Z Bamigboye From Peaky Blinders and Doctor Foster to a real-life story of forbidden love . . .
SURannE JonES, whose shelves are no doubt groaning from the awards she won for her starring role in BBC1’s doctor Foster, will join Peaky Blinders actress Sophie Rundle in an extraordinary new drama about a real-life lesbian couple living in the north of England in the 19th century.
Jones has long been set to star in the eight- episode drama Gentleman Jack, which writer and director Sally wainwright begins shooting next month.
She will portray anne lister, who was born into a military family in the late 18th century and inherited the 400- acre Shibden Hall, just outside Halifax, from her uncle.
after an affair with a doctor’s daughter ended, she began courting a wealthy woman called ann walker (Rundle), and they were able to swear their love for each other on the Bible. a priest later blessed their union in church. although lister didn’t care who knew about the relationship, she kept the most intimate details of her ‘ marriage’ concealed in volumes of diaries, written in a code that used combinations of Greek letters and numbers.
wainwright and her team of researchers found the key to unlock lister’s four million encoded words, and that mass of information will inform her screenplays.
The series will show how lister clashed with businessmen, who were challenged by her sexuality. and how — when she needed to — she could be just as ruthless as them.
any series with wainwright’s name attached attracts major talents. and, over the years, it’s almost as if she has established her own repertory company.
last Tango in Halifax and Happy Valley, between them, starred derek Jacobi, anne Reid, Sarah lancashire, nicola walker and Siobhan Finneran. Sophie Rundle appeared in the first series of Happy Valley.
wainwright has cast three more of her TV ‘ alumni’ — Timothy west, Joe armstrong and Vincent Franklin — in Gentleman Jack.
Gemma Jones will portray lister’s aunt anne; and Gemma whelan will play her sister, Marian. Stephanie Cole is cast as ann walker’s aunt. Peter davison will play her cousin, and amelia Bullmore has been chosen to play his wife.
Jodhi May also joins the company, as do Thomas Howes (from downton abbey), Rosie Cavaliero, Jessica Baglow and albane Courtois (a newcomer tipped for stardom).
The BBC1 show is being made in partnership with U.S. cable network HBo, with filming set to take place in and around Halifax and on locations in Copenhagen. Gentleman Jack is expected to be shown late in 2019.