The ‘Broadchurch’ investigation is showing no signs of being concluded, with Episode 6 closing in on Ed Burnett, which we’re all pretty sure is a red herring.
No wonder Detective Alec Hardy is so frustrated, he realises he’s running out of time solving the crimes and he has a point. There are only two episodes left of this, the final series, and he and sidekick Ellie Miller seem to be barking up the wrong tree.
While the crime remains unsolved, a few other secrets of the townsfolk have, inevitably, come to light, including Trish’s secret tryst with her best friend’s husband. Here are some of the questions we have following Episode 6. And here are our thoughts about each each of the main suspects. With Ellie Miller complaining that they don’t seem to have narrowed down their list of suspects since they started investigating, we thought we’d lend a hand…
Ian Winterman
Reasons for thinking:
Last seen walking around with his estranged wife’s laptop, presumably to lay his hands on the dodgy stuff (probably spy software?) on her computer, that he is clearly so desperate to get rid of.
He also clearly still has complicated feelings for Trish.
Was washing his dirty laundry frantically. Had a row with her on the night in question, before claiming he blacked out.
Reasons against:
Precisely all of the above.
He’s got secrets, which would make him perfectly suspicious fodder. But it all seems a bit obvious.
And he was drinking tequila that night, not the vodka which Trish said she could smell.
Jim Atwood
Reasons for thinking:
His wife Cath can’t account for his whereabouts during the crucial hours of the party, and in Episode 5, once she discovered his infidelity with Trish, she threatened that she could blow his life apart if she chooses. What does she know?
Has admitted to sleeping with Trish on the morning of his wife’s birthday party, so clearly a wrong ‘un. Might have been angered if Trish thought better of it, and rejected him.
The silly taxi driver saw him with Trish on the night of the party.
Has got fishing stuff in his garage, and let’s not forget those condoms in the glovebox.
Reasons against:
Again, too obvious now we know he was curled up with Trish in the morning? We’ll ignore the line “If I wanted to have sex with Trish, I could,” but he clearly wants the police to believe he doesn’t need to force a woman into his arms. What a gent.
Ed Burnett
Reasons for thinking:
Showed he was capable of great rage and sudden violence in his treatment of Jim in this week’s episode.
Admitted a longtime secret love for Trish, backed up by sending the flowers and taking hundreds of secret photographs of her.
He was desperate to find out how she is, following her attack.
We don’t know what happened to his first wife, except that he assaulted her.
Had a fight with Jim Atwood at the party, so we know he’s capable of more conflict than he appears.
It’s Lenny Henry. Ed Burnett will remain central to the plot.
Reasons against:
Doesn’t drink, so no vodka breath.
Seems very upset about the whole thing.
Has given a DNA swab and nothing’s come back - yet.
Taxi driver Clive Lucas
Reasons for thinking:
A cheating bad ‘un.
Went on a date with Trish before, “sort of”, before she rejected him.
Went off track on the night of the party, and lied about his radio not working.
Said he picked up a strange man, but another cabbie reported seeing his car in the environs, with no one in it.
Implicated in the stash of online porn that’s causing everyone such distress in the town, especially a laptop-bashing Elle Miller.
Has Trish’s keys. Repeat. HAS TRISH’S KEYS!
Reasons against:
So many clues must surely make him our primary red herring.
He took pleasure in telling Jim he’d seen him with Trish. Would he have done this if he were the culprit?
Rope and twine supplier, Leo
Reasons for thinking:
Told his girlfriend to lie about his alibi that night.
Has easy access to exactly the sort of stuff used to tie up Trish.
He knows the Wintermans through his connection to Ian.
Has computer knowledge that we need to learn more about.
Was strangely cocky when answering police questions. What does he know?
Reasons against:
Seen playing football wearing the socks of the type found by the posh gentry up at Axehampton. So, possibly too obvious, with 2 episodes to go.
Convicted sex offender Aaron Mayford
Reasons for thinking:
Lied about the mackerel in his freezer.
Done it before, convinced he was innocent then, but happy to play games with the police, especially the female officers.
“Went fishing” on the night in question, so more twine and stuff in his man-cave too.
Reasons for not:
He wasn’t at the party.
He’s not one of the locals, so it would be a let-down if he were Trish’s attacker.
Who do you think it will turn out to be? Let us know.
Catch up with ‘Broadchurch’ on ITV Player.
