Benidorm fans might have been surprised to find Adam Gillen's name in the cast credits for BBC drama Boat Story, as the actor looks completely unrecognisable from his days as Liam Conroy.
Adam, 38, was best known for his role as hapless maintenance worker Liam in comedy series Benidorm, the son of Tim Healy's character Les Conroy, and originally showed up at the Solana as a holiday guest, but stayed on as staff.
Viewers are used to seeing him clean shaven and wearing a pair of red overalls as hapless Liam, so his transformation for violent BBC series Boat Story may have left some doing a double take when the first two episodes aired last Sunday and Monday, 20 November.
Adam plays sinister drug dealer Vinnie Douglas in the new series starring Daisy Haggard and Paterson Joseph about two down-on-their-luck strangers who stumble across a huge haul of drugs on a boat – and find themselves targeted by mobsters and police.
The actor looks much older as Vinnie, with slicked back greying hair, a wiry beard and an earring, but the differences to harmless Liam go well beyond his looks.
His Boat Story character is a menacing figure who spells further danger for Daisy and Paterson's characters in the action thriller.
A BBC description of character Vinnie reads: "A mid-level drug dealer with a superstitious streak, Vinnie has worked hard to build his North-East operation. He has big dreams and will do anything to achieve them.
"So when a stranger tries to muscle in on his turf, Vinnie vows to fight to the death to keep it, but his deep paranoia means he soon starts to question who around him he can trust, making him all the more dangerous."
Viewers have been shocked by the levels of violence in Boat Story. One viewer commented on X: "Ooh this #BoatStory is a bit too violent for me"
Someone else added: "Just watching #boatstory, too violent, the wrong kind of show for 9pm on a Sunday, I'm guessing a lot of complaints incoming. The idea sounded and could have been very entertaining! Not sure we'll watch it all."
Another person agreed: "I was so looking forward to #BoatStory but had to switch off after 15 minutes. Far too violent for Sunday night viewing and as if there’s not enough violence in real life right now. @BBCOne your viewers need a break!!"
In Benidorm's final episode in 2018, Liam left the hotel Solana to embark on a new hairdressing career with Kenneth Du Beke, played by Adam's friend Tony Maudsley.
He has shared social media posts of the pair still spending time together, but people were more surprised to see another ex co-star that Adam is still close to.
Adam announced his engagement to Laila Zaidi in September, who he met in the final series of Benidorm when she arrived to play holidaymaker Cyd.
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