HEAD STAR
Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads cast – who stars alongside Jodie Comer in the BBC One series?
ALAN Bennett's Talking Heads attracted a star cast when it was first aired in the 80s.
And the 2020 series is no different and also has an impressive line-up.
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Who is in the cast of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads on BBC One?
The series involves 12 monologues, each performed by a different actor.
Each episode tells a completely different story and involves only one star.
The stories cover everything from poison pen letters and an actress unwittingly ending up in porn, to a vicar's wife having an affair with a shopkeeper.
Jodie Comer in Her Big Chance
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Jodie is currently the actress of the moment thanks to her role as the evil (but funny) Villanelle in Killing Eve.
The Liverpool native is also known for Doctor Foster and My Mad Fat Diary.
Talking Heads story: Jodie takes on Her Big Chance.
The story follows Lesley, an aspiring actress, who, after a series of unpromising extra roles on television programmes, is offered what she believes to be her big break as the adventurous Travis in a new film for the West German market.
It is not clear to what extent Lesley understands that she is appearing in a soft porn film.
In the original series the role was played by Julie Walters.
Sarah Lancashire in An Ordinary Woman
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Sarah started her career in Corrie playing barmaid Raquel.
Now she is known for her work in high profile dramas including Happy Valley and Last Tango In Halifax.
Talking Heads story: Sarah takes on An Ordinary Woman.
This is a brand new story for the 2020 series, so the plot is yet to be revealed.
Imelda Staunton in A Lady Of Letters
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Imelda's career has seen her become an international star.
She is best known for playing Professor Umbridge in the Harry Potter movies.
Apart from Talking Heads, her next big role will be playing the Queen in The Crown.
Talking Heads story: Imelda takes on A Lady Of Letters.
She plays Irene Ruddock, a single, middle-aged woman living near Bradford who is not afraid to speak, or rather write, her mind.
She frequently writes to her MP, the police, the chemist – everyone she can, to remedy the social ills she sees around her.
But things take a turn for the worst when Irene becomes suspicious of a neighbouring couple whom she suspects of neglecting their child.
In the original series the role was played by Patricia Routledge.
Martin Freeman in A Chip In The Sugar
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Martin shot to fame when he landed the role of Tim in The Office.
Since then he has become a much sought after actor, playing Bilbo Baggins in all three Hobbit films.
Talking Heads story: Martin takes on A Chip In The Sugar.
He plays middle-aged Graham Whittaker, a repressed homosexual with a history of mental health issues, who finds life becoming complicated as his mother or "Mam", Vera Whittaker, with whom he still lives, reunites with an old flame named Frank Turnbull.
Graham becomes increasingly disturbed when Frank, whose outspoken and right-wing opinions conflict with Graham's muddled liberalism, becomes an ever-increasing influence on Vera, taking her to a "common" café at which Graham notices a chip in the sugar bowl.
In the original series the role was played by Alan Bennett.
Tamsin Greig in Nights In The Garden of Spain
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Like Jodie, Tamsin is also a sought after actress.
She kicked off her career in Channel 4's Black Books.
Now she is more known for Friday Night Dinner and Episodes.
Talking Heads story: Tamsin takes on Nights In The Garden Of Spain.
She plays Rosemary Horrocks - a lonely woman whose husband is intent on moving them both to Marbella.
Unknown to him, Rosemary does not wish to go.
She takes it upon herself to tend to a neighbour's garden after the latter is arrested for murdering her abusive husband.
The two women become close friends in a tender relationship which has the potential to bring both of them real happiness.
In the original series the role was played by Penelope Wilton.
Lesley Manville in Bed Among The Lentils
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Lesley is known for her work on the big and small screen.
From 2016 to 2019 she starred in hit BBC comedy Mum.
She was once married to fellow Brit actor Gary Oldman.
Talking Heads story: Lesley takes on Bed Among The Lentils.
The story is about a vicar's wife called Susan who turns to alcohol to numb her boredom.
She then ends up having a romance with a local shopkeeper where she buys her sherry.
In the original series the role was played by Maggie Smith.
