Raised By Wolves stars describe working with ‘genius’ Sir Ridley Scott

Abubakar Salim and Niamh Algar both star opposite Travel Fimmel in the show, which revolves around two androids tasked with raising human children on a mysterious virgin planet, and which will be helmed by the Alien and Blade Runner director.

The duo are also on Bafta’s list of 20 breakthrough Brits for 2019, alongside Sex Education creator Laurie Nunn and Killed By My Debt actor Chase Perdomo.

Salim told the PA news agency: “I was in Montreal and I think the email went to junk first and then I checked my junk and was like ‘Oh no, this is real’, and then I panicked and was like ‘They are making such a mistake’.

Algar added: “I was on set filming up in Leeds and I hadn’t checked my email and I rang my mum and told her and then read down on the email where it says ‘please don’t tell anyone’ and had to be like ‘Mum, you know that information I told you? Forget that’.”

The duo wrapped production on Raised By Wolves in September, and Salim said: “It was an incredible experience, we were in Cape Town from January onwards and it was just a crazy show.

“It’s based on sci-fi, it’s got Ridley helming it, so it was wild, it was a completely different beast to what I’ve normally done before so I loved it.

“He’s a genius, he’s the kind of director who when he makes a choice and it’s the right choice, you never doubt it. It was amazing to see him work.

“The nicest thing about him is he’s a beautiful soul, he’s an easy guy to talk to, he wasn’t a difficult man to approach when it came to asking what you feel are stupid questions.

“He would give you time and then of course he would tell you if it was a stupid question, which is great, so honest.”

Algar added: “It didn’t feel like we shooting TV, it felt like we were shooting a film, a really long film.

“The sets were all built, there was very little green screen or blue screen and you’re on set you feel like you are on a different planet, especially being so far away from home, in South Africa.

“He (Sir Ridley) does very few takes and I think that is just because he knows.

“He’s created the environment and he has put you in the right frame of mind and ultimately what you’re going to bring to it is extra so you only do one or two takes.

“Creatively he just paints the screen, that’s what he does, he’s come from a design background and you can totally see that in the way in which he directs.

“Seeing on the monitor, it’s a painting. It’s incredible to see him work and he’s got so much energy.”