Luan Dushaj has been someone to fear since he first strolled onto our screens – but when the impact of his criminal actions hits too close to home, he becomes the kind of unstoppable rageful force that can and will terrorise everyone in his path.

Intent on providing for his family at whatever the cost, Luan’s violent streak is nothing short of bulletproof, and everyone else in the criminal world knows it. But how long can he keep his loved ones safe?

Speaking ahead of season three, Orli Shuka talks about Luan’s state of mind, the importance of his family to keep him grounded, and the body count that keeps rising as Gangs of London returns to our screens.

I think season three’s focus is more on character-driven drama. Also within the family units, it gives more insight to the audience to see what’s happening in each family. We then see the effect, the actions of the gangs and how they affect their real worlds, and the politics involved in it.

Last season, they tried to attack his family. Hopefully nothing went through, and at the end of season two, we see Luan at the big table, trying to garner alliances with Marian, with the Wallaces or the Dumanis. I mean, it was a roller coaster last season, trying to get my wife back, and being kidnapped from my bed. She was very much alive in the end, thank God!

It’s a similar situation as season two. But Luan has evolved, it’s a new, massive, beautifully impressive house. He’s a real investor. He’s very happy with his two daughters. Elira, is being thrown a grand 18th birthday party, we’re celebrating, fireworks the whole nine yards – and then everything goes down.

Every father in the world tries to secure their family, it’s their main duty, for their family to feel safe, but on that day Luan lost that battle. I think, because of what happened, he switched. After this happens, his sense of revenge, it’s much higher than his sense of logic. So always after that, in this season Luan is driven very much by that sense of revenge. I think fans are going to love the greed of it, going to love the drama. They’re going to love the action, going to love season three overall.

We are so lucky to be on Gangs because every season we are so privileged to have the opportunity to work with more directors. Each season we meet another fantastic person, and this Season is a lucky one! Kim Hong Sun from Korea, brings a wealth of great experience with him. He’s great, he loves films, he also respects and understands a lot of my character as well and he loves Luan. He speaks highly of him, and he protects me a lot as well, you know, even through the process. We share things in common. He's a great man. Respect.

Yeah. Actually, one side of this show is that each season, sadly by the nature of the show and the world they inhabit, we lose some cast members. Some characters have had really volatile deaths, perhaps decapitated or whatever. But from a personal viewpoint it’s sad news as an actor, as a co-star. It’s sad news to lose big stars, big co-stars. But, on the other hand, the show is refreshed. Infused with new energy when new faces come in. A new character or storyline is going to be loved and our audience will invest in them too. But as an actor, I feel a bit sad. I can safely say on Gangs of London nobody’s safe!

Gangs of London is always trying to push the boundaries when it comes to action, and stunts. There are some big sequences in season three, aren’t there?

Yeah, in every season we try to push the boundaries to get more action scenes, to get more, ‘wow.’ This show is based on action, of course it’s a drama show but mostly it’s well known for these big action scenes, so this season we’ve got a few of those.

I remember in episode one and two, we’ve got the fairground battle, and it’s amazing how during the day that’s the happiest place for the kids. And at night time, the gladiators descend and take revenge through each other. We go in for the first time, we meet a new character who comes onto the show, Cornelius, and that’s when the shooting starts...

It is true, it’s quite a great dynamic between us, Sopé and me. I’m the fastest one to go into the scene, so my dynamic was different from his. He’s quiet, he was a policeman, you know? He knows how to view things with a different perspective from me. So, both of us, we finish in the worst shootout of that moment. We filmed in a real fairground, our brilliant crew built the set there, and we did some night shoots there. It was amazing. Such a contrast from the usual fairground experience! It was so cold, so muddy. I can remember the myriad of lights in there, you know, we shot a lot, with a lot, a lot of guns!

Another scene in there, I was chasing a guy basically, you enter the house of mirrors, and I remember shooting every single one of them - pew, pew pew – and the bullets run out, I was seeing the guy coming through the window, and boom, a lot of glass in my face. I remember it was a very difficult scene to block out because everywhere was mirrors, you know. Where to put the camera? You can see the light, you can see the movement. But in the end, we did it! The behind the camera team is incredible.

I mean, in the film industry, all the departments are very important, but set locations gives the tone of the show. They make it so characteristic, especially on the London side.

That was one of Luan’s mistakes in his life. But from now on, he has to protect his family, I think. One day, maybe he’s going to step down from the Gangs world, or he’s going to keep fighting for his family. I think Luan is reminded that family’s more important in this world than all the other choices.

Hong Sun was very curious, as a director. Everything is discussed and on the table so to speak in the morning and he focuses on you, he sees you. And he said to the makeup team, he said, ‘Orli, need more ashes.’ What? ‘No more ashes, honestly, he’s coming out of the fight. You know? Wait. (blow sound) Ashes. Ashes. (blow sound) Cigarette ashes.’ (laughs).

If I can be another Gangs character in this season, I would want to be Sean Wallace. And do you know why? Because I want to run. Sean was on a run all season. Running, running, running!

Loss. Vengeance. Corruption.