Latest news with #MrsBiggs
Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Cancel your weekend plans to binge Sheridan Smith's 'outstanding' Netflix drama
It looks like Netflix subscribers are discovering a Sheridan Smith crime drama that first aired on ITV in 2012. Mrs Biggs is climbing up the streamer's ranking of the platform's top 10 TV shows – making a convincing argument for a mid-August weekend watch. Smith – who has so many British dramas to her name it can be easy to let one slip – stars in this five-part drama, which is based on the true story of the Great Train Robbery. The drama focuses on the relationship between Charmian, played by Smith, and Ronnie Biggs, played by Daniel Mays. It follows everything from their first lovestruck meeting and the fateful 1963 train heist, to its aftermath and their eventual divorce in 1976, after Biggs fathered a child in Brazil. We see the petty crook meet his soon-to-be wife on, of all places, a train. 'The future is full of possibilities,' he tells her. 'The past will only drag you down.' With that, the Biggs couple set off on a crime spree before they eventually decide to settle down for a quiet married life. That is, until the 'one last job' pops up in the chance to join the train robbers. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Some labelled the drama a sanitised version of events, but it was inspired by a letter Biggs sent to his wife following the death of their son Nicholas. Biggs's former wife Charmian was also a consultant on the show. The show's writer and executive producer Jeff Pope said he wanted to set out a romantic tale, rather than a romanticised one. 'We show Ron as perhaps a little too wilfully optimistic and Charmian is the cold voice of reason throughout. It absolutely would be a danger of a piece like this to romanticise it,' he told The Guardian. 'It will get laughed out of court if it's a slushfest. In the first episode, they steal, he strikes her, we acknowledge the fact he had a criminal record; further down the line, Charmian has an abortion by another man. We don't pull back, we don't flinch.' Praised at the time of its release for the quality of the acting and the excitement of the episodes, TV viewers have shared their positive reception over the years, as Mrs Biggs has been available on ITVX as well as Netflix. Taking to X, @AshWoody90 praised: 'Mrs Biggs on Netflix, possibly one the best things I have ever watched.' More Trending @elliot_gonzalez commended the creative partnership between the show's writer and star, writing: 'Jeff Pope and Sheridan Smith should always work together. Mrs Biggs, The Widower, Cilla and now The Moorside. All outstanding work.' @TVChatty wrote: 'All week I've been watching Mrs Biggs on ITV3. Why did I not watch it first time? Fantastic story and great acting. Really enjoyed it.' @lizcurran echoed: 'Sheridan Smith is wonderful in Mrs Biggs – she is one of my favourite actors. Utterly mesmerising – always.' View More » Mrs Biggs is available on Netflix and ITVX. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Wales Online
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
ITV's latest huge true crime drama to be made in Wales
ITV's latest huge true crime drama to be made in Wales The writer behind Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and Little Boy Blue, Mrs Biggs and Lucan, Jeff Pope, will pen the four-part drama which sees stars of Slow Horses, Peaky Blinders and Des join the cast (Image: PA) A four-part true crime drama from the writer of renowned series such as Cilla, Little Boy Blue and Disney's recent, Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes will film in Cardiff with a cast full of stars from this country's biggest dramas. Believe Me tells the story of three victims of one of the most prolific sex attackers in British history, John Worboys, dubbed by the media as the 'black cab rapist' after preying on women under the cover of being a 'respectable' licensed taxi-cab driver. Newport's Aimée-Ffion Edwards (Slow Horses, Peaky Blinders, Dreamland, Mr Burton) Miriam Petche (Industry) and Aasiya Shah (Raised by Wolves, Bloods, The Beast Must Die) play the women Worboys sexually assaulted. Daniel Mays takes the role of John Worboys (Des, A Thousand Blows, The Long Shadow, Moonflower Murders). The drama will be filmed in Cardiff and is produced with the support of the Welsh Government via Creative Wales. It's written by Jeff Pope, who is an Academy Award nominated and BAFTA and RTS award winning screenwriter and behind other true crime dramas such as The Walk In, Hatton Garden, A Confession, Little Boy Blue, Mrs Biggs and Lucan and was also Executive Producer for The Reckoning and Appropriate Adult. Welsh actress, Aimee-Ffion Edwards will star London cab driver John Worboys was convicted in 2009 for sexually assaulting twelve women between 2006 and 2008, with their cases selected from a large number of suspected further victims. His modus operandi was to claim that he'd had a win at a casino or on the lottery, then persistently offer women he'd picked up in his cab after a night out a glass of champagne, which he'd laced with