David Tennant has praised Julie Hesmondhalgh as "utterly brilliant".

David Tennant

David Tennant

The former 'Coronation Street' actress is set to star alongside the 45-year-old actor in the upcoming third and final series of crime drama 'Broadchurch', and David has praised her performance as Trish Winterman - a woman who has "suffered a serious assault" - as "heart-breaking".

Asked what he could reveal about the series, which starts on Monday (27.02.17), David said: "What can I tell you? It's a new case, so there's new characters. [Detective Inspector Alec] Hardy and [Detective Sergeant Ellie] Miller are less personally involved initially, they find a woman on the steps of Broadchurch Police Station, and that's how the series begins.

"Julie Hesmondhalgh, who you may know from 'Coronation Street', is utterly brilliant and heartbreaking as this woman who has suffered a serious assault. And we find her on the steps of Broadchurch Police Station and it kind of unravels from there, really."

And David - who stars in the ITV programme as Alec Hardy alongside Olivia Colman's Ellie Miller - also praised the show for being "honest", as the small community is still "feeling the ripples" of Danny Latimer, who was found dead at the start of the first series.

Asked if the new case was connected to the previous series, the former 'Doctor Who' star said: "That's still rumbling on. I think one of the things that 'Broadchurch' does really well is the actuality of what a crime would do to a small community is given proper respect.

"So the repercussions of Danny Latimer's death, although it was several years ago in the story we're now telling, the community is still feeling the ripples of that. You know, a small boy dies in a small community that's not something that goes away, and I think that's something that 'Broadchurch' has always tried to be honest to."

Meanwhile David also confirmed that the upcoming series would be the last.

Speaking on BBC Radio 2's 'The Chris Evans Breakfast Show' on Friday (24.02.17), David said: This is going to be the final series. This is it. There can be no more, this is it. Well you know, leave them wanting more."

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