HBO finance drama Industry returned with its season 3 premiere on Sunday night, introducing Kit Harington into Pierpoint & Co chaos before shocking viewers with an unexpected death.
With leading cast members Marisa Abela, Ken Leung, and Myha’la Herrold back at the helm, it didn’t take long for the high-stakes series to leave viewers speechless.
And the gobsmacking moment came midway through the episode when Robert Spearing (played by Harry Lawtey) slept with his predatory client Nicole Craig (Sarah Parish) on her luxurious kitchen island, only for him to find her dead the following morning.
After going at it, the pair put on matching pajamas and went to lay on sunbeds in the garden to talk.
‘Why do you stay after you f**k me?’ Nicole asked.
Industry predator Nicole Craig (played by Sarah Parish) died in the season 3 premiere
The long-serving Pierpoint & Co client died from a cardiac arrest after sleeping with Robert Spearing, played by Harry Lawtey
‘Here’s me thinking we were making love,’ Robert scoffed, before adding: ‘I don’t know why I’m still here.’
‘You desire me,’ Nicole said. ‘We get each other off. You’re you with me.’
The following morning, Robert awoke to the rain pouring down on him. He then turned to see Nicole, whose eyes were still open, lifeless beside him.
In shock, he quickly pushed her limp body away from him and she fell off the sunbed and crashed onto the floor.
Taking to social media, fans shared their disbelief over Nicole’s death.
On Reddit, one said: ‘I audibly gasped about Nicole.’
‘I’m so shook,’ another agreed, while a third added: ‘I was NOTTTTT expecting that!!! Also gasped lol.’
Over on X, a fourth exclaimed: ‘OH MY GOD HE WOKE UP NEXT TO A DEAD BODY.’
Controversial character Nicole had sexually taken advantage of Robert and his ex Pierpoint colleague Harper over the course of the show’s first two seasons
Nicole and Robert had a complicated working relationship – with the Nicole exploiting her power over the young banker
Robert awoke completely soaking wet from the rain only to find Nicole lifeless beside him
After realizing she was dead, he instinctively pushed her off him
They then added: ‘How does that 911 call go? Hey I f****d this old woman and then we cuddled and I woke up and she’s dead.’
Industry creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay confirmed that Nicole died following a cardiac arrest.
Explaining why they decided to kill off a character in episode one, Mickey said: ‘Look, there are a few different things.
‘There’s the practicality of having something quite interesting and exciting happen in the first episode to a character that we’ve spent so much time with.
‘But it also catalyzed one of the most important arcs of the season, which is Robert’s relationship to death, mortality, his ambition, and the fact that everyone around him just seems to die.
‘Female figures of influence always die around him, which brings back memories of his mom and the trauma he had from the relationship with her.
Fans shared their disbelief over Nicole’s death on social media
‘That gets explored further and deeper in subsequent episodes, but it felt like just the perfect place to start him in.’
Speaking to IndieWire, Konrad added that despite filming scenes with Sarah’s eyes closed, they ultimately ended up using a shot of er with her eyes wide open for shock value.
‘We definitely went for shock value — not in a cynical way,’ he said. ‘We wanted people to be like, ‘Woah, my God, they actually went there.’ And we wanted it to feel visceral when he pushes her body off.’
Elsewhere, Game of Thrones actor Kit made his debut as Sir Henry Muck, the founder and CEO of green tech company Lumi, and new Pierpoint & Co client.
Game of Thrones star Kit Harington made his Industry debut as Sir Henry Muck
Viewers were left blushing as Sir Henry showed off his toned physique during a game of handball
Kit previously described his character as a ‘posh idiot’ during an appearance on CBS Mornings.
‘He’s always had this safety net underneath him so he doesn’t need to — he can sort of just be who he wants to be, and that’s not always the best thing,’ he teased.
Kit left viewers hot under the collar after Sir Henry was seen playing a game of handball topless with his uncles.
Taking to X, one exclaimed: ‘Kit Harington shirtless! Kit Harington shirtless! Kit Harington shirtless! Kit Harington shirtless!’
Another said: ‘Kit Harington is on #IndustryHBO this season, finally some eye candy.’
‘Kit Harington is looking great…,’pointed out a third.
Addressing why he was keen to join Industry, the self professed ‘fanboy’ previously said: ‘I just thought tonally, it was unlike anything I’ve seen.
‘The writing is so good, the characterization is good, the backdrop, the music… I was totally hooked.’
