Colin from Accounts stars Harriet Dyer and Patrick Brammall reveal why they decided to end beloved comedy

Harriet Dyer: We’ve been living in southern California for seven months now and we have two couches and a Frame TV, so it’s a bit arty when it’s not a telly. We just recently set them up like an “L” shape so that one person gets to lie down straight on and the other person gets to lounge side-on, but we’re thinking of moving it so the couches face each other, like a conversation pit.

What have you enjoyed watching recently?

HD: The Traitors UK, the one with the Secret Traitor.

Patrick Brammall: I feel like it wasn’t working the way they’d hoped…

Do you watch anything scripted, or is that too much like work?

HD: Widow’s Bay...

PB: Really dug that, but I think because of what we do, we’ve really reduced the window of stuff that we can absolutely just lose ourselves in. With narrative stuff, you’re always analysing.

HD: I get a bit loophole obsessed and that’s OK. Also, our show’s not perfect, but sometimes I watch a scene and think, “That’s a big call sheet…” I’m a big ADR [automated dialogue replacement, where actors re-dub their lines after shooting] spotter, too.

Who controls the remote?

PB: Harri wants me to take charge of the remote, but anticipate what she wants.

HD: There are so many wrong answers that he could get, but I still don’t want to make a decision.

As married acting partners and co-creators of Colin from Accounts, what’s it like arguing when you are in character as Ashley and Gordon?

PB: Arguing in character is some of the most fun we have. We love doing that. There’s a scene in the last ever episode where she tears strips off me.

HD: It clears out the pipes. Any opportunity to kind of go at each other feels good because we are a respectful couple – we don’t generally have big fights – so it’s good to do it in fantasy, have a yell, and for there to be no consequences.

Aussie TV really seems to be having a moment. Why do you think that is?

HD: We have Netflix Australia now. I think it’s really just that the smorgasbord is now international. We just missed going to our BAFTAs – the Logies – but it would have been a really cool night, and I think next year is going to be even better. We should be really proud right now – there’s a lot of good things coming out. I’ll be walking down the street in LA and someone will say, “Have you seen Fisk or Deadloch?”

PB: And now the Australian Government have said streamers have to re-invest in Aussie TV.

So, why did you make the decision to end Colin from Accounts after three seasons?

PB: The Office and Fawlty Towers are the gold standard in terms of this sort of thing, but there is a practical component to it. We started writing season three in August 2024.

HD: We probably only had a four-month break in between releasing season two and writing season three. Our eldest daughter is almost five. She walked into our room the other day and I thought, “Your whole life, you’ve had to share your parents with this fictional dog and these fictional characters.” It does consume us.

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When “That’s a wrap!” was shouted, how did you feel?

HD: It was a long shoot day, 15 hours. We were exhausted – the producer had to order pizza to keep the crew happy…

PB: In a way, it was good, because we were all so sad about the last day, but it was such a slog: “Get us out of here and let’s never speak of this again!”

HD: But there were massive cries. We hung around, made dirty martinis and hugged each other. It was Formal Friday, so most of the blokey male crew members wore dresses. One of them wore Ashley’s bridesmaid’s dress from season 2, and the girls were in suits. Turns out crews just want to cross-dress.

Colin from Accounts seasons 1–3 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

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