Meet The Characters Of The Politician's Husband: No. 3 – Bruce Babbish and Marcus Brock



Here's the next of the profiles of the characters that you'll be meeting in The Politician's Husband later tonight. The new drama series, starring David Tennant and Emily Watson, explores the shift in power and fortunes of a political couple when a husband becomes more successful than his wife.

This time we meet fellow MPs Bruce Babbish and Marcus Brock


Bruce Babbish

Played by Ed Stoppard




Bruce has been Aiden and Freya's friend since their University days and is the person that Aiden thinks he can most count upon to support him in his bid for the party leadership.


Bruce chose a political career, not out of ideology but because it suited his Machiavellian nature and lust for power and its trappings.

For him the fun lies in the chase, in second guessing your opponents. Bruce lacks Aiden’s likeability and people skills and he knows it. That’s why Aiden, like others before him, had to be sacrificed on the altar of Bruce’s ruthless ambition.

David Tennant on Bruce Babbish

Another key character is a politician called Bruce Babbish, played by Ed Stoppard. He and Aiden have known each other for many, many years. They've come up through the ranks together, though Aiden is certainly seen as the senior of the two. And Bruce is apparently right behind him, fully expected to serve in an Aiden Hoynes cabinet and to be part of his inner circle. So at the start of the story, it’s very much Bruce and Aiden who are preparing for this big moment – this moment of assassination. But, as with many things in politics, Aiden quite quickly discovers that Bruce’s friendship and loyalty aren't necessarily all they seem. It becomes clear quite quickly that Bruce has leadership ambitions of his own, which have been subsumed in the wake of Aiden’s much more obvious route to power. It all happens within the first few minutes of the series so I don’t think it’s giving too much away to say that Bruce ends up backstabbing Aiden.



Marcus Brock

Played by Roger Allam




A veteran of Westminster and a survivor. His job as Chief Whip means he knows where the bodies are buried and doesn’t hesitate to dig them up when its politically expedient to do so.

But he hungers for higher office before he is considered to be a Yesterday man – hence his unholy alliance with Bruce.





Watch episode 1 of The Politician's Husband on BBC Two tonight from 9pm



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