LAST TANGO AT CHRISTMAS
AS THE HIT DRAMA RETURNS FOR A TWO-PART CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, NATHALIE WHITTLE WENT TO ROCHDALE TO MEET THE CAST OF Last Tango in Halifax ON SET
WE GO ON SET OF THE Last Tango in Halifax FESTIVE SPECIAL
‘I truly believe that love is love and gender has nothing to do with who you fall for’ ‘We all stay in touch in between filming, which is lovely – well, I annoy Sarah by text anyway!’
SARAH LANCASHIRE, 52, HAS TWO GROWN-UP SONS FROM HER FIRST MARRIAGE TO
COMPOSER GARY HARGREAVES, AND A 12-YEAR-OLD SON WITH HER TV PRODUCER HUSBAND PETER SALMON. SHE LIVES IN LONDON. SARAH PLAYS CAROLINE.
I DON’T WANT TO GIVE TOO MUCH AWAY, BUT WHEN WE MEET CAROLINE AGAIN, THERE’S A NEW WOMAN IN HER LIFE – AND SHE’S QUITE DRAMATICALLY YOUNGER! IT WASN’T ANYTHING CAROLINE CONSCIOUSLY SET OUT TO FIND; SHE’S CERTAINLY NOT DATING BECAUSE SHE’S STILL VERY MUCH GRIEVING THE LOSS OF KATE, BUT THIS WOMAN WHO LIVES LOCALLY PURSUES HER AND CAROLINE FINDS HERSELF IN A BIT OF A SITUATION. IT’S NOT A RELATIONSHIP, IT’S MORE OF AN “ENCOUNTER”. HER LIFE HAS ACTUALLY MOVED ON QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY IN ALL AREAS – HER DAUGHTER, FLORA, IS ABOUT TWO YEARS OLD NOW, SHE’S MOVED HOUSE AND SHE’S ALSO ABOUT TO START A NEW JOB AT A DIFFERENT SCHOOL. IT’S ALL CHANGE!
I THINK CAROLINE HAS HIT A NERVE WITH A LOT OF WOMEN. SHE’S BEEN MARRIED TO A MAN
FOR A VERY LONG TIME AND SHE HAS THIS SUDDEN REALISATION THAT SHE NEEDS TO BE TRUE AND HONEST TO HERSELF – I KNOW THERE ARE SO MANY WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN IN A SIMILAR SITUATION. I GOT LOVELY FEEDBACK ABOUT HER AND KATE’S LOVE AFFAIR FROM
WOMEN IN THEIR MIDLIFE WHO HAVE EMBARKED ON SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIPS. IT WAS A HUGE SENSE OF RELIEF THAT I DIDN’T UPSET ANYBODY AND THEY WERE HAPPY WITH THE PORTRAYAL.
I TRULY BELIEVE THAT LOVE IS LOVE AND GENDER IS IMMATERIAL. SO I DIDN’T SPEAK TO ANYONE OR DO ANY RESEARCH INTO WHAT IT’S LIKE TO LEAVE A MARRIAGE FOR A SAME-SEX RELATIONSHIP – BECAUSE I DON’T THINK GENDER HAS ANYTHING TO DO WITH WHO
YOU FALL FOR. IT’S IRRELEVANT, ISN’T IT?
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I WON’T BE WATCHING THE SPECIAL (WATCHING MYSELF BACK IS NEVER A JOYFUL EXPERIENCE!) – I NORMALLY SPEND MY CHRISTMAS IN THE KITCHEN DOING THE COOKING INSTEAD! I WILL BE WATCHING SALLY WAINWRIGHT’S OTHER SHOW, To Walk Invisible: The Brontë Sisters THOUGH – I’M SO EXCITED THAT THE HAIRS ARE ACTUALLY STANDING UP ON MY ARMS JUST THINKING ABOUT IT! IN THE MEANTIME, I’M KEEPING OCCUPIED WITH Tutankhamun – IT’S BECOME MY SUNDAY NIGHT FIX NOW THAT Downton Abbey’s GONE.
PEOPLE ARE ALWAYS ASKING IF A THERE’S A THIRD SERIES OF Happy Valley ON ITS WAY – WELL, THE ANSWER IS THAT I DON’T KNOW! IT’S
NOT SOMETHING WE’RE IN DISCUSSIONS ABOUT BECAUSE SALLY [WAINWRIGHT] IS BUSY DOING OTHER THINGS AT THE MOMENT, BUT SHE HAS SAID SHE’D LIKE TO WRITE ANOTHER ONE. ONE OF THE REASONS IT’S SUCH A GOOD PIECE THOUGH IS BECAUSE SHE DOES IT IN HER TIME – THERE’S NOBODY SITTING ON HER SHOULDER SAYING, “DELIVER IT, DELIVER IT, DELIVER IT!” THE MORE WE DO THAT, THE LESS LIKELY SHE IS TO WRITE IT!
