Kay Mellor's Brand New Bbc One Drama “Love, Lies & Records” Will Air This Autumn

KAY MELLOR'S BRAND NEW BBC ONE DRAMA “LOVE, LIES & RECORDS” WILL AIR THIS AUTUMN

Rollem Productions’ brand new BBC One drama Love, Lies & Records, from the pen of BAFTA award-winning writer Kay Mellor, will air this autumn.

With a cast of much-loved actors – including Ashley Jensen (Catastrophe, Ugly Betty, Extras), Adrian Bower (Teachers, The Last Kingdom), Kenny Doughty (Vera, Stella), Rebecca Front (Doctor Thorne, War & Peace, Humans) and Mark Stanley (Dark River, Dickensian, Broken) - the series follows Registrar Kate Dickenson (Jensen) as she tries to juggle her personal life with the daily dramas of births, marriages and deaths and the impact they have on her.

After a dream promotion to the top job of Superintendent, Kate finds herself increasingly torn by the endless responsibilities of being a modern working mother. Her daughter’s hiding suspicious messages on her mobile, her son hates her because she’s bought him the wrong trainers and now her stepson’s turned up unannounced to stay.

As Kate tries to hold her work, life and relationship together, things go from complicated to impossible when a disgruntled colleague threatens to expose a secret from her past. The series explores how women in particular have to juggle their lives. Kate has reached the top of her profession but with everything she’s worked for in jeopardy, can she sustain herself when it’s not just her job that’s on the line?

Ashley Jensen says: “I have admired and respected Kay's work for a long time and I am thrilled to be playing Kate. Kay's writing is always honest and from the heart. I think that Kay has always managed to tap into issues that are relevant to ordinary peoples everyday lives and with this new show she deals with the major dramatic milestones that affect pretty much all of us.”

Rebecca Front adds: “Births, marriages, deaths. We've all had experience of at least a couple of those. And Kay Mellor's trademark mix of humanity, warmth, drama and intrigue runs right through these scripts. So I'm really excited to be part of it.”

Kay Mellor comments: "When I was waiting to register the death of my mother at Leeds Town Hall, I was next to a couple who were waiting to register the birth of their much wanted baby girl. Later on that week, I attended the wedding of some friends of ours. I realised that the register office was a microcosm of life itself - tears laughter and celebrations. As I sat watching the registrars marry my friends, I started to wonder about their lives and how they dealt with the roller coaster of emotions that they go through on a daily basis. Not long after, a series started to develop in my head. I am delighted to be working with the BBC again on my brand new drama - their support and encouragement is invaluable. I’m also excited about attracting such a talented cast who will give birth to the series.”

Elizabeth Kilgarriff, BBC Executive Producer says: "Kay's scripts are, of course, brilliant - entertaining, funny and moving all at the same time. Together with this exciting cast line-up the show promises to take BBC One viewers on an emotional rollercoaster.”

Love, Lies & Records is a 6 x 60 drama series and has been commissioned by Charlotte Moore, Director of BBC Content and Lucy Richer, Former Acting Controller of Drama. The series will be directed by Dominic Leclerc (The A Word, The Syndicate) and Cilla Ware (Silk, Death in Paradise) and produced by Yvonne Francas (Death in Paradise, The Syndicate). The executive producers are Kay Mellor for Rollem Productions and Elizabeth Kilgarriff for the BBC. It is a Rollem production for BBC One and is co-produced with Acorn Media Enterprises in North America. The series will be distributed by all3media International, Rollem Productions international partner. Acorn Media Enterprises also holds distribution rights in UK, Eire and ANZ.

CHARACTER BREAKDOWNS

KATE DICKENSON (ASHLEY JENSEN)

Kate works as a Senior Registrar in Greater Leeds Register Office.

Kate and her partner Rob have been together for fourteen years and live in a modest semi- detached house in Leeds with their daughter Lucy and Kate’s son from her previous partner Tom.

