Never work with animals (especially not Great Danes)

NEVER work with children or animals, they say. If only the makers of A Very English Scandal had paid attention.

Stephen Frears, the director of the BBC’S new drama, has described filming with a Great Dane as a “nightmare”.

The drama, starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw, tells the story of Jeremy Thorpe, leader of the Liberal Party, who attempts to cover up a then-illegal homosexual relationship with Norman Scott, a young stable hand.

The three-part drama, adapted by Russell T Davies from the book by John Preston, includes a variety of animals, including horses, dogs, and one particular Great Dane, named Rinka.

Frears said: “They came to me and they said ‘Great Danes are famous for being stupid’. So it was a nightmare. I think we ended up with three.

“The Great Danes did not like the rain. We needed the dog to be quite animated and running around, but the dog slunk to the ground or tried to get back in the car or out of the rain.”

A Very English Scandal will be broadcast later this month.