When we first meet Rhiannon Lewis in Sweetpea, nobody pays attention to her – that is, until she meets AJ.

AJ doesn’t get off to the best start with Rhiannon, nabbing the job she’s been fighting for at the Gazette without even trying thanks to editor Norman fancying his mum.

But AJ and Rhiannon soon prove quite the investigative team when they find themselves partnering up on a hot story that’s circulating the area.

Maybe AJ isn’t the nepo-baby type Rhiannon took him for. Then again, maybe Rhiannon isn’t quite the sweet-natured wallflower AJ takes her for.

Speaking ahead of the series launch, Calam Lynch discusses AJ’s interest in Rhiannon, taking on the role, and working alongside leading star, Ella Purnell.

I play AJ who starts work at the Gazette basically at the same time we first see Rhiannon go into work. Initially she’s not so keen on him, I think because a lot of the people in the show aren’t that nice to Rhiannon and he is, and I think she’s confused to why this guy’s being friendly and seems to be a little bit into her.

Over the course of the show, their relationship develops and things kind of come to a head one way or another.

Immediately I think he’s intrigued by her, certainly after their first meeting. I think what draws AJ to Rhiannon initially is the fact that he can’t quite figure her out. Most people in the show, in the office, seem to like him and Rhiannon really doesn’t - she sort of hates him at the beginning - and I think he is affronted and feels like he needs to fix it by being super nice to her. And then the more they get to know each other, I think he sees her for who she is, which is a really smart, funny, acerbic, hot person. And that’s not the way the rest of the world sees her.

I think the fact that he does is a nice thing between them. As the show goes on and Rhiannon becomes more confident and more powerful, I think that’s an adjustment in that relationship because that’s not the way he’s used to seeing her and the balance of power shifts, which is interesting.

I hope the audiences will root for Rhiannon and AJ. I think they are right for each other and I think that will be helped by the stuff with Craig - obviously we learn at the beginning that Craig’s been a bit of a d**k in the past to Rhiannon.

To be fair, I think with Jon’s performance, like Jon’s very charming and lovely and there’s a sweetness that he brings to Craig that I don’t think all actors would. But he’s not as sweet as AJ, so I think they should really root for us.

I’ve really loved working with Ella. I was a fan of her work before. I’d seen her in a couple of things and thought she was great, and we have a couple of friends in common, so I knew she was cool. She’s the best. She’s so much fun to play around with when we’re working.

I feel like she’s always totally in the scene and she just feels really truthful and real, which is, I think, the highest compliment you can pay an actor, and she’s a good time, she’s so much fun. I really look forward to seeing her when I’ve had a few days off, it’s so nice to come in and catch up with my pal. Yeah, she’s great. She’s the best.

I think dark humour is very popular because we all like to have a laugh. And I think a lot of what people want when they sit down to watch a TV programme is that release of humour, but I think they also want the release of being able to sort of explore those feelings - vicariously through a character or through a programme - that do exist in all of us, or at least we have a fascination with, I think as a culture. And I think when the two are together, it’s a really nice… I was going to say palatable, but there are lots of parts of Sweetpea that are maybe not palatable! It makes it more fun.

I don’t think you come away feeling horrified or disgusting, but it will awaken something maybe a little darker in you.