JENNA COLEMAN: 6 ‘The mayhem on set is hilarious ’
The hit period drama starring (real-life couple) Jenna Coleman, 32, and Tom Hughes, also 32, returns, picking up during turbulent times in 1848…
Where do we find the Queen of England? A heavily pregnant Victoria is expecting child number six on the eve of the French Revolution. There is a definite sense that time has passed. The King of France turns up on her doorstep in rags – having been overthrown – and she questions whether this could happen to her…
This series also sees the arrival of Lord Palmerston – played by Laurence Fox?
She hates him; Palmerston was a law unto himself. However, Victoria slowly realises that they are more similar than she thought and she begins to become rather fond of him. He is always somewhere between being invited over for tea and being thrown out.
You nearly turned down taking on the role of the monarch?
I’d just finished doing nearly four years on Doctor Who and I didn’t want to do another long TV project. But now I’m doing Victoria I find her quite addictive.
What’s it like working with your boyfriend [Jenna began dating co-star Tom Hughes in 2016]?
What’s incredible about Tom is he’s always completely authentic when he comes to set. There’s never a moment where I don’t see Prince Albert.
They say don’t work with children… There are a lot of little’uns on set!
It’s a mix of being utterly amazing and chaotic mayhem. You just have to call “Action!” and see what happens. Kids really do say the funniest things and it’s the unpredictability on set which is hilarious, especially when you throw in a few dogs, horses and a couple of politicians…
The Queen goes swimming, too…
There’s a scene when Queen Victoria takes a dip in the water while wearing her bathing suit, which is a lot like pyjamas that are made from hemp. It was absolutely freezing and we had to film this twice because the weather was so awful! The Queen is meant to be taking a leisurely dip, but the waves were making it seem treacherous.
You visited Osbourne House on the Isle of Wight?
Exploring Osbourne House in between filming was a highlight for me. It was their family home and no one has lived there since, so their belongings are still there to see. I felt like I got such a strong sense of their life.