Brian Cox talks about how Logan Roy could have been killed off in Succession season one

Virgin Radio

28 Jan 2022, 11:28

Can you imagine Succession without Logan Roy? He is such a massive, terrifying presence in the narrative, but there were rumours flying around early in the show’s run that the family’s patriarch wouldn’t make it past the end of the first season.

As anyone who has seen the sharp drama will know, Logan’s health, or lack thereof, drives the narrative, and the entire premise of the show revolves around who will succeed him as the head of the media empire, hence the title. 

The father of the family suffered a stroke in the pilot episode, and during season one it was touch and go as to whether he would recover. So, his kids started to scheme, as is their way, about who would replace him as top dog of the family business.

Speaking to Sirius XM's Julie Mason Mornings, Brian Cox has spoken about the rumour that Logan Roy wouldn’t make it past the end of the first season. 

“I'm not even sure that was true,' he said. “That was just what my manager said. And then when I broached that subject, there was a big pause!”

The actor revealed that he then spoke to Succession's creator Jesse Armstrong and the show’s executive producer Adam McKay about whether Logan would die. “I was talking to them and they were - one was in Italy, Jesse was in Italy, Adam was in LA,” Cox explained. “And when I mentioned that, there was a big pause and then finally they said: ‘Oh no, no, no, he's got more than one season.’

“You know, I don't know if they decided in that moment or if it had already been decided."

As things stand (and this is a slight spoiler if you haven’t seen season three), Logan Roy is still alive and kicking. His health wasn’t great at points in recent episodes (remember the coastal walk which went wrong, and the urinary tract infection which left him in a state of incoherence?), but the season ended with him very much still in charge of the business, in a jaw-dropping climax.

Succession has been renewed for a fourth season, but we might have to wait a while to find out what happens next, as Jesse Armstrong has previously said that he wouldn’t be back in the writer’s room until the start of this year.

We can barely wait!