As a modern working mum, life is never simple for Kate. With her daughter skipping school and hiding messages on her mobile and her son claiming she never has enough time for him, Kate finds herself increasingly torn between her family and the demands of her work.

With her dream promotion to Superintendent Registrar on the cards, Kate’s struggling to achieve the elusive work/life balance she’s always hearing about. And as her work and home life get increasingly complicated, she can’t help but feel that she’s failing in both camps.

But Kate loves her job. She enjoys helping people and being there for them in their moments of joy and also sadness and she doesn’t mind bending the rules if it’s for the right reasons. The daily dramas of births, marriages and deaths mean there’s never a dull day in the office and her team and colleagues adore her – some more than they should.

But Kate’s maverick ways are not to everyone’s taste and when a disgruntled colleague threatens to expose a risqué secret from Kate’s past that could jeopardize everything she’s worked so hard for, she’s shocked to find it’s not just her job that’s on the line…

ROB ARMSTRONG (ADRIAN BOWER)

Rob is a Detective Sergeant. He and Kate have been together for over 14 years.

They met when Kate first moved to Leeds and Rob pulled her over in her red mini to tell her that her coat was trapped in the door. After a barrage of verbal abuse from Kate, Rob was smitten. He was separated from his wife Gill at the time and he and Kate have been together ever since.

They now live in a semi-detached house in Leeds with their thirteen-year-old daughter – Lucy and Kate’s fifteen-year-old son from her previous relationship – Tom. Rob also has a son from his marriage to ex-wife Gill – Liam, who has just started at university. Life is far from dull with their blended family and together they try to tackle all the chaos of family life. But inevitably the pressure of trying to juggle their careers and the demands of their children puts

3 stress on their relationship.

In spite of his time-consuming home life, ambitious Rob doggedly throws his all into his job as a Detective Sergeant and he’s worked hard climbing the ranks at the Yorkshire Police. When there’s an opening for the rank of Detective Inspector at Westfield Police Station, Rob is determined to grab the promotion. All he needs is the perfect case so he can prove himself and impress his boss...

RICK SEVERS (KENNY DOUGHTY)

Rick works as a Deputy Registrar in Greater Leeds Register Office

Rick came to work in Leeds five years ago, which is when he first met Kate. There was an instant attraction there but Kate was already in a relationship with Rob and shortly after he met his partner Olivia.

He and Olivia now live together and have been trying for a baby, but so far they’ve been unsuccessful. After another round of IVF failed to get them pregnant, they’ve decided to take a break from trying for the time being. But the stress and disappointment has taken its toll on their already strained relationship and Rick’s hiding a secret that could push their relationship over the edge.

Rick is handsome and a little bit cheeky and gets on well with his colleagues. He cares a lot about the people around him and he has a big heart, which makes him good at his job, but can also get him into trouble.

JUDY FELLOWS (REBECCA FRONT)

Judy works as Acting Superintendent Registrar in Greater Leeds Register Office.

She has worked in the Register Office for over 21 years and has dedicated her life to her career. She started as a Celebrant and worked her way up to Deputy Registrar, and then Senior Registrar. And now, following the retirement of the current Superintendent Registrar, Judy is proud to be Acting Superintendent until the decision is made as to who will take the post permanently. Having been overlooked for the same promotion twice previously, she is sure that this time the right decision will be made.

Judy is a stickler for the rules; after all they exist for a reason. She believes in doing things by the book and keeping personal matters out of the workplace and her attitude can sometimes rub her colleagues up the wrong way.

Judy is a practicing Christian and has strong moral beliefs - she firmly believes in the sanctity of the work they do in the Register Office and doesn’t believe that the services they offer should, or need to be, modernized in any way. She’s not afraid to stand up for what she believes is right and her moral beliefs are soon compromised when she finds herself backed into a corner.

JAMES MCKENZIE (MARK STANLEY)

James works as a Deputy Registrar in Greater Leeds Register Office.

