Tamzin Outhwaite ('Paradox')

With a premise of police trying to prevent awful future events from happening, is Paradox the UK's answer to FlashForward? The five-part drama series, which begins airing next week on BBC One, starts when a group of cops are handed a set of disturbing images pertaining to a disaster that has yet to happen. Intrigued, we hooked up with Tamzin Outhwaite, who plays feisty DI Rebecca Flint, to find out more.

How would you describe Paradox?
"I would say it's an intense, fast-paced thriller. It's five parts and it's about a group of police that are given a set of images by a space scientist called Dr King that they have to prevent from happening. They have to work out when, where, why and how – it's happening in the future. There's a relentless ticking clock and they have to prevent it."

What's your character Rebecca like?
"She's a pretty good cop, quite a lonely woman with no social life, no family life and not really many friends. And she's a control freak! She's living with a high-powered job and she's a bit of a commitment-phobe."

There are a lot of disturbing images downloaded from the satellite. What can viewers expect?
"It varies – episode two, there's a pigeon, a padlock, a drain cover, a boy drowning... And something else which I can't reveal until after episode one!"

Will new images be downloaded at the start of each episode?
"I think that's pretty much the format. The come through at the end of each episode. The good thing is, from episode two, we can hit the ground running – we know it's not a hoax. The minute the images come through, it's straight onwards."

Throughout the series, does Rebecca genuinely believe she can change the future?
"Yep – she starts to become obsessed with having the power."

The big question at the end of the first episode is, 'Will this happen again?'
"Oh yes, and it will – over and over! At least five times, anyway!"

Is it a self-contained drama? Or could it go again for a second run?
"I think it could definitely go again. As long as there is crime and things happen that police have to investigate, there will be stories. I would like to find out where the images are coming from – that's the hook for me."

Will we get answers to that?
"Not in this series. We ask the questions, but we don't get any answers!""

Paradox begins Tuesday, November 24 at 9pm on BBC One.