Inside the life of The Gold's Douglas Baxter and if he really existed
Inside the life of The Gold's Douglas Baxter and if he really existed
The Gold season 2 is streaming on the BBC iPlayer
BBC's drama The Gold has made a triumphant return to our screens with its second season, delving once more into the infamous Brink's-Mat heist and the subsequent fate of the stolen hoard of gold bullion, diamonds, and cash.
Neil Forsyth, who pens the drama, expertly weaves together real events and imaginative storytelling in this final chapter of the series. Just like in the first instalment, viewers are greeted with a disclaimer before each episode, which highlights the dramatic embellishments for storytelling purposes.
The narrative for the BBC's latest series is spurred on by a host of new characters, some crafted purely for narrative momentum.
New faces gracing the second season include Logan Campbell (portrayed by Tom Hughes), Tony Lundy (Stephen Campbell Moore), and Douglas Baxter (Joshua McGuire), sparking curiosity among the audience, particularly about the character Douglas Baxter, the money launderer, and his origins.
Questions have arisen concerning the reality of Douglas Baxter's existence within the context of BBC's The Gold, reports the Express.
Douglas Baxter was created for BBC's The Gold
(Image: BBC )
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Is Douglas Baxter from BBC's The Gold real?
Douglas makes his introduction in the show's sophomore season, as robber Charlie Miller (Sam Spruell) co-opts him to launder the proceeds from the Brink's-Mat heist.
While initially dubious about collaborating with the South London criminal, Douglas soon recognises the scale of the opportunity presenting the pinnacle laundering task of his life.
In truth, Douglas is not a real figure.
The creator Forsyth illuminated the backstory of Douglas stating: "Douglas Baxter is a composite character inspired by some of those involved in the Brink's-Mat story.
Douglas Baxter was a key figure in the show
(Image: BBC )
"Baxter is an Isle of Man financial advisor who gets brought into the story by Charlie Miller and he ends up being part of an extensive money laundering chain that stretches all the way to the Caribbean.
"He's a really interesting character in our show, and I think he's brilliantly played by Joshua McGuire."
Although Douglas isn't real, he is derived from real-life figures and the research carried out by Forsyth and The Gold's creators.
Joshua McGuire as Douglas Baxter in BBC's The Gold
(Image: BBC )
Forsyth further explained: "We do a huge amount of research with The Gold, but then we have to tell a cohesive version of a very complicated story, so of course creative licence is used for that and other reasons. But theseries is very much inspired by real events."
Douglas is a grammar-school educated, Cambridge graduate lawyer, who finds himself down on his luck after a criminal conviction for drug possession.
However, his luck takes a turn after working for Charlie and involving his old university mate Logan.
Reflecting on the complex character crafted by Forsyth, actor McGuire expressed: "It was so exciting to come in and be part of the second half.
Douglas Baxter finds himself making a fortune thanks to money laundering
(Image: BBC )
"Sometimes I think that can be quite nerve wracking because it's something that's already rolling, there's a sort of language that already exists and you're stepping into it. But it was just really nice to be able to feel part of an expansion of something."
He continued to comment on his performance: "Everything I needed for Baxter was all in Neil's writing.
"It was all there on the page and it's always, for me, the most important place to jump off. I absolutely tried to garner as much information as I could.
"Neil and the researcher from series one wrote a book off the back of the first series, and Neil gave me that, which I found incredibly helpful."
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The Gold season 2 is streaming on the BBC iPlayer now
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