Actor Hiroki Uchi, formerly of Kanjani Eight (now SUPER EIGHT) and NEWS, made a surprise appearance in the third episode (broadcast October 22nd) of the TV drama series "ESCAPE: It Was Supposed to be Kidnapping" (NTV, Wednesdays at 10pm). This marks Uchi's first drama appearance in about 12 years, since "Heavenly Love" (Tokai TV/Fuji TV) which aired in 2013.
The drama, co-starring Sakurada Hiyori and Hayato Sano, is a human suspense drama about a hostage and a kidnapper who go on an "unpredictable escape." Uchi plays Hatanaka Kazunari, the boyfriend of Yuka Kageyama Kosaka Riri. In the third episode, Uchi goes on a date with Riri at a restaurant with a night view, and a scene is depicted in which Hatanaka gives her a necklace as a gift, but he is plagued by a "certain problem." He will appear as the main guest in the fourth episode, which will be aired next week on the 29th.
Regarding his first drama appearance in a long time, Uchi commented, "I felt that the time it took to film had become so much shorter. I remember that filming dramas used to take much longer, but when I went to the set for the first time in a while, filming was over in the blink of an eye. I even asked the staff, 'Have times changed? Have things now finished faster?' (laughs)."
Regarding the shoot, he recalled, "It was my first time putting a necklace on a woman, and I honestly thought, 'Girls' necklaces are so thin!' The ring was too small for my finger, so it was difficult. I have good eyesight without glasses, but...I guess it's just because I'm getting older (laughs)."
