Joe Cole) in a Game of Thrones-style turning of the tables on Alex.
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Speaking about these back-to-back twists, Corin Hardy told Digital Spy: "It’s always very sad when this happens. But Gangs of London is an unsafe show. It should be feeling dangerous at all times. And that was the sort of ethos, in a way, in season 1 – you mustn’t feel safe. Characters could go at any moment.
"I think it’s something that worked in some other shows – Game of Thrones did it very well. Also, it was supported by the networks, where they were saying, 'We’re looking at the scripts. We want you to kill more characters.' I was like, 'Wow, really?'
"What happens to Alex is directly representative of his soft trajectory from where we leave him, at the end of season 1. He’s got a lot of pressure mounting up. He has to go and kill Sean Wallace. He goes on the run. Actually, a year has passed. He’s been promoted. He’s at the head of the Dumani finances, almost like a figurehead."
But Gangs of London is almost Shakespearean in its storytelling, so any great rise comes before an ever bigger fall.
"What [Alex is] really doing is trying to figure out a way to get out of this, and protect his family. He’s a smart guy. He’s got means. But he’s also struggling out of pressure with the guilt of having seen his brother – his friend – killed in front of him, Sean Wallace," Hardy said.
"So he’s using drugs, and it all mounts up. Meanwhile, this guy is sent, also, to see that he comes to his end. It’s one of those Gangs of London predicaments. It’s tragic, and also hopefully keeps you on your seat. Because after that, what else could happen?"
Gangs of London is now streaming on Sky and NOW.
We would encourage anyone who identifies with the topics raised in this article to reach out. Organisations who can offer support include Samaritans on 116 123 (www.samaritans.org) or Mind on 0300 123 3393 (www.mind.org.uk). Readers in the US are encouraged to visit mentalhealth.gov or the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
TV writer, Digital Spy Janet completed her Masters degree in Magazine Journalism in 2013 and has continued to grow professionally within the industry ever since. For six years she honed her analytical reviewing skills at the Good Housekeeping institute eventually becoming Acting Head of Food testing. She also freelanced in the field of film and TV journalism from 2013-2020, when she interviewed A-List stars such as Samuel L Jackson, Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson. In 2021 she joined Digital Spy as TV writer where she gets to delve into more of what she loves, watching copious amounts of telly all in the name of work. Since taking on the role she has conducted red carpet interviews with the cast of Bridgerton, covered the BAFTAs and been interviewed by BBC Radio and London Live. In her spare time she also moonlights as a published author, the book Gothic Angel.
