Miss Marple grants Holly her birthday wish

Miss Marple grants Holly her birthday wish
Miss Marple grants Holly her birthday wish (Image credit: PA Wire/Press Association Images)

Holly Willoughby has revealed she landed her dream role in a Miss Marple drama - as a birthday present. This Morning host Holly was given the part as a treat because she is a huge fan of the Agatha Christie whodunnits. She said: "It's been a lifelong ambition for me to appear in one of the Marple films as I've been a fan for years." The presenter, who also hosts ITV1 show Dancing On Ice, plays 17th century witch Goody Carne who pops up in a film when Miss Marple - Julia McKenzie - attends a ritual 'burning' in her memory. The film, called The Pale Horse, features a number of other well-known figures in the cast. They include Nicholas Parsons, former Neighbours actress and popstar Holly Valance, Young Ones star Nigel Planer and Coupling's Sarah Alexander. ITV1's This Morning production team worked with producers of the drama to surprise Holly with her guest role. She said: "I had an amazing time and felt very welcomed by everyone on set, especially Julia McKenzie, who kindly lent me her handwarmers on our cold night shoot. I'm so grateful to everyone who made this possible for me."

Patrick McLennan

Patrick McLennan is a London-based journalist and documentary maker who has worked as a writer, sub-editor, digital editor and TV producer in the UK and New Zealand. His CV includes spells as a news producer at the BBC and TVNZ, as well as web editor for Time Inc UK. He has produced TV news and entertainment features on personalities as diverse as Nick Cave, Tom Hardy, Clive James, Jodie Marsh and Kevin Bacon and he co-produced and directed The Ponds, which has screened in UK cinemas, BBC Four and is currently available on Netflix. 

An entertainment writer with a diverse taste in TV and film, he lists Seinfeld, The Sopranos, The Chase, The Thick of It and Detectorists among his favourite shows, but steers well clear of most sci-fi.