Ex-Syriza Fallout: Channel 5's 'Love Rat' Reshoots Amid Allegations

The production of the upcoming Channel 5 drama "Love Rat," starring Neil Morrissey, underwent significant reshoots following allegations against co-star Alexis Georgoulis. Georgoulis, accused of rape and previously shielded from identification due to legal orders, prompted chaos within the production.

"Love Rat," scheduled to premiere the following night, faced upheaval as the legal protection for Georgoulis, 49, was lifted, revealing his involvement in a 2020 assault case in Belgium. This development necessitated the replacement of Georgoulis with former Casualty star Gerald Kyd. Over five weeks of filming involving Georgoulis, the cast was flown back to the Cyprus location, primarily impacting lead actress Sally Lindsay, 50, who portrays a divorcee tourist entangled in a romantic plot with Georgoulis, playing a hotel worker aiming to defraud her of her savings. Lindsay's character recruits her ex-husband, portrayed by Neil Morrissey, 61, to help recover her funds.

Georgoulis, also a Greek MEP, faced accusations following the European Parliament's decision to lift his prosecution immunity in June. Belgian authorities had requested the immunity be revoked. The alleged victim, a former European Parliament employee, reported the incident in early 2020. Georgoulis vehemently denies the accusation.

Following the immunity lift, Georgoulis was ousted from the Leftist Greek Syriza party, and Channel 5 promptly removed him from "Love Rat." A source close to the production revealed that Georgoulis had been cast despite the existing rape allegation, which remained undisclosed due to his MEP status.

With filming concluding in December 2022 and the series in the editing phase, the public revelation of the rape accusation in summer 2023 compelled Channel 5 to recast the role. Gerald Kyd replaced Georgoulis's character Niko, necessitating Lindsay's return to Cyprus for reshoots with the new co-star.

Sally Lindsay underwent extensive reshoots to realign her scenes with Kyd, while Morrissey's involvement remained relatively unaffected, as he had fewer scenes with Georgoulis's character. The production's decision to recast underscores the challenges faced by the entertainment industry when unforeseen circumstances disrupt filming processes.