Siobhan Finneran leads the Protection cast as DI Liz Nyles, a witness protection officer who finds herself at the centre of a dark and terrifying conspiracy.

The six-part series, sure to be one of the best ITV dramas of the year, begins in shocking fashion when a key witness is gunned down before he can testify against a drug lord, before DI Nyles finds herself on a twisting journey to get to the truth.

After embarking upon an affair with a colleague who's a prime suspect in the investigation to find put who betrayed Liz's unit, she also finds herself under suspicion — but who can she trust as she sets out to clear her name? [Note Protection starts on ITV1 on Sunday, March 16 at 9 pm and drops as a boxset on ITVX on the same day].

Who's who in the Protection cast 

DI Liz Nyles (Siobhan Finneran)

Liz works in the secretive and high-stakes world of witness protection. Caring by nature, she's also principled, in control, and scrupulous about the security of her witnesses, always going above and beyond to keep them safe. Driven by a strong sense of duty, Liz has always put others first, both at work and at home. But recently she has decided to take something for herself and has launched into an unwise affair with her married, more junior colleague DS Paul Brandice — a thrilling and illicit romance that she must keep secret, or risk destroying her reputation and career.

DCI Hannah Wheatley (Katherine Kelly)

DCI Wheatley is a senior officer in the Professional Standards Department, which investigates corruption in the police. She has risen rapidly through the ranks of the force and established herself as an exacting and forbidding operator – exactly the person you don’t want investigating you for corruption. She believes in fairness and is careful not to let personal instincts get in the way of her judgment. Or so she claims. A closed book, you don’t want to be on the wrong side of her.

DCI Amanda Kelman (Nadine Marshall)

DCI Kelman is a senior officer in the Professional Standards Department, which investigates corruption in the police. She has risen rapidly through the ranks of the force and established herself as an exacting and forbidding operator – exactly the person you don’t want investigating you for corruption. She believes in fairness and is careful not to let personal instincts get in the way of her judgment. Or so she claims. A closed book, you don’t want to be on the wrong side of her.

DS Paul Brandice (Barry Ward)

When we meet DS Paul Brandice, he is the quiet, charming and enigmatic man in Liz’s office. The newest recruit to the witness protection unit, Brandice is something of an unknown quantity but appears to his colleagues as a reliable and principled detective. He is also secretly locked in an illicit and passionate affair with Liz, which began shortly after he joined the unit. There is a duality to Brandice. He has the grit and steeliness required of those in high-pressure jobs, but with a wit and charm that come so easily to him, he makes it hard for Liz to be sure she trusts the right man…

DS Raj Koli (Chaneil Kular)

DS Koli is Liz's partner in the protection unit. A loyal and diligent detective, Raj admires the dedication of those around him. A people person by nature, Raj is brilliant at bringing recalcitrant witnesses onside and in making them feel safe in his care. He’s particularly good with kids (being a family man himself) and always knows when to bring levity to a situation.

Sid Nyles (David Hayman)

Liz’s dad and a former DCI in both Lancashire and Liverpool, indeed something of a legend in the police. He always prided himself on his integrity as a police officer and was known for his old-school no-nonsense manner. However, there’s quite a tricky history between him and his daughter. After his wife died, Sid dedicated himself to his work and became a rather absent father in the process. Teenage Liz had to step up and parent her younger sister, a sacrifice that Sid has never quite recognized. With his health deteriorating, there’s a sense that time is running out for Sid to repair things with his daughter.

Jimmy McLennan (Kris Hitchen)

A white-collar career criminal who worked as Eddie Crowther’s accountant. He never intended on a life of crime, but fell into it in his twenties, when Eddie purchased the bookies he was running and offered him a job. Jimmy fell in love with his newfound wealth but as the business expanded, so did the paranoia. Sitting at the financial helm of an illicit empire, Jimmy was privy to secrets which have now put a price on his head. In a desperate attempt to save his life and that of his family, he agreed to testify against his old boss and so entered the witness protection programme.

DS Sue Beardsley (Akiya Henry)

Liz’s colleague in the witness protection unit. A conscientious police officer with tact and sensitivity, Sue brings exactly the calm, kind demeanour that is needed when dealing with frightened witnesses. She’s also highly trustworthy and discreet, with a sharp intuition and an inquisitiveness which will see her go far in the realm of covert policing.

Jasmine Nyles (Jodie Price)

Liz’s daughter. At sixteen years old, Jasmine is very much caught between childhood and adulthood, eager to break free from her parents but also very much attached to home. A child of a fairly acrimonious divorce, Jasmine grew up pretty quickly and still finds it tricky to navigate between her parents. She’s ultimately much closer to her mum than her dad, who, though he gives her lots of freedom, doesn’t step up and support her in the way she needs. This is why, despite her sometimes frictional relationship with her mum, Jasmine ultimately feels much more at home in Liz’s house.

