Everyone’s talking about…

As the three-part drama starring Hugh Grant and Ben

Whishaw finishes, here are some secrets from the set…

Inside and out…

Bulstrode Park in

Buckinghamshire doubled as the Houses of Parliament in many scenes, while the pivotal attempted murder of Norman Scott was filmed in a field nearby, which stood in

for Exmoor in 1975.

Doggie trouble!

Ben Whishaw found that acting alongside dogs was quite a challenge. ‘We went through about four Great Danes while filming the scenes with Norman’s dog,’ he says. ‘They’re very beautiful creatures, but just wouldn’t do what was needed!’

Judge thee not…

Ian McKellen turned down the part of the judge, because of Peter Cook’s famous comedy impersonation. ‘Ian knew he’d be compared to Peter,’ says

director Stephen Frears.

Hair and wigs

Ben Whishaw had a wig for Norman Scott’s early look in the 1960s, then later scenes were his own hair. But as Norman’s hair was longer in the later 1970s, hairpieces were added to Ben’s hair to make it fuller.

Dressed for court

Monica Dolan plays Jeremy Thorpe’s wife, Marion, who stands by him during the trial. ‘I wore a replica of a bright orange blouse that Marion wore as they went into the Old Bailey,’ she told us.

Making of a moustache!

Hitman Andrew Newton’s sideburns and moustache were shaped using Blake Harrison’s real facial hair. ‘I had to go home looking like Borat,’ he says.