LIKE a good slice of the nation Sean Bean will be sitting down in front of his TV tonight to watch the first-part of Channel Four’s highly-anticipated Red Riding trilogy.
In the adaptation of author David Peace’s best-selling novels set in Yorkshire during the 1970s and ’80s in the shadow of the Ripper murders, the Sheffield actor plays a corrupt property developer called John Dawson.

“It’s not often I watch myself but I am very proud of this,” he says. “It’s grim and it’s bleak but it’s a quality piece of work. It’s good to see something like that on television, it gives a view of what happened in the past.”

Even alongside some of the bad guys Bean has played over the years, including a Bond villain, John Dawson stands out as a particularly nasty piece of work.

“Yes, he’s a villain but he’s also a glamorous figure amidst this depressing, washed-up deadened world and you could say he represents some kind of hope in a Thatcherite way,” he says.

“In this bleak landscape you know where he is coming from.”

Is this a Yorkshire that the lad from Handsworth could recognise? 

“In 1974 I was 15 and I remember good things and bad. There were labour disputes, unrest and industrial collapse. And there was a lot of violence which this film deals with.

“But desperate times often produce great music and that was certainly true.”

A great deal of attention was paid to period detail on Red Riding, especially the fashion. 

“Flares, long coat and a polo neck, that took you back,” says Bean. “They were perfect for that kind of menacing character. The clothes were carefully chosen because it’s a case of what you wear is what you are.”

And what of John Dawson’s luxuriant hairstyle, is that Bean’s own or a wig? 

“No, it’s mine, I grew it a bit,” he laughs. “I suppose it’s a bit bouffanty and they did add some sideboards and things.”

Apart from a few Sharpe specials, Bean mostly works for the cinema and says he was attracted to a rare TV role because “it is a wonderful piece of writing”.

It was filmed last autumn on various locations around Yorkshire � from Doncaster to Harrogate. 

“It’s always a particular joy to work in my home county,” he says. “It’s easy, for one thing I don’t have to learn an accent. But I think it was important that it was shot 100 per cent in Yorkshire.

“It was a very quick shoot and there wasn’t a huge budget, all the money is up there on screen. We had to work at a pace and I think I did 10 days’ work spread over two weeks. 

“We had a wonderful ensemble, people like Mark Addy, Warren Clarke, David Morrissey and Andrew Garfield, who plays the young journalist that I did most of my scenes with. When you work with people like that it raises your game.”

Next for Bean is a film in Germany, The Black Death, about the plague of 1348. 

“It’s another dark piece,” he says. “Maybe I should look for a nice romantic comedy next!”

Strictly speaking what’s next is a trip to QPR this Saturday to see Sheffield United, although the 100 per cent Blade admits he doesn’t get to see them that often.

“I’m so often working on Saturday afternoons and the best I’ll get is sitting round a TV somewhere trying to find out what the score is.”

Red Riding, which also stars David Morrissey and Warren Clarke, pictured right, is on Channel 4 tonight at 9pm.