Amy McLennan (Tilly Kaye)

Jimmy McLennan’s 12-year-old daughter. Having lived quite a sheltered and pampered life – in which she knew basically nothing about the reality of her dad’s criminal involvement – Amy finds the experience of witness protection particularly destabilising. Cast adrift from her friends, family and home comforts, she is a lonely child who longs to return to her old life.

DI Rick Bewley (Andrew Knott)

The man in charge of the investigation seeking to put Crowther behind bars. An experienced and energetic detective who has spent years in a losing battle against organised crime, Bewley is determined not to give up now. He’s known Liz for many years, and they have a solid working relationship founded on mutual trust, becoming something of a sounding board to each other. But when Bewley’s loyalties are tested, he may find that his personal relationships don’t ultimately count for as much as his professional ones.

DCI Arun Kapoor (Ace Bhatti)

Head of the witness protection unit. Arun is an occasionally grouchy but outwardly fair-minded paternal figure who champions Liz and is a staunch defender of all those in his team. He’s a highly experienced and confident detective who understands the politics of the police — although he is not immune to pressures from above and may be more self-serving than he first appears.

DI Tommy Jardine (Tom Christian)

Wheatley’s second in command in the Major Investigation Team. Jardine is a loyal officer who seems to follow his boss to the letter. He’s rigorous in his investigations and has no qualms about applying pressure on people during questioning; but can also be quite ham-fisted sometimes, and his motives are often opaque.

Eddie Crowther (Alec Newman)

With staff at his beck and call and a son at an elite private school, Eddie bears all the hallmarks of a prosperous businessman, a working-class boy done good, a flashy philanthropist. Having made his money in the booming drugs trade, Crowther enjoys his untold wealth but is always looking over his shoulder: after all, he knows that his respectability is ultimately façade, that it could all come crashing down in a second. Beneath it all, Eddie Crowther is Manchester’s most ruthless and formidable criminal.

Siobhan Finneran leads an impressive cast in Protection, a "suspenseful conspiracy thriller".

ITV1's six-part series, available now in full on ITVX, delves into the murky and complex police protection drama, to find a world of maximum secrecy and false identities, where you can’t trust your own colleagues.

Protection is based on an idea by a witness protection specialist who served in the Met for 30 years and looked after a number of high-profile cases and informants, including, war criminals, terrorists and criminals of all kinds.

"The series is a suspenseful conspiracy thriller, but it also explores some complex moral questions, about how far we should be prepared to go in order to serve the greater good," says screenwriter Kris Mrksa.

"The murky world of witness protection, where hardened criminals are often sheltered, in the hope that they will help bring down other criminals, provides the perfect context for examining these thorny issues. I'm incredibly excited to be working with the team at New Pictures [The Missing, Des & The Long Shadow] again, in bringing this complex world to life.”

Here's everything we know about Protection, which promises to be one of ITV's best dramas of the year...

Protection release date

Protection launches Sunday, March 16 on ITV at 9 pm. It is now available in full on ITVX.

The series was filmed in Liverpool. Protection is available now on BritBox in the US and Canada.

Protection plot

An official synopsis reads...

"Witness protection is often glamorised as keeping innocent witnesses safe from harm but the truth is darker, murkier, and far more complex. Many protected people are themselves criminals. It’s a life of moral compromise. It also involves maximum secrecy, false identities, and a world where you can’t trust your own colleagues.

"Based on the first-hand experiences of a long serving witness protection officer, Protection is about what happens when the system breaks down. It’s about a police officer, Detective Inspector Liz Nyles (Siobhan Finneran), who finds herself at the heart of such a breach; personally compromised by an affair with a colleague, but determined to fight back, and uncover the true source of corruption within her unit. To redeem herself, the reputation of her lover, and to keep her witnesses safe. Even if they don’t always deserve it.

"Navigating the morally-grey, clandestine world of witness protection, Liz’s mission to find the truth will take her deep into the heart of the criminal underbelly and beyond as she becomes more and more torn between caring for her family, her loyalty to her lover and her duty as a police officer. This is the story of a smart, tough cop, out of her depth in a world where nothing is as it seems.

"With a deft narrative that engages from the outset, Kris Mrksa creates suspenseful twists and with every hairpin turn perfectly navigates the story to ensure the audience won’t know who to believe and who is telling the truth."

ITV’s Head of Drama Polly Hill will oversee production on behalf of the broadcaster and is delighted to have secured a trio of top female actors...