WHAT AM I DOING IN 2017? I’M ACTUALLY UNEMPLOYED AT THE MOMENT! MAYBE NICOLA [WALKER] AND I SHOULD SET UP SHOP IN A CAFÉ AND WRITE SOMETHING TOGETHER. WE’D PROBABLY END UP JUST EATING THE CAKE THOUGH. IN FACT, I’D LOVE TO OPEN MY OWN TEAROOM… NICOLA WALKER, 46, IS MARRIED TO ACTOR BARNABY KAY. THEY HAVE A SON, HARRY, AGED TEN. NICOLA PLAYS GILLIAN.
MY FIRST DAY BACK ON THE SET OF Last Tango in Halifax FELT LIKE THE SCENE IN Men in Black WHERE THE ALIEN COMES DOWN AND TAKES OVER THE FARMER’S BODY. I MISSED IT IN THE TWO YEARS WE WERE
AWAY THOUGH, ESPECIALLY FILMING ON THE FARM. IN FACT, THERE WAS A MOMENT LAST YEAR WHERE I THOUGHT, “I REALLY MISS BILL’S SHEEP” – THAT WAS A VERY STRANGE FEELING!
I DIDN’T EVER WANT TO COME BACK TO
THE SHOW AND FEEL LIKE EVERYTHING WAS JUST LIKE IT WAS BEFORE – AND IT ISN’T! THERE’S A LOT OF SOBBING, SCREAMING AND FIGHTING, AND ALL THE CHARACTERS HAVE
GOT QUITE COMPLICATED THINGS GOING ON. PLUS, THERE’S THAT THING OF CHRISTMAS PUTTING EXTRA PRESSURE ON THE FAMILY.
BUT THAT’S WHAT MAKES IT REALISTIC.
MY CHARACTER, GILLIAN, IS NOW HAPPILY MARRIED – BUT I DON’T KNOW FOR HOW LONG! THERE’S A SCENE WHERE CAROLINE ASKS HER HOW THINGS HAVE BEEN AND IN THAT MOMENT, GILLIAN REALISES THAT THINGS AREN’T AS GREAT AS THEY MAY SEEM. IT’S ONE OF THOSE GENIUS SALLY WAINWRIGHT SCENES!
WE ALL STAY IN TOUCH IN BETWEEN FILMING, WHICH IS LOVELY – WELL, I ANNOY SARAH BY TEXT ANYWAY! WE’RE INCREDIBLY CLOSE – AND I KNOW IF SALLY WANTED TO DO A FOURTH SERIES, WE’D ALL BE THERE. >>
‘I’m lucky I get a lot of say in Celia’s wardrobe and I’d wear many of her clothes myself’ ‘Anne and I stay at the same hotel during filming and love a good gossip each night!’ ‘Sarah and Nicola are great singers and we often have a bit of a sing when we’re a bit bored’
ANNE REID, 81, IS WIDOWED AND HAS A GROWN-UP SON, MARK ECKERSLEY. SHE LIVES IN LONDON. ANNE PLAYS CELIA.
IF I’M HONEST, CELIA IS 95 PER CENT ME! WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I USED TO WEAR A BIG HAT AND HIDE BEHIND LOTS OF FRONT AND IT GRADUALLY DAWNED ON ME THAT YOU ADD A LOT MORE COLOUR IF YOU DON’T DO THAT. MY BRAIN ISN’T ANYWHERE NEAR AS GOOD AS MY INSTINCTS ARE EITHER, SO MUCH MORE INTERESTING THINGS HAPPEN ON INSTINCT THAN IF I THINK, I’M GOING TO SAY IT THIS THAT WAY OR DO IT THAT WAY. IT TOOK ME A LONG TIME TO REALISE THAT.
I HAVE TO ADMIT, I GET A LOT OF SAY IN CELIA’S WARDROBE – I ADORE THE CLOTHES! I GET TO GO SHOPPING FOR HER, SO THE THINGS YOU SEE ARE THE THINGS I’D WEAR MYSELF.
MY CHARACTER, CELIA, DOESN’T ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HER DAUGHTER IS GAY AT ALL – AND UNFORTUNATELY HER MIND STILL HASN’T CHANGED. SHE TRIES TO PRETEND THAT SHE’S PROGRESSED, BUT SHE HASN’T – EVEN ALAN TRIES TO TEACH HER TO BE MORE BROAD-MINDED. I’VE
KNOWN PEOPLE LIKE THAT MYSELF.
AS GRETA GARBO SAID, IT’S ALL ABOUT WHETHER THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN PEOPLE WORKS ON SCREEN – AND I LOVE DEREK, SO IT WORKS! WHAT’S THE DYNAMIC LIKE BETWEEN US? I TALK A LOT AND HE’S VERY QUIET! I EVEN TALKED HIM INTO DOING A CD WITH ME RECENTLY. HE HAD A NASTY FALL WHILE HE WAS ON HOLIDAY AND ON ONE OF MY VISITS TO THE HOSPITAL, HE SAID, “I WON’T BE ABLE TO DANCE ANY MORE” (WE LIKE TO JIVE TOGETHER), SO I SAID, “WELL, WE COULD SING!” – AND SEVERAL MONTHS LATER WE’VE DONE IT. ANNE AND DEREK’S CD, You Are the Best Thing... That Ever Has Happened to Me FEAT. THE JASON CARR QUARTET, IS OUT NOW. DEREK JACOBI, 78, IS IN A CIVIL PARTNERSHIP WITH ACTOR RICHARD CLIFFORD. THEY LIVE IN LONDON. DEREK PLAYS ALAN.
