Una Stubbs says she’s up for more Sherlock

There may be a lavish new Agatha Christie adaptation, starring Johnny Depp and Judi Dench, in cinemas, but if you like your whodunnits closer to home, Una Stubbs has just the thing.

“Murder On The Blackpool Express is a murder mystery – but ours isn’t luxurious,” laughs Una, 80.

“It’s a coach trip and we don’t go through the continent. It’s just Blackpool. But I was surprised at Blackpool – we saw it at its best, it had beautiful weather and lots of people enjoying themselves. And wonderful sunsets.”

Una co-stars with a veritable Who’s Who of British talent in the one-off comedy-drama, including Johnny Vegas, Car Share’s Sian Gibson, Griff Rhys Jones, Sheila Reid and Nigel Havers. Una plays Peggy, who’s on the coach when her fellow passengers start getting bumped off.

“We filmed for three weeks and we were stuck on the coach a lot,” explains Una with a smile.

“We always had to sit in the same place, by the same window. We got quite grubby, the things that we were laughing at. But I was amazed how much I enjoyed it.”

Whether you know her as Rita from Till Death Us Do Part, Worzel Gummidge’s Aunt Sally, Miss Bat from The Worst Witch, Honey’s aunt Caroline Bishop from EastEnders or Sherlock’s Mrs Hudson, Una has been a fixture on our televisions for 60 years.

“Well, I’m so old!” she laughs. “I started when I was just 16 as a chorus girl at the London Palladium. I never dreamt I’d be working at 80. But I’m enjoying it and it’s nice to be wanted, so I’ll keep going.

“I was a dancer for years, then I started doing little parts, breaking out. The acting is recent in a way. But you suddenly realise, actually, a dancer’s life can be quite short and you’ve got to do something else.”

Being cast in global hit Sherlock threw Una into the international spotlight – but fame is nothing new for the veteran actress.

“There’s been more media attention since Sherlock but I’ve always been recognised, since I was the Dairy Box girl [Una advertised Rowntree’s chocolates in the 1950s],” she shrugs.

“Different age groups recognise me for different things. Lots of students watch Sherlock. We’ve just been to LA promoting it – it’s lovely to meet the fans.”

It wasn’t on the Sherlock set that Una first met her co-star Benedict Cumberbatch, though – she was friends with his mother, actress Wanda Ventham, back when Benedict was tiny.

“We used to live near each other and we’d meet up, pushing our prams,” she recalls.

“We’re waiting to hear if there will be more Sherlock. The boys [Benedict and co-star Martin Freeman] are so busy. I’d be game for more. They’d have to hurry up, though – I’ve said that Mrs Hudson would need a Zimmer frame!

“When we film Sherlock outside we have to hide parts of the story because the fans will…” she pauses. “Google the storyline? I don’t know the terminology.” (We reckon she means ‘tweet’.)

With a new film lined up and six grandchildren to dote on, life is busy for Una.

But there’s one thing she manages to squeeze in every week – watching Strictly Come Dancing.

And fittingly, next weekend the show heads to Blackpool, where Una’s just filmed.

“The ballroom is more than you can ever imagine,” she enthuses.

“You can’t describe it. One of the cast got there early and said: ‘I’m going to wait to see Una and Sheila’s reaction.’ And we gasped. It’s breathtaking, just phenomenal.”

NEW! Murder On The Blackpool Express Saturday 9.30pm Gold

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