Lucian Msamati in Playing Sandwiches
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Lucian is known for playing Salladhor Saan in Game of Thrones and was the first black actor to play Iago at the Royal Shakespeare Company's 2015 production of Othello.
Talking Heads story: Lucian takes on Playing Sandwiches.
He plays Wilfred, who we discover over time, is a reformed paedophile living under a false identity and working as a much-praised maintenance man in a public park.
However, as a superior begins to pressure him for bureaucratic historical information to include in his personnel file, the pressure causes Wilfred to resume his old ways with horrifying results.
In the original series the role was played by David Haig.
Maxine Peake in Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet
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Maxine shot to fame in Victoria Wood's 90s comedy Dinner Ladies.
After this she became well known for playing Veronica in Channel 4's Shameless.
In 2018 she starred in BBC One drama Three Girls.
Talking Heads story: Maxine takes on Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet.
The actress plays Miss Fozzard, who is a lonely, middle-aged department store clerk in Soft Furnishings whose free time is mostly spent caring for her brother after he suffers a stroke.
Her one joy is visiting her podiatrist, but when he retires, she finds her life consumed with a burgeoning relationship with his replacement, Mr Dunderdale, who is a decidedly kinky fellow with an all-consuming foot fetish.
While Miss Fozzard would be the last to admit it, she ventures into benign prostitution as she allows her new podiatrist to pay her to model a variety of footwear while also indulging in other activities.
In the original series the role was played by Patricia Routledge.
Rochenda Sandall in The Outside Dog
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Rochenda is best known for starring in Line Of Duty.
But she has also had TV roles in shows such as Coronation Street, Broken, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch and Love, Lies And Records.
Talking Heads story: Rochenda takes on The Outside Dog.
The actress plays clean freak Marjory, who gradually comes to realise that her husband, Stuart, who works in a slaughterhouse, is using his employment to cover the fact that he's a particularly dangerous criminal.
He regularly goes out with his Alsatian, Tina, (whom Marjory has barred from entering the house), and returns late at night.
This usually culminates in brutal sexual advances which Marjory finds distasteful but feels powerless to reject.
In the original series the role was played by Julie Walters.
Kristin Scott Thomas in The Hand Of God
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Kristin became an international star when she appeared in 90s movie Four Weddings And A Funeral.
Since then she has starred in many big films including The English Patient and The Darkest Hour.
Talking Heads story: Kristin takes on The Hand Of God.
She plays Celia, who is a covetous antiques dealer who brazenly aids elderly neighbours for the sole purpose of being in a good position to buy their treasures on the cheap when they die.
She's particularly put out when one elderly woman whom she's visited, living in a house chock full of antiques, dies and leaves everything to a distant Canadian relative.
In the original series the role was played by Eileen Atkins.
Harriet Walter in Soldiering On
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Harriet is known for films like Sense and Sensibility and Atonement.
In 2020 she starred opposite Jodie Comer in Killing Eve.
Talking Heads story: Harriet takes on Soldiering On.
She plays Muriel, who is a strong woman, and always has been – a pillar of the community, a regular charity worker, and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
She also looks after her mentally ill daughter, Margaret.
However, given her son's ineptitude (or dishonesty) with money, and the vile secret behind Margaret's illness, Muriel finds that she needs to adapt in order to "soldier on".
In the original series the role was played by Stephanie Cole.
Monica Dolan in The Shrine
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Monica is an award winning actress who has starred in a number of acclaimed dramas over the years
She won a Bafta for Best Actress in 2012 for her role as serial killer Rosemary West in Appropriate Adult.
In 2016 she appeared in a two-part adaptation of Agatha Christie's Witness For The Prosecution and has also appeared in hit BBC One comedy W1A as Tracey Pritchard since 2014.
Talking Heads story: Monica takes on The Shrine.
Like An Ordinary Woman, this is a brand new story for the 2020 series so the plot is yet to be revealed.
MORE ON TV
What time is Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads on BBC One?
The series will kick off TONIGHT (June 23, 2020) with a double-bill.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
It will be on from 9pm on BBC One.
After this, all 12 monologues will be made available to watch on BBC , but the show will continue to air weekly on BBC One.
Emmys 2019: Jodie Comer wins Best Actress for role of Villanelle in Killing Eve
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