drugs, and which rendered his victims unconscious. The drama focuses on the ordeal of two of the women who reported sexual assaults by Worboys, and how the Metropolitan Police failed to thoroughly investigate these women's allegations, leading them to feel that they were just not believed. Believe Me will relate how this left Worboys free to commit assaults undetected for many years. Following his trial came the realisation that he was linked to allegations of further sexual offences against over a hundred women. A familiar face of TV drama, Daniel Mays will play Worboys The two women then joined forces with solicitor Harriet Wistrich and Phillippa Kaufmann QC, and decided to sue the Metropolitan Police under the Human Rights Act for their failure to properly conduct investigations into their allegations of sexual assault, leading to them being subjected to degrading treatment and contributing to their distress. The drama highlights how these women fought against all odds to have their cases heard, whilst looming in the background was Worboys' first parole hearing. Unbelievably, eight years after he was convicted for his crimes, his victims were made to fight again to keep him behind bars. Jeff Pope said of the four-parter: "The series goes on an emotional journey with the victims of Worboys' attacks, showing what happened to them when they reported being raped and assaulted, the pain and indignity of the process and how this de-humanised them. But most shocking of all is how they felt that not being believed by the police and having the attacks recorded, essentially, as non-crimes, was as traumatising for them as the actual assaults.' Article continues below The drama will air on ITV1 and STV and be available for streaming on ITVX and STV Player. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
Daily Mirror
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Sheridan Smith looks very different in sneak peek at new must watch BBC drama
Sheridan Smith is set to grace the screens in another BBC drama as she plays the role of Leanne for the five-part series called The Cage that is set in a Liverpool casino Sheridan Smith has had a dramatic image change for her latest role with the actress looking worlds apart from her usual style. The new look comes as BBC released first-look images of its new drama The Cage. The former Two Pints of Lager, Cilla and Mrs Biggs star has morphed into a character called Leanne in the production, that has been written and created by BAFTA nominated Tony Schumacher. The series, which will be shown on BBC One and iPlay follows a high-stakes, high energy crime story that has been set within the world of a Liverpool Casino with two unforgettable characters at its heart. In the new images, Sheridan is seen in a casino worker's uniform. She can be seen standing next to co-star Michael Socha, who takes on the role of Matty. While Sheridan's character is seen donning the golden waistcoat and bow-tie, Michael's is in a black suit and tie combination. The duo will be joined in the five-part series by House of the Dragon's Barry Sloane, and Dope Girls actor Geraldine James. Also featuring will be Anton Bibby, Freya Jones and Sophie Mensah. Abby Mavers, Shaun Mason, Louis Emerick, Ian Puleston Davies, Julia Papp, Katy Carmichael, Dave Hart, Eileen O'Brien, Eithne Browne, and Mona Goodwin also star. In the series, characters Leanne and Matty find they are both robbing from the safe at the casino they both work in. It sets their lives on a collision course with both themselves, the local gangster they're stealing from, and the police. As viewers get ready for the new series, Sheridan's impressive appearance on ITV's Cilla is once again gaining plaudits. The series was initially aired back in 2014, but has recently been added to Netflix, much to the delight of her fans. The three-part series sees Sheridan play the part of the legendary singer Cilla Black. The series looks back at the early stages of the icon's career and explores how her life was transformed upon meeting Brian Epstein, the manager of The Beatles. The official synopsis for Cilla reads: "'Cilla' tells of her rocky rise to fame and will capture the essence of 1960s Liverpool, the atmosphere of promise and excitement as the Merseybeat music scene was on the verge of exploding in a blaze of tight-fitting skirts, stiletto heels, and beehives." It continues: "A young, unknown Cilla works in the austere environs of the typists' pool at a local company, dreaming of stardom. The drama looks at how she met the two men who came to love her and ultimately fought over her - future husband Bobby Willis and legendary manager Brian Epstein, the tragic young businessman who also guided the career of The Beatles. "We learn how Cilla's burgeoning friendship with John, Paul, George, and Ringo - the four young men who went on to conquer the music world - shaped her career. "It was family friend Ritchie Starkey (Ringo), the teddy-boy with a greasy quiff, who helped her to cross paths with Brian Epstein and producer George Martin, who were to launch her career with recording sessions at the world-famous Abbey Road Studios."
Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
TODAY'S TV WITH SARA WALLIS: Jean Charles de Menezes' tragic death explored 20 years on in new drama with Line of Duty star
The temperature may be rising outside as summer approaches, however the TV schedules are just as hot - with so much telly to choose from. Disney+ launches its brand new true crime drama Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes today, starring Line of Duty's Danny Mays and Gavin and Stacey's Russell Tovey. Written by Cilla's Jeff Pope, the series tells the story of the Brazilian electrician who was tragically killed by police aged just 27 back in 2005. Elsewhere, David Tennant hosts his first game show on ITV, while Amanda Holden hosts a number of cheaters at a luxury Mallorca retreat for her latest Netflix show. With so much to choose from, here are the top TV picks from Emma Bullimore - who is filling in for Sara Wallis. Pick of the day Suspect: The Shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes, Disney+ Since Mr Bates vs The Post Office reminded us of the power of good telly to spark big conversations, our screens have seen a slew of great dramas inspired by real-life injustices. The latest is this hotly anticipated four-part series about the killing of 27-year old Brazilian electrician Jean Charles de Menezes, who was shot by police at Stockwell tube station in the aftermath of the 7 th July London underground bombings 20 years ago. Written by biopic maestro Jeff Pope (who penned Cilla and Mrs Biggs to name just two) and supported by the victim's family, it tells the story of an ordinary man who met his untimely death as a result of flawed intelligence and police mistakes. In the febrile atmosphere of the capital city, as London security services were reacting to both the fateful terror incident and an unsuccessful copycat attack, we see the police grappling with a manhunt that ended in tragedy, as de Menezes was misidentified as a suspect. The story continues beyond his death, to show how the Met reacted, and why so many people still think the victim jumped over a station barrier and ran away from the police, when in fact that did not happen at all. Instead, he tapped in with an Oyster card and walked calmly to the escalator. Featuring an all-star cast including Danny Mays, Russell Tovey and Emily Mortimer, the compelling drama offers a brutally accurate version of an event that is still shrouded in misinformation two decades after it happened. The Best of the Rest Genius Game, ITV, 9pm The Traitors meets The Crystal Maze, with a touch of Golden Balls, as David Tennant brings a fiendish new format to our evenings. To be a contestant on this show, you have to boast some kind of intellectual brilliance – either you're an academic, an entrepreneur or you're just very good at making other people trust you. The 11 contestants are thrown straight in at the deep end, with the first of a series of puzzles designed to test their brains and social skills. To succeed they will need to outwit their opponents, while also forming important allegiances, but at breakneck speed. Tonight, they will be staging heists at a vault to try to steal million-pound bars. But it's not just a race to get the most money – if they get their strategy wrong they could end up in the final death match and find themselves eliminated from the game. Cheat: Unfinished Business, Netflix This isn't the first dating show to put exes face to face. But Amanda Holden's glossy new series is all about the chance of a happy ending – she's reuniting cheaters with their former partners, hoping for rekindled romances rather than dramatic showdowns. Joined by love expert Paul C. Brunson, Amanda encourages the one-time couples to air their feelings, in a bid to work out whether there's any hope for them post-betrayal. Although their happiness was once wrecked by infidelity, Paul suggests that cheating might not be the ultimate dealbreaker, and that there might be grey areas for the spurned exes to discuss. The eight couples sharing their history at a luxury retreat in Mallorca include Love Islanders Rebecca Gormley and Biggs Chris, who met in 2020 but split just one year later. Will any of them walk out hand in hand, or will their hearts get broken all over again? EastEnders, BBC1, 7.30pm Nicola struggles to contain her fury as she and Teddy deal with a delicate situation. Things get worse when an intruder enters Harry's Barn. Avani is upset with Priya after her row with Callum. Suki encourages Priya to take responsibility for what happened, and to apologise. Meanwhile, Avani visits her dealer, but she can't afford to pay. Joel steps in to help. Johnny hopes he still has a chance with Felix after his bad date. But their movie afternoon is interrupted by gatecrashers. Emmerdale, ITV, 7.30pm Caleb is concerned when he realises the flight number Steph gave him doesn't exist. After logging onto her computer, he discovers her plastic surgery plans. Caleb and Ruby dash to the clinic, and arrive just in time. But Steph insists they can't change her mind. Sarah tells Vanessa she has started researching IVF to push ahead with having a baby. When Charity turns up, Sarah panics about what she might have overheard. Vanessa encourages Sarah to confide in Charity. Coronation Street, ITV, 8pm Knowing that Jenny has just transferred a big lump sum, Daisy is concerned to hear Christina talking to Dom in the back yard of the Rovers. Gary tells Maria he's considering selling the shop and buying the builder's yard instead. Maria insists it's a no-go, but Mick tells Gary to ignore Maria's concerns. Carla isn't impressed to be left at home with Betsy. It doesn't take her long to work out that Betsy's arm is actually fine, and Lisa returns to chaos.
