It's a long way from St Albans in Hertfordshire to the outback of Australia.

But viewers watching BBC One series The Tourist will be transported to the glowing red heart of the Australian wilderness.

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures/)

Starring alongside Fifty Shades of Grey heartthrob Jamie Dornan in the mystery-thriller is former St Albans resident Shalom Brune-Franklin.

She plays waitress Luci Miller in the six-part drama, which is currently being shown on BBC One on Sunday nights. You can also watch all episodes on BBC iPlayer.

Describing Luci as "self-assured, guarded, cheeky, resilient, and headstrong", Shalom said: "I instantly felt attached to the scripts when I first read them.

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

"They’re just so interesting and mysterious and I wanted to know what happened to every single character – so I knew it was something exciting."

BBC TV viewers will already be familiar with the English-born Australian actress after she appeared in last year's Line of Duty as the newest member of AC-12.

Born to a Mauritian mother and an English-Thai father, Shalom grew up on a St Albans council estate.

Shalom was in her early teens when her parents, Phillip Franklin and Ingrid Brune, upped sticks and left the UK for a better life in Mullaloo, Western Australia – more than 9,000 miles from Hertfordshire.

It was on the northern suburbs of Perth that the sporty St Albans teenager joined the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts and started her acting career.

Parts in Aussie TV series Doctor Doctor and Marvel movie Thor: Ragnarok followed.

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Sister Igraine in Cursed, which can be seen on Netflix.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Sister Igraine in Cursed, which can be seen on Netflix. (Image: © 2020 Netflix, Inc.)

The rising star played Private Maisie Richards in BBC military drama series Our Girl opposite ex-Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan, and appeared in Netflix fantasy series Cursed as Sister Igraine.

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Sister Igraine in Netflix's Cursed, which can be seen on Netflix.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Sister Igraine in Netflix's Cursed, which can be seen on Netflix. (Image: © 2020 Netflix, Inc.)

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Sister Igraine in Netflix's Cursed, which can be seen on Netflix.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Sister Igraine in Netflix's Cursed, which can be seen on Netflix. (Image: © 2020 Netflix, Inc.)

Anti-corruption unit AC-12 then beckoned, with the talented Shalom playing DC Chloe Bishop in series six of Jed Mercurio's police drama alongside Martin Compston, Vicky McClure and Adrian Dunbar.

"I was such a fan of the show and it was such a surreal experience to get to walk onto the set of something you are already such a huge fan of," said Shalom.

"I remember walking onto set and seeing the glass box [interview room] and there was part of me that wanted to fan girl and scream.

"The other half was thinking that I had been hired to do a job, you need to calm down and do justice to the scene.

"I was quite surprised at how quickly I felt I was part of it but I still do feel like a fan girl."

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

For those that haven't seen The Tourist yet, Belfast star Jamie Dornan plays The Man, who is pursued by a vast tank truck. His car is sent tumbling off a ridge following an epic cat-and-mouse chase.

When The Man wakes from his accident, he’s in hospital. With no memory, he must use the few clues he has to discover his identity before his past catches up with him.

One clue leads him to a run-down diner, where he meets Luci, a waitress working there.

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: BBC/Two Brothers Pictures/Ian Routledge)

Shalom said of Luci: "The thing that attracted me was the journey that she goes on.

"She has such a complex relationship with The Man, and I think that she is such an amazing character to play.

"She’s also so headstrong, interesting, and mysterious."

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Of the protagonist’s evolving relationship with Luci, Dornan said: "When The Man meets Luci, they have a bit of an instant connection, but there are all kinds of things that happen and are revealed to us which are very unconventional.

"But through Luci we find out much more about The Man and where he’s come from, what his journey is and what’s taken him to that point."

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: BBC/Two Brothers Pictures/Ian Routledge)

Shalom enjoyed working alongside the Fifty Shades star and the rest of the crew.

"Everyone on this cast has been amazing to work with and everyone is very passionate about the project as well, which is exciting.

"Working with Jamie has been great, a lot of our scenes are together.

"We’ve both been given a treat with these two characters – they are the scenes you almost dream to be given, to explore this complex relationship between two people has been awesome."

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

After swapping life in St Albans for the southern hemisphere as a teen, Shalom returned Down Under to shoot the BBC series.

"I’ve loved working in Australia, I’m a three-hour flight from my family rather than 24 hours.

"I’ve never been to Southern Australia before either, so it has been a nice experience.

"We’ve shot in some incredible locations, the Flinders Ranges were unreal, seeing all the sunsets and sunrises.

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: BBC/Two Brothers Pictures/Ian Routledge)

"Danielle Macdonald [who plays Helen Chambers] and I are the worst Australians ever because we don’t have Australian accents anymore because we have been living overseas.

"So the two Aussies had to have a dialect coach! I’d like to think I sound quite Australian now."

Herts Advertiser: Danielle Macdonald as Helen, Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist.Danielle Macdonald as Helen, Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist. (Image: BBC/Two Brothers Pictures/Ian Routledge)

  • Episode 5 of The Tourist can be seen on BBC One on Sunday, January 23 at 9pm.
  • The final episode of The Tourist can be seen on BBC One on Sunday, January 30 at 9pm.
  • All six episodes of The Tourist are available to watch now on BBC iPlayer.
  • You can also rewatch all six series of Line of Duty on BBC iPlayer.
  • Cursed is available to stream on Netflix.

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: BBC/Two Brothers Pictures/Ian Routledge)

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci and Jamie Dornan as The Man in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist.Jamie Dornan as The Man and Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)

Herts Advertiser: Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist.Shalom Brune-Franklin as Luci Miller in The Tourist. (Image: Two Brothers Pictures)