To everyone around him, James appears to be content with his apparently comfortable life. He loves his job and hearing the stories of the people who come in to the register office each day. His easy-going, warm and caring nature makes him perfect at handling the constant stream of brides, grooms, new parents and mourners. At home his world revolves around his wife Sarah and their two sons; 14-year-old Jaden and 11-year old Ewan. James loves being a father and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his family.

Over the last few years James and Kate have become really good friends and they love spending time in each other’s company at work. Like Kate, James trusts his gut instincts and picks up when visitors are economical with the truth. Perhaps this is because he is playing his own cards close to his chest... James has a secret he’s been keeping from everyone for years and it promises to turn his seemingly perfect world upside down...

EPISODE SYNOPSES

EPISODE 1

It’s a big day for registrar Kate Dickenson - her dream promotion to Superintendent is about to be announced and an anxious Kate knows not everyone is going to be pleased with the news. But even she’s not prepared for what happens when fellow registrar James makes an impromptu announcement of his own and his confession sends shockwaves through the register office.

But James’ bombshell soon becomes the least of Kate’s worries when a disgruntled colleague threatens to expose a risqué secret from her past that could jeopardise everything she’s worked so hard to achieve. Kate’s horrified to realize she’s being blackmailed and it’s not just her job that could be on the line. Determined not to let them get away with it Kate decides to take matters into her own hands.

Meanwhile when a young Slovenian girl comes in to register her intention to marry, Kate’s suspicions are raised when the bride and groom don’t speak the same language. Kate fears this might not be the innocent engagement that they want it to appear, but is she right? Is there something more sinister going on? Or will Kate’s instincts get her in trouble?

At home Kate’s alarmed when she discovers her daughter Lucy is hiding suspicious messages on her mobile. Is she being bullied or pushed into doing something she doesn’t want to? And when her stepson Liam turns up unannounced to stay, the family home is fit to burst and her relationship with partner Rob is put under pressure. But when Kate has to deal with a last minute hospice wedding at work, she’s not prepared for the impact it has on her and her relationship.

EPISODE 2

A shell-shocked Kate is reeling from the discovery that Judy does have footage of her and Rick together in the strong room and she is clearly not afraid to use it. After her spontaneous proposal to Rob, Kate’s secret is the last thing she wants out in the open. In an attempt to save both her job and her relationship, she reluctantly decides to step down from her dream promotion. With Judy back as Acting Superintendent the other registrars are gobsmacked by Kate’s decision. But she can’t tell them what’s made her change her mind so suddenly and as tensions rise in the office, things get increasingly complicated for Kate.

Relishing in her new found authority, Judy makes Kate officiate at a wedding at the last minute and when Rob turns up to tell her Lucy hasn’t gone to school that morning – she’s bunking off – Kate finds herself torn between her work and her home life. She’s still concerned over the suspicious messages she saw on Lucy’s mobile and her day is thrown into chaos as Rob tries to track down their wayward daughter and find out what’s going on.

Meanwhile Kate’s maverick tactics catch up with her as Ramin’s wife makes a formal complaint about Kate and James turning up at her house and questioning her and interpreter Dominica. Kate’s suspicious and think’s they’re just trying to get her off their case, but she’s shocked to discover Kristina and Amir’s wedding has been given the green light by immigration. Is she wrong about the engagement? When the bride and groom come back in to the office to finish their intention to marry, Kate sees an opportunity to find out.

With James staying at Kate’s there is tension in the overcrowded family home as a nervous James hogs the only bathroom and prepares for his first day on his journey to becoming a woman. But how will everyone respond when they first meet ‘Jamie’?

EPISODE 3

With Lucy missing, a panic-stricken Kate and Rob call on Lucy’s friends to try and find her. But as Rob’s colleagues at the station join the search, Kate’s fears are intensified when CCTV footage shows Lucy getting into an unknown vehicle. What has their daughter been up to behind their back?

