Stephen Merchant: The Outlaws has 'reconnected' people with Bristol

Stephen Merchant said there's been a "really good response" to The Outlaws from Bristolians and as far away as Canada

Actor Stephen Merchant said he is "very pleased" with the response to his series The Outlaws, "specifically" from the people of Bristol.

Mr Merchant said he received messages from people as far away as New Zealand who were born in, or grew up in the city, telling him Bristol's locations "reconnected them with the city".

He spoke ahead of a screening of the BBC programme at The Watershed.

Mr Merchant created and directed both series of the programme.

It focuses on seven strangers forced to undertake community service together.

The Outlaws is about a group of lawbreakers thrown together to complete community service

They were filmed back-to-back during the pandemic and Mr Merchant said the situation made it "tough", not least having "78-year-old Christopher Walken on set every day.

"You're a bit jumpy if anyone sneezes near him because you end up jumping in front of them like you're taking a bullet for the president… but he got through unscathed," he joked.

Hollywood star Christopher Walken returns in the second series

The comedian said to sign Mr Walken to the project, he convinced him that Bristol was by the water and bohemian, "exactly like San Francisco and he likes San Francisco so he came to Bristol".

However, due to Covid restrictions Mr Walken had to stay in his hotel room when not filming, "so I don't think he's ever discovered whether it was like San Francisco," Mr Merchant said.

Disaster did strike in a different way, though, after the first series wrapped when a wardrobe truck ended up in the Bristol harbour.

He said it was after they got through the "arduous shoot and the day after the wrap party suddenly I get this call saying the 15ft costume truck was in the Bristol harbour".

The lorry was found with its back end submerged in the water

"I'm not entirely sure how it happened, it was during the HGV driver shortage so we had to use some local people to drive the lorries and the only person available was my gran… I wish I'd paid for the cataracts surgery on both eyes, but I'm not made of money."

Both series feature a bespoke piece by Bristol street artist Banksy, which him and Mr Merchant agreed would just be for The Outlaws and it has now been "painted over and destroyed completely".

Mr Merchant said he only corresponded with the artist through email and "I don't know who he is".

However, he added: "I'm not saying I'm Banksy. I'm not saying I'm not Banksy.

"I'm just saying that a lot of his art is very high up - that's all I'm saying."

Series two starts on BBC One on Sunday, 5 June. You can also watch on the BBC iPlayer.