Martin Compston talks new show The Revenge Club: "I think we've all got little revenge fantasies"

"Some revenge on Uri [Geller] would be good," says Line of Duty's Martin Compston when asked if he's ever had the urge to enact a little payback on anyone.

"Uri said he moved the ball, that Scotland penalty against England in ’96. And I don't believe he did it, but the fact he tried it…"

For context, Compston is talking about his latest project, Paramount+ thriller The Revenge Club, which follows six strangers at a divorce support group who decide to retaliate against the people who have broken their hearts.

But what starts out as petty pranks — rat infestation, anyone? — eventually turns deadly.

"As the group's plans grow bolder, the line between justice and madness begins to blur – and someone might just take things too far," reads the official synopsis.

"I think all of us, we've all got little revenge fantasies, whether it be the high school bully, somebody's smashed into your car, somebody's made your work life hell," says Compston.

"In general, people are good, so they just stay fantasies. But we've got these six people in this unique situation where they're all forced together. In no other walk of life would they be friends, but then over a couple of drinks, a bit of bravado in the pub, it suddenly sounds like a good idea.

"They've all got different reasons — that's why I like the scripts… And then it's like a game of chicken: none of them want to pull out of it. They get a taste for it, and they find a little thing in their lives that makes them smile and gives them some excitement.

"But they get carried away. It gets out of hand."

Compston plays Calum, a man fighting to save his relationship with his school-age daughter following the breakdown of his marriage. He's joined by Aimée-Ffion Edwards (Slow Horses, Peaky Blinders, Luther) as Emily, whose life completely falls apart after her husband leaves her.

But while The Revenge Club has its fair share of emotionally confronting moments, there's also a darkly comic thread running through the six episodes – something Compston enjoyed immensely.

"As it goes on you get to stretch yourself a wee bit with the comedy elements, which I've always kind of needed to rein in [in other projects], but it felt really safe with our directors, Tim [Kirkby] and Dan [O'Hara], to push that.

"There's one bit where I have to come in and I went, 'F**k it, I'll do a cartwheel or a f**king forward roll in.' And I'm sure it doesn't make the cut, but it was that kind of environment where you were like: try something and if it's funny and it works, we'll use it, and if not, then we won't.

"So I loved being in that. It felt a real free place to express yourself."

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Scheming alongside Compston and Edwards in The Revenge Club are Meera Syal (Mrs Sidhu Investigates, The Kumars at No. 42), Sharon Rooney (Barbie, Daddy Issues, Jerk), Douglas Henshall (Shetland, Who Is Erin Carter?), Chaneil Kular (Sex Education, Accused), and Amit Shah (Mr Bates vs. The Post Office, Happy Valley), all of whom have their own crosses to bear.

Perhaps they could take a leaf out of Compston's book...

"It wasn’t really revenge, but we've all switched numbers with your pal's phone, and he thinks he's texting a young lady and he's actually texting you," he laughs.

"That can be quite funny. But not as funny when you're on the receiving end of it. That's not very good."

The Revenge Club is streaming now on Paramount+. Get a seven day free Paramount Plus trial at Amazon Prime Video.

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