Kate’s mortified when an anonymous email is sent to the entire office and the content sends shockwaves through the team. But who sent the email and whom else has it been sent to? With her gobsmacked colleagues reeling from the explosive email, Kate’s suspicions turn to Judy. But can she prove it? And even if she can, will she still have her job by the end of the day?

Kate’s shocked to discover Kristina and Amir’s wedding has been brought forward and is now scheduled for next week. With time running out, Kate asks Rob if an old flame of his who works in Immigration will do some further digging into Amir and his cousin Ramin and new deceptions are revealed. But when a visit to Kristina’s home uncovers more than they expected, the shocking reality of Kristina’s situation starts to unfold. With her concern for Kristina’s safety rising, Kate finds herself going beyond the call of duty and tensions begin to rise between her and Rob as she becomes more involved in his potentially career changing murder investigation.

Meanwhile, emotions are running high as Kate and Rick attend Simon’s wife’s funeral and Kate struggles to contain her feelings for Rick.

EPISODE 4

Kate’s still unnerved by the anonymous photos of her and Rick when her worst nightmares are realised - a suspicious USB stick has been sent to Rob at the station and Kate can’t believe her eyes when she discovers Judy has sent him the footage of her and Rick having sex in the strong room. But has Rob looked at it yet? If he hasn’t, Kate knows it’s only a matter of time before he does. Should she risk it and take it and destroy it? But in a house fit to burst her opportunity will be fleeting... What will she do?

At the register office it’s the day of Kristina and Amir’s wedding and the registrars prepare for the ‘sham marriage’ raid. Kate’s horrified to learn another body of a young woman has been found and the police think it’s linked to the girl they pulled out of the canal and the raid takes on increased urgency. But with immigration and the police coming in, Kate’s uncomfortable at the thought of Rob being in the office with her and Rick and she struggles to concentrate on anything else. But she’s caught off guard when she returns home to find Rob with his ex Anne-Marie – is there more to their relationship than just work?

Jean and Eddie come in to renew their vows, but Kate finds herself distracted by what’s going on with Rob and things don’t go to plan. Meanwhile Kate insists that Judy performs her first same sex wedding with Talia, but will Judy do as she’s told?

When Jamie’s wife Sarah comes in to register the death of her mother, Jamie’s not prepared for the crushing ultimatum she delivers. With so much at stake, what will Jamie choose to do?

EPISODE 5

After Rob’s surprise proposal, Kate’s finally got everything she thought she wanted, but in the cold light of morning is it actually what she truly wants? As Kate struggles to choose between her heart and her head she’s caught off guard when Rick’s partner Olivia turns up at the office to confront her. With emotions flying high, Kate’s horrified when she accidently reveals more to Olivia than she bargained for. But as Kate hurries to warn Rick she quickly discovers he hasn’t come in to work after what he saw last night. With Rob pressuring her to marry him

8 as quickly as possible, is this the end for her and Rick?

As Kate tries to keep her crumbling life together she’s shocked to learn the real reason Amir and Ramin knew immigration were going to raid the wedding. As new deceptions come to light, Kate’s convinced she can use this new information to help Rob get his man. But in the aftermath of the shambolic raid, things go from bad to worse for Rob when the raid hits the press and tensions rise between him and Kate. But with Lara back in police custody and some shock revelations in store, can he turn his case around and nail the real person behind Eva’s murder?

A troubled Jamie returns to work dressed as a man again in an attempt to see his boys after his wife’s ultimatum. But can he really go back to denying who he actually is? Meanwhile Kate has to deal with the aftermath of Talia’s mistake on the register.

EPISODE 6

Kate’s forced to face the reality of her choices when Rob confronts her about the photographs she’d hidden of her and Rick and secrets and lies come tumbling out with devastating results. Can Kate keep Rob from walking out the door? But as Kate rushes to warn Rick what’s happened she’s horrified to find he’s leaving Leeds tonight, unless she tells him not to.

