Danny Dyer leads the cast of Channel 5’s new four-part drama Heat, and episode 1 was as preposterous and outlandish as any EastEnders storyline.
The former soap star, 45, plays British ex-pat Steve, who is now living in Australia. He and his ridiculously complex family take themselves and their baggage – literal and emotional – on a trip to the Victorian bush to visit his old friend Brad.
Steve and Brad (Darren McMullen) now live in different parts of Australia with their wives and families. But, every year, the two clans reunite for a summer holiday. This year, though, it’s about to all kick off.
Everyone seems to be hiding a secret – think Jill Halfpenny’s The Holiday – and, as if that wasn’t complicated enough to keep up with, the two fams are surrounded by bush fires.
So now they are trapped together, whether they like it or not! Here are the questions that are bugging us after watching episode 1 of Danny Dyer thriller Heat on Channel 5, which has more twists and turns than a rattle snake on acid.
***Warning: spoilers from Danny Dyer drama Heat episode 1 ahead***
Is anyone actually telling the truth in episode 1 of Danny Dyer drama Heat?
Steve, his wife Sarah (Pia Miranda) and teenagers Mia (Matia Marks) and Tom (Matteo Annetta) are visiting Brad, Louise (Jane Allsop) and son Kip (Hunter Hayden) at their new home in the remote Victorian bush.
And while the reunion is a warm one, various tensions bubble beneath the surface. And we mean a tornado of pent up emotions. First of all, we thought Steve was having an affair, but he’s actually just in debt (we think!). It’s actually his mousey wife who is having the affair – with Steve’s best bud Brad.
Shady x 100!
Meanwhile, there’s Mia’s passionate but banned relationship with Jet, and something very odd going on with the teenage sons, one of whom has a mysterious broken arm. At this point, we wouldn’t be surprised if he was hiding a baby kangaroo in his plaster case. In fact, this story is so convoluted, nothing would surprise us at all.
Of course, it’s all in good fun, and we’d be lying if we said we weren’t planning to tune in to episode 2!
How exactly did Tom get his injury?
Tom is nursing an injury and Kip doesn’t believe his explanation for how it happened. And, frankly, nor do we. Was Jet the cause of the accident, as Steve claimed?
If it was as simple as that, then why does every single member of Steve’s family give each other side eye whenever the arm is mentioned? We know it wasn’t a water sliding accident, but was it something more sinister?
All will be revealed no doubt, but this seems to be small fry compared to some of the other plot lines going on here.
Heat starring Danny Dyer episode 1: Why is Brad’s office off-limits?
Brad made it clear his office was off-limits to guests, but every night there’s someone in there with the light on… We now know that Brad is, or has been, having an affair with Steve’s wife Sarah. So he’s perfectly capable of being a lying creep. Is it him in there up to no good? Or is it his son, who goes wandering at night?
We don’t trust him as far as we can throw him. And, on that note, does he have ulterior motives for lending Steve the money?
Can we trust Jet?
We know Jet lied about the road being closed because of the bush fires… But did he do it because of his feelings for Mia? We’ve all done crazy things for love…
Or is Jet up to something?
Is Steve really in debt?
Viewers saw Steve taking clandestine phone calls, and it was easy to assume he was having an affair. However, during the picnic, Steve told Brad the true nature of his duplicitous behaviour – he’s in debt up to his eyeballs. Allegedly.
But that doesn’t quite fit… During a mystery phone call, Steve told the caller: “I told you not to ring me. I’ll tell Sarah, it’s not an easy conversation to have.”
That doesn’t sound like a conversation you’d have with a loan shark. Is there more to this than meets the eye? There’s enough bonkers plot here to keep you interested, but expect a curve ball or two. And maybe even a bush fire.
Read more: Former EastEnders star Danny Dyer ‘given huge boost as hit series set to return’
Heat airs from Tuesday to Friday – July 11 to July 14 – 2023 at 9pm on Channel 5.
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