Rufus Sewell to join Jenna Coleman in major new ITV drama Victoria

Rufus Sewell to join Jenna Coleman in major new ITV drama Victoria

BAFTA-nominated actor Rufus Sewell (The Man in the High Castle, Parade's End, The Pillars of the Earth) has been cast alongside Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who, Death Comes to Pemberley, Dancing on the Edge) in ITV's major new drama series Victoria.

The ambitious 8-part drama follows the early life of Queen Victoria (Jenna Coleman), from her accesion to the throne at the tender age of 18 through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert. Victoria went on to rule for 63 years, and was our longest-serving monarch until she was overtaken by Elizabeth II on 9th September this year.

Rufus Sewell stars as Lord Melbourne, Victoria's first prime minister. The two immediately connected and their intimate friendship became a popular source of gossip that threatened to destabilise the Government angering both Tory and Whigs alike.

Jenna and Rufus are joined by a stellar ensemble cast including Paul Rhys (The Assets, Borgia, Being Human) as Sir John Conroy, the ambitious controller of the Duchess of Kent's household, who controlled Victoria's upbringing, hoping to rule through her, when she came to the throne. Peter Firth (Spooks, Undeniable, World Without End) is the Queen's conniving uncle the Duke of Cumberland and Catherine Flemming (Simones Labyrinth, No Place to Go) plays the Duchess of Kent, Queen Victoria's mother.

Eve Myles (You, Me & Them, Broadchurch, Torchwood) plays Mrs Jenkins, the Queen's senior dresser and Adrian Schiller (Suffragette, Residue, Endeavour) is Penge, the Household Steward. Nichola McAuliffe (Agatha Raisin: The Quiche of Death, Coronation Street) is the ruthless Duchess of Cumberland, Daniela Holtz (Phoenix, Der Verdacht) is Victoria's governess and confidante Baroness Lehzen, and Nell Hudson (Outlander, Call the Midwife, Les Bohemes) plays the mysterious new member of the household, Miss Skerrett. Tommy-Lawrence Knight (The Sarah Jane Adventures) also joins the royal household as the hall boy, Brodie.

Nigel Lindsay (You, Me and the Apocalypse, The Tunnel, The Fear) is Sir Robert Peel, the leader of the Tory party. Alice Orr-Ewing (The Theory of Everything, Pramface) is cast as Lady Flora Hastings, lady-in-waiting to Victoria's mother, the Duchess of Kent.

Victoria will be made by Mammoth Screen, producers of Poldark(BBC One) and Endeavour (ITV), and the series is created and written by acclaimed novelist Daisy Goodwin, in her screenwriting debut.

Daisy will serve as executive producer alongside Dan McCulloch (Endeavour, Indian Summers) and Mammoth Screen's managing director Damien Timmer (Parade's End, Poldark).

The series will open with a 90-minute episode, followed by 7 one-hour episodes. Tom Vaughan (Doctor Foster, He Knew He Was Right, Starter for Ten) will direct the first three episodes and Paul Frift (Doctor Who, That Day We Sang, Room at the Top) will produce the landmark series.

Further casting is underway for the drama, which starts filming in locations around the North of England this October.

Victoria has been commissioned by ITV's Director of Drama Steve November and Controller of Drama Victoria Fea.

The series will be distributed internationally by ITV Studios Global Entertainment.

LINK:	http://www.itv.com/presscentre/press-releases/rufus-sewell-join-jenna-...
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