With the clock ticking, everything comes to a head for Kate; will she decide to risk it all to be with Rick or will she choose to fight to save her relationship with Rob? Or will her worst fear be realised – she’ll be left on her own.

As Kate struggles with the decision of a lifetime, the team prepares to set up a sting with immigration to catch Marcia in the act. With the police coming in the registry office again Kate’s horrified when an emotionally raw Rob and Rick end up in the same room together and tempers rise. But neither Kate nor the team are prepared for the shocking revelation that’s in store when the truth about Kristina and Amir’s sham marriage finally comes out. Will Rob catch the murderer of Eva Kowalski and the person running the trafficking ring?

Meanwhile, Kate and Rick officiate at a no expense spared celebrity wedding, but things don’t quite go to plan when the bride and groom realise they’ve forgotten something very important. James struggles with his decision to go back to living as a man when a couple of surprise visitors deliver some unexpected news.

PRODUCTION NOTES

INTERVIEW WITH KAY MELLOR – WRITER & EXECUTIVE PRODUCER FOR ROLLEM

Tell us about the inspiration for the series?

“I had wanted to write Love, Lies & Records for quite a while, because I suddenly realised, having gone to register the death of my mother and literally five days later been at a wedding and watching somebody walking out passing me that had just registered the birth of their new baby, I thought, ‘This is the absolute sharp end and hub of life.’”

This series feels a little darker than your other recent work – such as The Syndicate and In The Club. Do you agree?

“It started to become darker naturally and I’m never one to shy away from drama, and I thought, ‘I have to go where it’s taking me.’ I was talking to the registrars all this time and I thought, ‘I wouldn’t be a responsible writer if I daren’t go to those places.’”

You visited register offices in the north as part of the research process and I understand the majority of stories in the series have come via the registrars you spoke to…

“I visited register offices in Huddersfield, York, Leeds and around Wakefield and would say that something like about 98% of the stories in the series have come via the registrars and via the register offices themselves.”

Love, Lies & Records feels like a state of the nation piece in many ways. The themes that run throughout the series are very relevant and seem to resonate with what is actually going on in the world today.

“When the idea first formed in my head to do Love, Lies & Records, I was thinking births, marriages, deaths, and what a rich seam that was, but then I began to hear the real stories that were coming through and I thought, ‘This is even more interesting, fascinating, because it sort of is the state of the nation and where we’re at today.’ Looking at immigration, Brexit very much up in the air, feelings of people feeling displaced and not welcome and then other people feeling that there were too many immigrants in our country.”

You have a wonderful cast in Love, Lies & Records…

Ashley Jensen is perhaps best known for her comedic roles. How did you come to select Ashley for the role of Kate?

“Ashley Jensen I’d watched in Ugly Betty years and years ago and then I watched her in Extras and I always found myself drawn to her. She has something about her that is an everywoman quality. Yes, she’s a star, but you can identify with her and there’s a warmth to her.”

Rebecca Front crosses genres and has a very successful career as both a dramatic actress and a comedic actress. Why did you choose Rebecca to play Judy?

“Rebecca is glorious. She’s stern but warm and perfect for the role of Judy. Judy is Kate’s nemesis but it’s interesting where that relationship will end up: they go on a journey together and it doesn’t end up where you think it’s going to.”

Mark Stanley plays the part of James brilliantly. His character probably goes on the biggest journey of all.

“Mark just came in and blew me away. He auditioned for me and I just thought he was amazing straight off. I could just see that he had great depth of character and I knew he had to be a good actor to play that role. He really had to be because he had to have the courage to play James - it’s a big story and Mark didn’t put a foot wrong.”

Are there any particular moments that stand out for you in the series – any favourite scenes?

“I absolutely love the hospice wedding. I love it because it’s so tender and even though I wrote it, when I watch it I find it moving, because I think it’s so human.