ANNE AND I FIRST MET IN A RESTAURANT IN LONDON JUST BEFORE FILMING FOR SERIES ONE BEGAN – AND I HAVE TO SAY, WE LIKED EACH OTHER IMMEDIATELY. NOW WE STAY AT THE SAME HOTEL WHEN WE’RE FILMING AND WE LOVE HAVING A GOOD GOSSIP IN THE BAR EACH NIGHT WITH SOME DRINKS AND A CLUB SANDWICH! IT’S FUNNY BECAUSE SOMEHOW WE ALWAYS FIND SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT – IT’S WONDERFUL.
IT WAS A BIT OF A SURPRISE TO BE GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY THE PART OF ALAN. WHEN YOU STAR IN THINGS LIKE Hamlet
AND King Lear LIKE I DID, YOU ACQUIRE THIS REPUTATION OF BEING A CLASSICAL, COSTUME, POSH PERSON – SO FOR A CASTING DIRECTOR TO THINK OF ME IN TERMS OF AN ORDINARY BLOKE – WELL, IT WAS LOVELY. BESIDES, IT’S WHERE I COME FROM – I’M AN EAST LONDON KID AT HEART!
THE RESPONSE TO THE SHOW HAS COMPLETELY ASTOUNDED ME. IT’S NOT JUST HERE IN THE UK, PEOPLE LOVE IT IN AMERICA AND AUSTRALIA TOO –
AND IT’S UP THERE WITH THE THINGS I’M MOST PROUD OF IN MY CAREER. IT’S FUNNY THOUGH BECAUSE IN AMERICA, THEY SHOW THE PROGRAMME ON THE SAME NIGHT AS ANOTHER SITCOM I’M IN WITH IAN MCKELLEN CALLED Vicious – SO AT 8PM, I’M MARRIED TO ANNE AND AT 10PM, I’M MARRIED TO IAN! DEAN ANDREWS, 53, LIVES WITH HIS WIFE, DENISE, IN ROTHERHAM, SOUTH YORKSHIRE. THEY HAVE TWO GROWN-UP DAUGHTERS. HE PLAYS GILLIAN’S HUSBAND, ROBBIE.
JUST BECAUSE GILLIAN AND ROBBIE ARE NOW MARRIED DOESN’T MEAN THINGS ARE PLAIN SAILING FOR THEM. ROBBIE’S NOW WORKING ON THE FARM TOO AND HE’S TRYING TO EXPAND IT, BUT GILLIAN’S BEEN INDEPENDENT FOR SO LONG AND SHE’S VERY HANDS-ON, SO HE’S STARTING TO STEP ON HER TOES A BIT. HE ALSO HAS A LOT OF UNANSWERED QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT WENT ON WITH GILLIAN AND HIS BROTHER.
WOULD IT DESTROY THEIR MARRIAGE IF ROBBIE FOUND OUT GILLIAN KILLED HIS BROTHER? IT MIGHT DO! ON THE ONE HAND, I HOPE IT WOULD BECAUSE HE’S BEEN A POLICE OFFICER FOR MANY YEARS AND HE’S A DECENT PERSON WHO ABIDES BY THE LAW. BUT ON THE OTHER HAND, I THINK HE’S INFATUATED WITH GILLIAN TO SUCH A POINT THAT IT MIGHT CHANGE HIS WHOLE ETHOS OF LIFE. I OFTEN WONDER WHAT I’D DO IF THE SAME THING HAPPENED WITH MY OWN WIFE!
NICOLA AND I HAVE SUCH A LAUGH TOGETHER WHEN WE’RE FILMING. WE HAVE QUITE A FEW INTENSE SCENES IN THE CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, BUT WE’D TAKE A BREAK EVERY SO OFTEN AND THE DIRECTORS WOULD SAY, “ARE YOU OKAY? WILL YOU BE READY FOR THE SCENE?” BECAUSE WE WERE JOKING AROUND SO MUCH – AND WE’D HAVE TO SAY, “OH OF COURSE, WE’RE FINE” – AND SUDDENLY BE SERIOUS AGAIN!
YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW THAT SARAH AND NICOLA ARE GREAT SINGERS. WE OFTEN HAVE A BIT OF A SING WHEN WE’RE FILMING AND A BIT BORED – THERE ARE THREE-PART HARMONIES AND EVERYTHING! THEY ENDED UP IN A KARAOKE BAR THE OTHER WEEK – SARAH, NICOLA, JOSH [BOLT] AND TONY [GARDNER] – I COULDN’T MAKE IT, BUT THEY SHOWED ME VIDEOS OF THEM IN ONE OF THOSE BOOTHS –
THEY WERE BRILLIANT!
The Last Tango in Halifax Christmas Special AIRS ON BBC ONE IN TWO PARTS THIS DECEMBER.