“The clandestine world of witness protection creates a thrilling backdrop for this intriguing crime thriller written brilliantly by Kris Mrska," she commented in an official statement. "We’ve attracted an amazing cast including Siobhan Finneran, Nadine Marshall and Katherine Kelly and I’m delighted to commission the series from Willow Grylls and her team at New Pictures.”

Protection cast

Siobhan Finneran leads the cast as the Detective Inspector Liz Nyles. After making her name as meddlesome ladies maid Sarah O'Brien in Downton Abbey, Finneran has had parts in a string of acclaimed dramas, such as Happy Valley, Time, The Stranger and A Confession.

She is joined by Katherine Kelly (The Long Shadow, Liar) and Nadine Marshall (Sherwood season 2, Trigger Point), who also take starring roles.

Additional casting includes Barry Ward (Bad Sisters), Chaneil Kular (Sex Education), David Hayman (Sid and Nancy), Nichola Burley (The Gold) and Akiya Henry (Silent Witness).

Is there a Protection trailer? 

Yes, here you go...

The Thick of It's Rebecca Front tells TV Times about teaming up with Happy Valley actress Siobhan Finneran to a star in a new BBC comedy full of dark humour...

Rebecca Front on how her new sitcom, The Other One, finds lots of comedy in a whole heap of tragedy…

Bereavement isn't exactly something to laugh about but it's the source of much hilarity in new BBC comedy pilot, The Other One, which starts on Wednesday 13th September.

Starring Benidorm's Siobhan Finneran (who's joined the Cold Feet cast), The Thick of It’s Rebecca Front, Misfits actress Lauren Socha and comic Ellie White, the one-off comedy tells the story of a girl called Catherine Walcott. And another girl called Catherine Walcott – sisters who had no idea the other existed until their father dies suddenly of a heart attack!

On the surface, Cathy (Ellie) and Cat (Lauren) are worlds apart – but can they find any common ground? Here, Rebecca Front – who plays Cathy's mum Tess – tells TV Times more…

TV Times: Bereavement is a difficult subject to make funny. Why does The Other One work do you think?

Rebecca Front: "Birth, death, marriage and divorce come up again and again in comedy because these are things that everybody goes through. But what’s so brilliant about this show is when everyone finds out the deceased was a bigamist! So there are two taboos: there’s death, which everybody goes through but nobody wants to talk about, then there’s bigamy, which nobody ever has to go through and NEVER wants to talk about!"

Tess and daughter Cathy are stunned when they meet Marilyn (Siobhan Finneran) and daughter Cat (Lauren Socha)

TVT: The focus of the story is on Cathy and Cat – two sisters who never knew the other existed. And when they meet, it’s clear they’re VERY different…

RF: "It's often said that British comedy is obsessed with class and, of course, there's an element of 'class' in this comedy but I think that's just an initial pointer; nobody's better or worse, they just are who they are. They're just two girls who have lost their dad – and their mums are two women who have been cheated on by a man. Some of the scenes between Cathy and Cat are so touching; I'm always very drawn to that point where comedy meets drama, which this show does."

TVT: Your character, Tess, is very different to Cat’s mum, Marilyn, played by Siobhan Finneran. Would you like more scenes together if this comedy pilot was picked up for a full series?

RF: "Definitely. I think it's right that in this one they don't have any conversation at all but there's so much that you'll want to know about that relationship, so I'd love to do more with her if it went to a series. I hadn't met Siobhan before filming but we got on really well, she's just so funny!"

TVT: Your character, Tess, deals with her grief by going straight back out on the dating scene and having a dalliance in a car with a handsome stranger, played by Neil Pearson…

RF: "Neil and I found that scene hysterically funny; we were actually weeping with laughter, mainly because it is very difficult to 'do it' in a car, even quite a spacious one like a Ford Kia. I think we focused so much on how the scene would play out, how drunk my character was and how up for the whole thing he was that we hadn’t quite allowed for the handbrake!"

The Other One can be seen on Wednesday September 13 at 10pm on BBC2.

Happy Valley and The Loch star Siobhan Finneran is joining the cast of Cold Feet as a new love interest for David

Siobhan Finneran is joining the cast of Cold Feet. The actress, who was most recently seen in The Loch, will appear in the new, forthcoming series of the ITV comedy drama as glamorous Cheshire housewife Nikki Kirkbright.

Nikki meets David, played by Robert Bathurst, through his work as a personal financier. David is looking for new romance after his ex-wife Karen (Hermione Norris) turned down his proposal in the last series and now a spark develops between him and Nikki.

David soon discovers that Nikki’s husband George, played by Hustle’s Robert Glenister, has something to hide. However, Nikki also has a scheme up her sleeve, as she wants to flee from George and is keen to use David to help her escape.

