SHE is about to play The Queen’s sister in The Crown but first, Lesley Manville will appear as a much more down-to-earth character.
The Oscar-nominated actress has joined the cast of BBC1 drama Sherwood, set in a Nottinghamshire community still feeling the effects of the Eighties miners’ strike.
The part will reunite her with David Morrissey, with whom she co-starred in BBC2 drama Holding On.
That first aired 24 years ago when the pair were still rising stars.
A telly insider said: “The two roles couldn’t be further apart.
“One is set in high society, the other among a working-class community.
“Lesley has played quite a few posh parts recently and Princess Margaret is just the latest.
“So it’s easy to forget that she started her career making gritty movies with acclaimed director Mike Leigh.
“Although The Crown is a high-calibre production from Netflix, Sherwood is also one of the most anticipated dramas of the year.”
SERIES OF MURDERS
The six-part crime thriller is currently being filmed and comes from the pen of James Graham, one of the country’s most sought-after screenwriters.
Last year he created the hit ITV drama Quiz, which looked back at the Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? coughing scandal in which Major Charles Ingram swindled his way to the show’s seven-figure jackpot.
James also brought us the Channel 4 drama Brexit: An Uncivil War, in which Benedict Cumberbatch played the Leave campaign mastermind and former No10 adviser Dominic Cummings.
James, who is also Sherwood’s executive producer, has set all the action in the Nottingham district where he was raised.
The drama pivots around a series of murders in a community that is already fractured due to the divisions created during the year-long miners’ strike, when some Notts miners controversially continued to work — infuriating their colleagues who had downed tools.
Sounds like these castings are just the cherry on the cake.
READ ON FOR MORE OF ROD McPHEE’s BIZARRE TV COLUMN
Mick Kicks Off At Zack
MICK (Danny Dyer) won’t take no for an answer as he ups the ante in his beef with Zack in EastEnders.
As my exclusive photos show, in tonight’s episode he gets into another argument with Zack (James Farrar) while pressing him to break up with his daughter Nancy.
Mick was left fuming when he discovered Zack lied about his involvement in the hit-and run which left Nancy fighting for life.
He was then angered even more when he caught the pair kissing. But it’s not just Mick’s wrath heading Zack’s way. He also gets an earful from sister Sharon (Letitia Dean) in the episode, which airs at BBC1 at 9.05pm.
Things aren’t going to end well.
Jacob’s Doctor dream
JACOB Anderson is known to millions as Grey Worm in Game Of Thrones but hopefully his new role won’t lead to such a bloody end.
The actor, who raps under the name Raleigh Ritchie, has joined the latest series of Doctor Who as a recurring character called Vinder.
He will star opposite Jodie Whittaker, Mandip Gill and John Bishop when the drama returns later this year.
Jacob said: “The Doctor has been a part of my life for ever – from watching and rewatching the serials on VHS as a kid and being terrified to unexpectedly finding my eyes watering when the Tenth Doctor said, ‘I don’t want to go’.
“I always wanted to live in the Whoniverse.
“Not only has a lifelong dream of mine now been fulfilled but to be playing a character as fun, adventurous and dynamic as Vinder is the cherry on top.
“This is very cool.”
ALMOST three million people tuned in for the debut of Bradley Walsh and Holly Willoughby’s new Saturday teatime game show. Take Off With Bradley & Holly, in which members of the audience get the chance to win plane tickets, airs on BBC1 for three more weeks.
Married Vicar’s no joke
THE Vicar Of Dibley creator Richard Curtis has hinted Dawn French’s character Geraldine could return as a single mum in a future special.
In the 2007 New Year episode – intended as the sitcom’s finale – she married Harry Kennedy (Richard Armitage).
But Curtis reckons that might limit the laughs in potential future storylines and would prefer to kill off Harry.
Producer Jon Plowman said: “After she gets married, it’s a different proposition. It may be the married Vicar Of Dibley but it’s probably not.”
Curtis said: “If he could have died quite quickly, you could have had the baby . . . a single-mum vicar would have been funny. Perhaps that’s the next Christmas special.”
Dawn has got back in her cassock several times over the years for charity shorts, but not for a full episode.
A proper return to Dibley this Christmas would be just the ticket.
Time’s up for Andi stand-up
DESPITE her character being dead throughout Line Of Duty, Andi Osho was one of the biggest stars of the cop drama’s most recent season.
Now the stand-up, who played murder victim Gail Vella, says she is turning her back on comedy to focus on acting.
Andi told the Mid Point With Gabby Logan podcast: “I sort of looked down the road at people who were further along in their stand-up careers and I realised that what they had I didn’t want.
“I was quite depressed as well, so I just like to let go of everything and I moved to the States.
“It was there I realised that stand-up didn’t give me the room I needed to express everything creatively that I wanted to do.”
Comedy’s loss is the acting world’s gain.
