The former ER star reveals five secrets from the set of the new sci-fi thriller

1 I play Rebecca Harper, head of galactic security [pictured], in a series set in the future. Rebecca’s daughter Ash, a police officer, has been framed for a crime she didn’t commit and is on a prison ship heading through space.

The ship was built on hydraulics at a studio in Manchester so it moved around during flight. Some of those who ‘travelled’ on it felt unwell, so I was fortunate that Rebecca stayed on Earth.

2 New London – the old one fell to an ecological disaster on Earth – is shiny and modern, so we used The City of Arts and Sciences, a cultural and architectural complex in Valencia, Spain, to represent it. We filmed there precovid and the place was stunning. I was eager to learn more and it really brought out the geek in me.

3 I have quite a few scenes with former Line Of Duty star Craig Parkinson, whose scientist character Dr Benedict Lee keeps a bee colony. We filmed those scenes on a set called The Beehive. A beekeeper gave us information about the creatures, although the bees you see on Craig’s hand were computer-generated and he had to imagine them.

4 Rebecca stands ramrod straight, whereas I have a tendency to slouch. So I had to keep remembering not to slump over the computer panel in front of me. It did occur to me that wearing a corset might have helped with this.

5 Rebecca handles a gun and I was grateful for the weapons training I’d had for US drama The Blacklist, in which I played a CIA agent. Others found things tough. Savannah Steyn, who plays Ash, tried to block out the gunfire noise with earbuds but pushed them in so far a medic had to help her.