I love it when James makes his announcement. I love that moment. Kate gets the job and we think, ‘Oh, that’s what that scene’s about,’ and then we go, ‘Oh no, hang on a minute. It’s not about that.’”

INTERVIEW WITH DOMINIC LECLERC – DIRECTOR

What drew you to this project?

“When I got sent these scripts I thought it was some of the best writing since Band of Gold. I thought that there was a real darkness and a raw kind of heartbeat under the drama. At the same time, joy and warmth and humour, which obviously Kay brings in abundance, but it also had something very strong and powerful to say as to how we live and love now.

I thought it was very much about now and then and about past and present rubbing up against one another and in the Brexit / Trump era, I thought that it had quite a lot of resonance and spoke to me on a bigger state-of-the-nation level, but also it didn’t feel polemic. It felt as though all of that came through character, which I think is part of Kay’s brilliance.”

Love, Lies & Records feels quite different to Kay’s other recent work. Why is that do you think?

“Ashley Jensen is never off-screen. There’s very rarely any moment when we’re not with her or exploring the drama through her eyes. So it’s a slightly different form that Kay’s doing, it’s a different show. Yes, there’s a wonderful ensemble supporting that, but actually the writing style is very much through Kate’s eyes.”

Tell us about the characters…

“Halfway through episode one we discover our lead character Kate – who takes us through the series - has done something in her past which you might think is quite bad. She made a wrong choice and actually it’s about how we, as viewers, renegotiate our relationship with her. Rebecca Front plays a character you might say is the baddie, but she’s actually not. She goes on a huge, complex, emotional journey, as we start to unpeel the layers of her character, we discover all the emotional complications that underpin her.

So that’s what I loved about the show in terms of directing it. It wasn’t two-dimensional characters, goodies, baddies. It was about human frailty, the space in between - what makes us human, how we make mistakes, how we try to navigate our way through life. It made it quite a rich emotional experience for me as a director and for the cast playing the roles.”

Why should people watch Love, Lies & Records?

I think people should watch the show because the range of characters is so fantastic. There are no traditional goodies or baddies. There’s kind of a wonderful space in between, which I think is about human frailty.”

INTERVIEW WITH ASHLEY JENSEN – PLAYING CHARACTER KATE DICKENSON

Tell us a little about Kay’s new series Love, Lies & Records?

“Love, Lies & Records is a six-part series for the BBC that is set in a register office where all of human life takes place. There are people registering births, marriages and deaths, so there’s naturally drama there already.

We cover everything in the series. We cover relationships, different cultures, different ethnicities, transgender, same-sex marriages, births and deaths. There’s very little that’s not covered in this script, actually.”

What about the script?

“In terms of a script for me, it was a page-turner. Even halfway through reading episode six I still didn’t know how it was going to end.

I’ll say the line and then I’ll go, ‘Oh no, that can’t be right. It almost sounds too colloquial,’ and I’ll look at the script and it’ll be like - that’s exactly what she has written. Kay [Mellor] just absolutely writes the way people speak.”

Tell us about your character Kate?

“We see Kate in her kitchen with her family. She has a son from a previous relationship, a daughter with Rob, her detective sergeant partner, played by Adrian Bower, and a stepson, who is Rob’s son. Kate is doing what a lot of women do in this world now. She’s trying to juggle family life and be a good mum and a good partner as well as trying to juggle work.”

What about Kate’s relationship with work colleague Judy [played by Rebecca Front]?

“I’d probably say that Judy is Kate’s nemesis really. They work in very different ways. Judy has a rule-book, Kate’s thrown hers out of the window. Kate is intuitive and Judy likes to have a bit of order and I think that she finds Kate just chaotic, which she sort of is. So Judy has something over on Kate and it’s a question of morality and people’s values and about questioning things – the way you live your life, the way you conduct yourself and who you are? And I think by the end of episode six, Kate’s really asking herself, ‘Who am I and what do I want?’ and everything she thought that she stood for and everything that she thought that she was is being questioned.”

