Part Two: Different, but Special.

JC: Why do you think the TP has such an enduring appeal for the fans?

NF: It's the humanity of the vision, of Roger's original concept. The appeal to teenagers is that they all feel different, no matter who they are. They feel an outcast. And that basically is what the Tomorrow People is all about. You're different, but you're special. That certainly was the appeal to me, even though I didn't realise it at the time. I grew up gay, but not wanting to be gay. I could have grown up to be a punk. Whatever the different things about a teenager are, this show comes along that says it's okay to be like this. In fact, it's not just okay, it's fantastic, because you've got all these special powers and you've got friends who are the same as you.

JC: There seems to be a lot of controversy regarding the breaking of TP canon in some stories. Nigel, reading between the lines it seems that you believe that the Prime Barrier can be overcome by mental illness? Is this a correct assumption? Can you actually describe how you see the Prime Barrier?

NF: Gosh… interesting… I don't think it can be overcome by mental illness. I do think it can be overcome by tampering with the brain on a genetic and physical level. I suppose it depends upon whether you see mental illness as an imbalance of chemicals or whether you see it as a result of what's happened to you or learning.

JC: All of this controversy comes out of the story Deadliest Species. Some fans think that Stephen's ability to kill was not explained well enough. Strangely enough, in A Broken Song, Paul has a device inserted into his brain to take away his powers, implying that their powers are physical. But Lillith can kill…

NF: A lot of this is explained in Spiritus Mundi. I don't want to give too much away, but when Jason asked me to write for TP, he sent me the first four CDs and I loved them - particularly the theme tune. (Both laugh.) When I listened to Deadliest Species, I didn't like it that they had broken the Prime Barrier. I saw it as the Sorsons interfering with his brain in much the same way as Draquel interfered with Paul's brain, but on a less permanent basis. I'm writing things at the moment that show how poor Stephen has been on the Trig for years, being double and triple-checked so that he can't break the Prime Barrier again.

I believe that everything in these audios has a knock-on effect. It's not just dealt with and it's all right the next time. The main reason for killing someone off was to explore what effect that would have. It's the start of a twelve-story arc.

JC: So you're planning for years ahead?

NF: Oh, yes. The current plans go to 2008.

JC: That's when the 35th anniversary is… There are some fans that say they won't buy the CD because of what happened in Deadliest Species.

NF: That's a shame. I'm addressing the Stephen killing thing in Rachel, which is the end of the 5th season. I'm using it in a positive way that will finally allay that - which I hope it will do. I hate the fact that there is a story that everyone dislikes. It's like a millstone around my neck.

JC: How do you see the darker side of TP life developing in the future?

NF: I think it has its place, but the lighter side also has its place. One can't exist without the other.

JC: You seem to write angst-ridden stories.

NF: Yes, I do. But we do have lighter stories too. In Aftermath, even though it was the darkest possible time for the Tomorrow People, it also had such beautiful moments of lightness that it worked. It's been my favourite so far.

JC: The moment when Elena and Paul kissed, but he commented that she was thinking of John… (Nervous laugh.) It was wonderful.

NF: Yes, it was, wasn't it?

JC: Is Elena in love with John?

NF: What do you think?

JC: Yes. He made a comment in Aftermath about her leaving…

NF: But will John ever let himself love her back? You'll have to keep listening…