Inside Andrew Buchan's life from messy split to 'hidden' ITV role

Wales Online

18-05-2025

Inside Andrew Buchan's life from messy split to 'hidden' ITV role
This weekend, ITV viewers will see Andrew Buchan play DI James Marsh in the new crime thriller Code of Silence.
Code of Silence: Rose Ayling-Ellis stars in ITV trailer
ITV viewers are in for a treat this weekend as the first episode of a new six-part thriller, featuring a cast of well-known faces, including Broadchurch star Andrew Buchan, will air.
Code of Silence centres around a determined and smart deaf woman named Alison Brooks (Rose Ayling-Ellis), whose life is drastically changed.
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Due to her lip-reading skills, DI James Marsh (Andrew Buchan) and DS Ashleigh Francis (Charlotte Ritchie) recruit Alison for a covert operation.
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A synopsis reads: "Alison must surveil a dangerous gang planning a high-stakes heist, thrusting her into a world of crime and deception. As she deciphers the gang's secret conversations, Alison becomes a vital asset to the case. But when she forms a dangerous bond with gang recruit Liam Barlow (Kieron Moore), the risks grow greater and her true identity is put at stake."
As the six-part series kicks off this weekend, we're taking a look at actor Andrew Buchan's life outside of the ITV show.
Rocky relationship
Andrew and Amy's relationship has been rocky over the years
(Image: Getty Images Europe )
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Andrew began dating actress Amy Nuttall in 2007 before marrying her five years later, in 2012. Amy is best known for her appearances in Downton Abbey, Emmerdale, and Mr Bates v The Post Office.
The pair then had two children together, a daughter and a son, whom they tend to keep out of the spotlight.
However, Andrew's marriage hit headlines in 2023 when it was reported he had 'walked out' on his wife just before Christmas.
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It was believed he had started to develop feelings for actress Leila Farzad, whom he met on the set of a BBC thriller.
At the time, a source told the Mirror: "For Andrew to walk away from his family was a huge shock to us all and Amy is heartbroken."
Although since then, the pair seemed to have patched up their rocky relationship and have reconciled.
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In February last year, Amy confirmed to The Times they were still married and living together with their children in Buckinghamshire.
Career first
Andrew wrote ITV's dark thriller Passenger
(Image: ITV )
Last year, Andrew went behind the camera as he took on his first screenwriting role for ITV's dark thriller, Passenger.
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Speaking to Express about the six-part series before it aired, he shared his excitement over the process as a whole.
He said, 'The whole process has been a complete joy, whether you're an actor, a writer, a director, or a producer.
'You're really just in the business of wanting to create, and this branches the same tree, really, so being there at the starting blocks of the processes has just been wonderful, and seeing every facet of every idea brought to life has far exceeded my expectations.
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'A credit to everyone involved because a lot of hard work has gone into this, so seeing behind the curtain has been a complete thrill.'
Breakout role
Andrew played Mark Latimer in ITV's Broadchurch
(Image: ITV )
Although Andrew's first credited role was in 2006, when he played Marcus in the TV movie If I Had You, it wasn't until 2013 that he became a household name.
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Andrew starred in the ITV drama Broadchurch as Mark Latimer, alongside David Tennant, Olivia Colman, and Jodie Whittaker.
He played the father of murder victim Danny Latimer, a young 11-year-old boy whose body was found on the beach.
With the mystery of discovering who had killed the young boy being the focus of the show, Andrew confessed he had fans cornering him on the street, desperate to know if he had done it.
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Speaking to The Standard about the role in the past, he said, "The thing that drew me to it initially was definitely the character.
"I've never played a part like this before. There's no shying away from any element of emotion along the journey, and that did make me quite afraid. But sometimes it's good to walk towards your fears.'
Code of Silence premieres on May 18 on ITV1 and ITVX at 9pm.