Following major backlash to his latest silver screen role, Peter Andre is trying his hand at acting once more, this time on TV—and he’s starring alongside one of the greats.
The 90s pop star caught heat earlier this year when the trailer for Jafaican dropped, a movie in which Peter plays a small-time con artist immersing himself in Jamaican culture to pull off a risky scam.
It involved the Australian singer, 52, wearing dreadlocks and putting on an accent, with social media going to town with their criticism and ripping into the ‘outrageous’ plot.
A few months on, though, and Peter is back with a very different role.
It’s been confirmed that he’ll star in The Sunshine Murders, a murder mystery drama set to air on Channel 5 in September.
Teasing the job in his OK! Magazine column last October, he penned: ‘I have also got a part in a new Channel 5 drama as one of the lead characters, which I’m excited about.
‘I can’t reveal the name of it just yet or give much away, but I start filming next month and can’t wait to get stuck in. Watch this space!’
Now, we have a look behind-the-scenes of the action, thanks to images shared with the cast.
Shot by Cork Films, the series will also guest star English acting legend Stephanie Beacham, Dimensions star Camilla Rutherford, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows actor Nick Moran, and EastEnders’ Nina Wadia.
In a smiley photo, the Mysterious Girl hitmaker sits beside Coronation Street star Stephanie, 78, with him wearing a tracksuit while she is glammed up in costume to play Lady Gloria Whitten-Soames.
Another sees him in the dressing room with his co-stars, as well as supportive son Junior, 20, who seemingly visited his dad on set.
As for Peter’s part in the show, he’ll be seen like never before, donning all the professional get-up of a Greek pathologist tasked with examining the murder victims.
When Peter’s casting was confirmed earlier this month, he was seen on the official poster for The Sunshine Murders, wearing his white lab coat and blue rubber gloves.
We know that his character’s name is George Constantinos, but that’s all for now, as further plot details are being kept hush-hush.
Peter will likely be hoping for a warmer response to the character of George than that of Jafaican’s Gary Buckle, aka Gazza.
Upon facing the wrath of the internet, Peter spoke out in defence of the film, which also starred Wil Johnson, Jamie Lomas, and Oliver Samuels.
Ahead of the movie’s release celebrations in Queensland, Peter was asked by Channel 7 in Australia: ‘The trailer did see some headlines about an English-born, Australian-raised actor playing a Jamaican character; you know about that? Are you surprised there’s been some mixed feedback here, or were you anticipating that?’
He responded: ‘Well, to be fair, I mean, I think it’s good to get all sorts of feedback. I mean, this is not … it’s my first lead role, but I’ve done quite a few roles before. And all of them, I’ve played different characters.
‘So for me, it’s acting—I get to do something light-hearted, something funny. Something that, y’know, is the kind of film I’d wanna watch. So it’s almost like a little bit self-indulgent in the sense that I get to do something that I’ve really, really wanted to do.’
Peter went on to praise director Fredi Nwaka for allowing him to play someone ‘very, very different’.
In a further conversation with Metro, the Insania vocalist insisted it was ‘never the intention’ to ‘genuinely offend’ anyone.
He also recalled his Get Down On It with Kool & The Gang, which he re-released in 1996. In the music video, he wore an Afro wig.
‘I was just a bit surprised that this was the one that seemed to cause controversy, and not the role that I played in Fredi’s last film, where I actually had to play someone that was racist,’ he added, referring to the 2022 film On the Other Foot, in which he played a member of the EDL.
‘But again, you have to listen to people; if someone genuinely feels wronged, we understand. We never intended that, ever.’
Prior to the controversial Jafaican film, Peter’s acting CV consisted of various film and TV roles.
While he’s known for portraying himself on reality TV shows like I’m A Celebrity and fly-on-the-wall series with ex-wife Katie Price, he also had roles in movies such as The Inheritance (2019) and SnapCatch (2023).
And he’s no stranger to the stage, having performed a dual role of Vince Fontaine and Teen Angel in Grease on the West End.
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