A Woman of Substance

Jessica Reynolds (Actor) .. Young Emma Harte

Emmett J Scanlan (Actor) .. Adam Fairley

Lydia Leonard (Actor) .. Olivia Wainwright

Rosie Cavaliero (Actor) .. Edwina, Countess of Dunvale

Brenda Blethyn (Actor) .. Emma Harte

Born: February 20, 1946 in Kent

Best Known For: Secrets & Lies.

Early-life: Born Brenda Anne Bottle on February 20, 1946, in Ramsgate, Kent. She's the youngest of nine children of a parlour maid and a chauffeur. Money was tight when she was growing up. After excelling at maths at school, she worked as a secretary and bookkeeper in a bank. But she was always obsessed with films and acting and, at the age of 27, after divorcing her first husband, she gave up her day job and used her savings to fund a drama course at Guildford. She didn't tell her parents, and thought she would go back to her old career if things didn't work out.

Career: Blethyn gained early experience with two small theatre groups before joining the National Theatre in 1975. Her TV debut was in a 1979 episode of Tales of the Unexpected, and a year later she had a lead role in Mike Leigh's small-screen project Gloria. In 1990 she made her first film, The Witches, following that up with A River Runs Through It. Despite roles in Outside Edge and The Buddha of Suburbia, she didn't become a household name until her Oscar-nominated role in Leigh's Secrets & Lies. Since then she's starred in Girls' Night, Saving Grace, Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, London River, and gained another Oscar nomination for Little Voice. She returned to the small screen in 2011 playing the title role in ITV's detective series Vera.

Quote: 'I don't have ambition. My expectations are low.'

Trivia: Blethyn was awarded an OBE for services to drama in the 2003 New Year Honours List.

Harry Cadby (Actor) .. Gerald Fairley

Ewan Horrocks (Actor) .. Edwin Fairley

Mara Huf (Actor) .. Paula Amory

Jo Joyner (Actor) .. Elizabeth Ainsley-Harte

Born: February 23, 1978 in Harlow, Essex

Best Known For: Playing Tanya Branning in EastEnders.

Early-life: Born Joanne Mary Joyner on May 24, 1978, in Essex. She has an older brother called Dan. The family later moved to Oxfordshire, where she grew up. She says she always wanted to act, and after finishing her A levels, enrolled in the Welsh College of Music and Drama, graduating in 1999 with a BA. She then spent a couple of years in Manchester looking for work, eventually honing her craft on the stage.

Career: Joyner's big break came with the acclaimed drama Clocking Off. She went on to do a few other northern projects, including Fat Friends and Silent Witness, as well as the period miniseries North and South, before she bit the bullet and moved down to London. She then landed a role in nursing drama No Angels, and has been busy ever since. In 2005, Joyner played a Big Brother contestant in two episodes of Doctor Who, and also appeared in Spooks. She showed off her comedy skills in the sketch show Swinging (winning a Rose d'Or comedy award in the process), before landing the part of Tanya Branning in 2006. Despite her character taking a couple of prolonged breaks, she remains hugely popular with fans.

Quote: On whether she'd like to go to Hollywood: 'I couldn't lose the weight and take the pressure of it all being about looks! I'd love to do it when I'm 50 or 60, like Julie Walters or Brenda Blethyn. Then it's more about what you do and being a good actor.'

Trivia: Joyner has won two British Soap Awards.

Hiftu Quasem (Actor) .. Priya Chandra

Toby Regbo (Actor) .. Jim Fairley

Born: October 18, 1991 in London, England

Best Known For: Playing Aethelred in The Last Kingdom.

Early-life: Toby Finn Regbo was born on October 18, 1991 in London, England. He has a younger brother called Louis. Toby attended Latymer Upper School in West London. He became interested in acting when he took part in school plays and he later attended Young Blood Theatre Company.

Career: Regbo's career started with a small role in Sharpe's Challenge (2006) and he then went on to appear in an episode of children's TV adventure series M.I. High. One of his most notable roles was in Mr Nobody (2015) as teenage Nemo. He has also appeared in Glorious 39 (2009), One Day (2011) and uwantme2killhim? (2013). Harry Potter fans may recognise him from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part One (2010) as a young Albus Dumbledore. As well as film, Regbo has had recurring roles on TV, including as King Francis II in Reign and Aethelred in The Last Kingdom.

Quote: On social media: 'I think it's a great way to interact with people, but at the same time, there are much more soul-enriching and less detrimental ways to interact with other human beings.'

Trivia: He won Best Performance in a British feature film at Edinburgh International Film Festival for his role in uwantme2killhim?.

Lenny Rush (Actor) .. Frank Harte

Niall Wright (Actor) .. Mac O'Neill

Tyrone Huntley (Actor) .. Jerry Sloane

Robert Wilfort (Actor) .. Murgatroyd

Ellie Mejia (Actor) .. Laura O'Neill

Ruby Hoggarth (Actor) .. Mrs Grisham

Everly Miller (Actor) .. Young Edwina

Katherine Jakeways (Writer)

Richard Senior (Director)

Charlie Palmer (Producer)

Beth Willis (Executive producer)

Joe Innes (Executive producer)

George Faber (Executive producer)

Roanne Bardsley (Executive producer)

02:35 am - 03:40 am, Sunday, April 5 on 4seven (49)

About this Broadcast

Season 1, Episode 8

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