Sarah Lancashire
TV

Sarah Lancashire to star in remake of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads Monologues

Jodie Comer, Monica Dolan and Martin Freeman are also taking part

The BBC is remaking Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads monologues, and Sarah Lancashire is among the star actors.

Ten of the original pieces of footage from the award-winning monologues are being recreated by a host of famous faces.

It will include two new additions that were written by the 85-year-old screenwriter in 2019.

The Accident
Sarah Lancashire, in a shot from The Accident, will be back on TV soon (Credit: Channel 4)

Jodie Comer, Monica Dolan, Martin Freeman, Tamsin Greig, Lesley Manville, Lucian Msamati, Maxine Peake, Rochenda Sandall, Dame Kristin Scott Thomas, Imelda Staunton and Dame Harriet Walter will also feature in the new series.

Each will helm separate stories amid the coronavirus lockdown.

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Huge compliment

Alan said: “In such difficult circumstances, that the BBC should choose to remount both series of Talking Heads and produce two entirely new ones, is a comfort and a huge compliment.

“I hope a new generation of actors will get and give as much pleasure as we did 20 and 30 years ago.”

I hope a new generation of actors will get and give as much pleasure as we did 20 and 30 years ago.

Talking Heads originally aired on BBC over two series in 1988 and 1998. It featured Dame Patricia Routledge, Dame Maggie Smith, Stephanie Cole, Dame Julie Walters, Dame Thora Hird, Dame Eileen Atkins, David Haig and Dame Penelope Wilton.

Monica Donlan will also feature (Credit: SplashNews)

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School staples

Schools across the country now teach the monologues to A-level and GCSE English Literature students.

They tell the stories of various characters by different actors and actresses.

The character of Lesley, for example, is an aspiring actress. She believes she has landed her big break in a movie for the West German market.

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However, she later discovers that’s she’s actually in the line-up to star in a soft porn film.

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Nancy Brown
Associate Editor