Sheridan Smith is known for playing a ditsy blonde, first as Stacey in hit sitcom Gavin & Stacey, and then most recently as the lead in the hit West End production of Legally Blonde, but now she taken the plunge and will star in a new ITV drama as the long-suffering wife of criminal Ronnie Biggs.
The five-part series is called Mrs Biggs, and it begins with the moment that teenager Charmian first met and fell in love with the notorious train robber in London, who will be played by Ashes to Ashes actor Daniel Mays.
The drama will tell the story of fugitive thief Ronnie Biggs, but through the eyes of his anguished wife, and it will be a very challenging role for the young actress to play.
Speaking to The Mirror 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.”
It has been revealed that the now-divorced Charmian is a consultant on the project. Explaining her involvement she said: “If my story were to be dramatised I wanted it to be done as accurately as possible. It seemed to me this was an opportunity to convey the rollercoaster of emotions involved, rather than just the bare facts.”
The series recounts the story of Ronnie and Charmain, who struggled to stay together because of Ronnie's criminal activity. It shows the couple starting a family, the Great Train Robbery of August 1963, Ronnie’s escape from Wandworth prison, and Ronnie, Charmian and their three boys running away to Australia to start again.
Sheridan's shows off her newly dyed red hair
It is a tragic story for Charmian, who was eventually left by Ronnie after the police caught up to him in Melbourne and he fled to Rio. A heartbroken Charmian later found out he had fathered an unborn child with a local nightclub dancer in Rio and she granted his request for a divorce so that he could stay in Brazil.
Set on location in Britain, France, Australia and Brazil, the drama has a £10million budget and has been researched over four years.
Writer Jeff Pope said: “Charmian’s is one of the great untold stories of the 20th Century, set against the backdrop of one of the greatest crimes of all times.
"But at the heart of it is a simple love story between Charmian and Ron.”
We can’t wait to see Sheridan as Mrs Biggs!
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