And what about Kate’s work?

“Kate’s very passionate about her work and she wants to do the job to the best of her ability, she’s been given this promotion, which is validation of her being damn good at her job, which she’s utterly delighted about. And the fact that it’s not gone to Judy, I think she feels that it’s gone to the right person, because she knows that she will make a good job of this.

I think Kate really loves going to work and almost being entertained by this guy [Rick played by Kenny Doughty] who doesn’t seem to take life too seriously.”

What about Kate’s relationship with her partner Rob [played by Adrian Bower]?

“Kate and Rob do, deep down, love each other, but they’re not really finding a great deal of time for one another at the moment, with children pulling them in different directions, wanting dogs, wanting new phones. Basically life has just got in the way of the relationship a little bit.”

Do you think people will relate to the characters in Love, Lies & Records?

“I think that people will relate to these characters because they’re very human and they have vulnerability, they have frailty, they have foibles, they get it wrong sometimes. There is no person that you will point at and say, ‘You’re the baddie.’ It’s very much like life, people just trying to get on with their lives and they’ll encounter somebody who’s got a different moral code from them.”

Did you do any research in preparation for the role of Kate?

“We all went to Leeds town hall and met these wonderful people who showed us what they did and showed us the environment that they worked in. I mean, some of the stuff they have to deal with. I think you’ve obviously got to be a people person to work in that place, because you’re dealing with people who are sometimes at their most vulnerable. Sometimes you’re dealing with bereaved people and other people registering marriages and births when they’re at their most joyful and yet, in this series as well, we’ve got a storyline that deals with a potential sham marriage. Being able to detect scenarios like that can’t be easy.”

Is there a scene that particularly stands out for you in the series?

“The hospice wedding [in episode 1]. It was one of these scenes where it was difficult to try and not cry because it was just so touching and so moving and so beautifully-performed.”

Why do you think viewers should watch Love, Lies & Records?

“There are so many wonderful stories in each episode, and so much emotion and so much detail that I think it’ll be difficult not to stay hooked once you’re in.”

INTERVIEW WITH REBECCA FRONT – PLAYING CHARACTER JUDY FELLOWS

Kay has said that register offices are “the sharp end and hub of life” giving her wonderful opportunity to explore a breadth of storylines...

“Everybody hits a registry office at some point in their life, or at least, you know, a member of your family at some point in your life will have to go and register a birth or a marriage or a death, so all human life is here, and what could possibly be a better forum for drama than that?

What’s lovely about this series is that it is rooted in the real world and these are people that you would meet every day. Kay, first of all, is a legend, really - she’s been writing for a long time, she’s been at the top of her game for a very long time and she writes series that have a very broad, popular appeal. She writes these very complicated, interwoven stories and all of them have surprising twists and turns, but at the same time they’re very rooted in reality and all her characters are recognisable. You’ll have met them, you’ll have worked with them.”

Tell us about Judy and where we find her at the beginning of the series?

“Somebody is going to be made Senior Registrar and all the indications point to it being Judy so this is kind of a really exciting moment. Episode one for Judy is a sort of ‘any moment now’, and then Matthew, the supervisor, comes in and it’s just obvious that’s what’s going to happen.

Judy creates all sorts of problems for herself and more for the people around her, because her standards are so rigorous and so high that almost everybody falls short of those and when they do, Judy kind of wreaks vengeance on them. She’s kind of an avenging angel in a weird way, which is great, that’s really good fun to play.”

What sort of research did you do in preparation for the role of Judy?

“A little group of us had the chance to go and stand around in the back office of a registry office and meet some of the registrars and listen to them talking and get a real sense of what their jobs involve.”

Why do you think viewers should watch Love, Lies & Records?

“There’s nothing implausible about it, really. Everything in it is so beautifully plotted and beautifully woven together.”