Sheridan Smith to star in ITV1 drama Mrs Biggs
Sheridan Smith has been cast as Ronnie Biggs' wife, opposite Daniel Mays, in the new ITV1 drama Mrs Biggs. The versatile actress will play Charmian Biggs in the five-part story of the moment she met the infamous Great Train Robber and their turbulent life together. Sheridan said: "When I received the call to say that I'd got this job I burst into tears. Charmian is an incredible woman, and I'm so lucky that she'll be on hand to support me and give me advice during the shoot. I hope that I can do her story justice." Mrs Biggs will recount the story of Charmian and Ronnie's efforts to stay together in the face of fierce opposition from her family and the foiled Great Train Robbery of August 1963. Although she knew nothing about the robbery, Charmian supported her husband when he escaped from Wandsworth prison and helped him evade capture for four years while living with their children in Australia. Daniel will play Ronnie, while Gavin and Stacey star Adrian Scarborough will plays Chamian's father. Filming has begun in Manchester and will later move to Australia.
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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.