Olivia Colman has revealed that an unexpected “accident” nearly violated one of the strictest producer rules behind Broadchurch, the acclaimed British crime drama now streaming on Netflix.

Frequently ranked among the best crime series ever produced in the UK, Broadchurch follows the emotional and social fallout after the murder of 11-year-old Danny Latimer in a quiet coastal town. The show’s impact was strengthened by a powerhouse cast, including Olivia Colman, David Tennant, Jonathan Bailey, and Jodie Whittaker, and it continues to hold an exceptionally high Rotten Tomatoes score.

One of the show’s defining behind-the-scenes rules was secrecy: the identity of the killer was to remain hidden from every actor to preserve authentic reactions and on-screen tension. Producers believed this secrecy helped the cast deliver powerful, unfiltered performances throughout filming.

Olivia Colman learnt the major Broadchurch spoiler during her audition (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

But during her appearance on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast, Colman revealed she was the only actor who accidentally learned the truth — and she learned it before she was even officially cast.

She explained that during her earliest audition meeting, she casually asked, “Who did it?”, not expecting a real answer. To her surprise, the producers told her outright. “I went: ‘Oh!’ and cried,” she recalled, thinking her emotional reaction was exactly what they wanted.

And David Tennant wasn't impressed (BBC)

Only minutes after leaving the meeting, she received a phone call asking her to pretend she had never been told. The team suddenly realised they wanted the mystery to remain completely secret from the entire cast.

Colman kept the spoiler to herself for months of filming, even as her co-stars constructed suspect boards and spent hours debating theories. “It was really fun,” she admitted, though she had to bite her tongue constantly.

Her secret remained intact — until her agent slipped up near the end of the shoot. David Tennant confronted her immediately. “He flew into my trailer and went: ‘You f**king didn’t tell me.’ I just couldn’t look at him,” Colman said, knowing exactly what he meant. Tennant, like everyone else, had been kept in suspense the whole time.

Despite the awkward reveal, the carefully guarded plot and the show’s blistering performances contributed to Broadchurch becoming a global hit. Its emotional depth, sharp writing, and surprising twists continue to draw in new viewers, especially now that all three seasons are available on Netflix.

(Sources: BBC Arts, Rotten Tomatoes, Variety, The Guardian)