Grace star Zoe Tapper has revealed a shocking story of an actor ‘playing dead’ between takes, amid the ‘dark scenarios’ that occur on set.

Zoe joins DSI Roy Grace (played by John Simm) as the ITV crime drama returns to our screens, playing Senior Anatomical Pathology Technician.

The third season of the Brighton-based police drama, based on Peter James’ novels, will see the troubled detective take on even more shocking cases.

But behind-the-scenes, things were just as eerie.

Speaking about filming, Zoe said on Wednesday’s The One Show: ‘We film it in a deserted shopping centre in Burgess Hill, so it has two effects when you’re in there.

‘It has a soporific effect, you kind of feel like you’re going to fall asleep every two minutes, but then it also makes you slightly hysterical, because you lose oxygen.

John Simm and Richie Campbell are back! (Picture: ITV)

‘And so we end up in these very dark scenarios, we end up giggly sometimes.’

Talking about one particular incident, she continued: ‘We’ve had funny situations with our brilliant supporting artists who play dead for us.

‘There was one instance where… normally, an act will come along and play dead in the scene, but sometimes they get so into the role that they actually continue playing dead even in between takes.

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‘And there was one such act who came in and was dead for ages, and had dead make-up on.

‘And all of a sudden, he shot up and got his vape out and started vaping.

‘It was quite surreal.’

The One Show airs weekdays from 7pm on BBC One.

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Terrifying!