VIEWING AWAITS
For the 79-year-old Rigg, being able to laugh at her character’s general disapproval really drew her to the role of the Duchess of Buccleuch in the series that stars Jenna Coleman in the titular role and Tom Hughes as her husband Albert.
Rigg says: “The duchess is very loyal to the queen. As a member of the establishment she is very proper in many respects, but she also has deep prejudices, which make me laugh a lot and hopefully will make the audience, too. She doesn’t really care for the Germans or French and she really doesn’t care for the Belgians either! In that respect, she is unique and great fun to play.”
What does she like best about the duchess?
“I love her candour, the fact that she is straightforward.“Olenna Tyrell was not the sort of person who behaves in an acceptable fashion just to be accepted, she very much goes her own way, and I hope that she encourages young women to be the same.
“Likewise with the Duchess of Buccleuch – she does her own thing, until Victoria tries to put her in her place occasionally.”The actress was thrilled to film in Yorkshire.“I love Yorkshire as I was brought up there and I am of Yorkshire blood. Driving to the locations in the depths of the countryside, you realise just how absolutely ravishing it is. It’s really the most impressive drive to work.” Of the Buckingham Palace set, built on an airfield in Church Fenton, she said: “It is beautiful, absolutely wonderful!”A Taste Of South Africa (Discovery, Tuesday at 8pm): Join UK celebrity chef Matt Tebbutt as he takes a culinary journey through Mzansi in this new documentary series which sees him travelling on dusty roads and over green hills to meet the country’s most renowned chefs, cooks and farmers. Along the way he will discover regional specialities, heritage recipes and contemporary dining culture – from township food and spice-laden street food to amazing rural feasts.
Law & Order: True Crime – The Menendez Murders (M-Net 101, Thursday at 8pm): American Crime Story: The People vs OJ Simpson captivated audiences last year and swept up several awards. Now Law & Order creator Dick Wolf turns his hand to the anthology series genre with this eight-part series starring Edie Falco (The Sporanos, Nurse Jackie) as Leslie Abramson, the defence attorney who represented Lyle and Erik Mendez, convicted in 1996 for the murder of their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez. The brothers’ trial was televised at the time and their story became a national obsession.
The series delves into the crime and the media circus, detailing the day-to-day battles of the trial and unveiling the truth of what really happened after the cameras stopped rolling.