as their mobile ringtone.
Such is the ardent affection that six-part Channel 4 dramaUtopiaprovoked from fans earlier this year.
Ad content continues below
Few of its characters were easy to like.
Someone who evoked real pathos.
Here was a character nuclear bunker and paranoid theories about CIA-invented caffeine notwithstanding we understood.
Wilson was clever, funny, and loved his dad.
for a tantalisingly brief ten minutes against the backdrop of a noisy pub.
Thanks very much for speaking with us, we lovedUtopiaso its a real pleasure to talk to you.
Ive read all the Den of Geek reviews on it
Blimey, have you?
Yeah, theyre really nice.
Thats good to hear.
Plot-wise, I knew exactly what was happening.
Plot-wise though, I knew exactly what was going on.
And Wilson Wilson isnt dead of course…
Well we dont know.
Both you and Dennis Kelly have done a lot of stage work in the past.
Had you come across his plays before?
What was the audition process like forUtopia?
It was one of the more enjoyable auditions Ive had, I think.
Did you realise at that stage what a unique look Mark Munden would bring to Utopia?
Had you seen storyboards?
[the pub noise seems to have caused Akhtar to mishear the question as Were there storyboards?]
Youll have to ask him that I think.
Dennis has generously said in interviews that Neil Maskell created Arbys character almost as much as he did.
How much input did you have into Wilson?
My input into Wilson was… A second series hasnt been announced yet has it?
Was it always the plan forUtopiato continue past the series one finale?
I dont know really.
Im only just figuring out about episodic series TV stuff at the moment.
Its rare isnt it?
It is.The Dictator, well that was just a comedy, and I suppose the morality was incidental.
It was just something to try and make people laugh rather than being a serious thing.
WithUtopiadefinitely its more the idea of trying to put across a message rather than just entertaining the audience.
Its entertaining as well but theres also a lot of other things that are going on.
Wilson enacts one of those ethical problems, by eventually coming around to The Networks point of view inUtopia.
Is his choice something you could empathise with?
It depends on the point youre looking at.
So yeah, I suppose I can, because its people who are looking for answers.
[At this point, were interrupted and asked to wrap up]
Agh, last question.
Okay, sinceUtopiawas on, have people stopped you in the street and asked you Where is Jessica Hyde?
Not so much that.
Im getting lots of people who are just really happy that the shows been put on.
Adeel Akhtar, thank you very much!
Utopia series one is released on DVD and Blu Ray on Monday the 11th of March.
Read our spoiler-filled episode reviews,here.