"I'm incredibly happy to be involved in Cold Feet as I've always been a fan. It's an absolute joy to be part of such an iconic series. Working with Robert and the rest of the cast has been a great pleasure," said Siobhan, who is best known for her roles in Benidorm, Downton Abbey and Happy Valley.

The new series, which returns to ITV next month also sees Friday Night Dinner’s Paul Ritter join the cast as Benjamin, Karen’s aggravating new business partner at her fledgling publishing company.

Siobhan Finneran on why she’s loving The Loch and why she can't wait to return to Happy Valley

Siobhan Finneran opens up to TV Times about her current role as no-nonsense DCI Lauren Quigley in Loch Ness-set thriller The Loch, why she can’t wait for Happy Valley 3 and why she still misses Benidorm…

Quigley’s investigation take a new turn as she realises she might be dealing with a serial killer, while she also has to search for a missing person. She seems to have a lot on her plate… “Yes she does! She thought the murder would be an easy case to solve, but it grows much bigger and more complicated each week – sometimes even the actors were confused as to what was going on! She is an outsider in the town of Lochnefoy and she doesn’t ever fit in, but she is developing a better relationship with local cop Annie [Laura Fraser] because she needs somebody who knows the area.”

The Loch is very dark, but did you have a lot of fun in between takes? “We really did. I’m usually very lucky on jobs at meeting people who then become good pals and Laura and I had fun and are incredibly giggly together. It’s always good when you have serious stuff to do and you can’t keep your face straight. I’m still terribly immature and there is probably a really good outtakes reel!”

Would you like to do a second series? “I’d love to work with that cast again; we had a brilliant time. I loved working up in Scotland too because we shot all the studio scenes in Glasgow and it’s so like Manchester. I hardly saw any of the beautiful countryside, although when I did it was glorious, but I didn’t get any Nessie souvenirs!”

 You missed out on a Best Supporting Actress Bafta for Happy Valley recently, but your co-star and friend Sarah Lancashire won Best Actress, were you proud of her? “Oh it made my entire evening. I don’t really get the idea of awards within my industry because we’re not saving lives, but her Bafta was so deserved and I was thrilled to bits for her and for Happy Valley, which won Best Drama too. I’m immensely proud to be part of it.”

 We’re really keeping our fingers crossed for a third series – are you? “Of course! I’d absolutely be up for it because there’s more to find out about Catherine and Clare and their family and history. But I imagine it’ll be a little while away because the writer Sally Wainwright is so busy and everyone wants a piece of her, so Sarah and I might be on mobility scooters or zimmer frames by then!”

Are you still in touch with any of your Downton Abbey friends and would you be keen to do the much-rumoured film version? “Yes, I’m in touch with Rob James-Collier [her character O’Brien’s partner in crime Thomas] and Sophie McShera [kitchen maid-turned-assistant cook Daisy] is one of my best pals. O’Brien was huge fun to play, especially in all my dealings with Thomas, so never say never to the film.”

Do you still miss being on the Benidorm sunbeds? “I miss it more than I’ve ever missed anything; it was such a wonderful job to be on. I miss the sunshine because looking out of my window here in the north west, it’s chucking it down! But I also miss the people and the laughter. I am in touch with every single member of the cast, we’re like a big family and Steve Pemberton and Sheila Reid [who played Siobhan’s on-screen husband and mother Mick and Madge] and I went out to dinner recently.”

Would you like to do more comedy – maybe an Inside No. 9 with Steve? "That’d be fun, but you’d have to ask him! I’d love to do comedy again though because I haven’t done it for a long time. I did a lot of comedy early in my career [Siobhan starred in The Russ Abbot Show and Cannon and Ball’s Playhouse], but then a million years ago I did Out of Blue, a fantastic cop drama with David Morrissey, where I played a very damaged mother and that shifted me away from comedy.

"I still have fun in drama though. In The Loch, some of Quigley’s lines are funny, as are Clare’s in Happy Valley, so although I miss comedy, I don’t feel it has gone from my work."

Watch this special Behind the Scenes video of The Loch:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=poW3IeCJx9Q

Do you have any acting heroes? "Oh there are lots of people that I love. Lindsey Coulson and Diane Parish [the former and current EastEnders actresses both starred with Siobhan in Clocking Off] are both brilliant and it’s amazing they can produce work to that standard in soap when I know the restrictions and pressure on them. I also absolutely love Edie Falco from The Sopranos and Nurse Jackie. I just think she is fabulous and normal-looking and I believe every word that comes out of her mouth."

The Loch continues on Sunday on ITV at 9pm

We ventured onto the Scottish set of new ITV drama The Loch and heard why the thriller is light relief for Laura Fraser after The Missing

Many might remember Laura Fraser as a pregnant military policeman in the second series of The Missing on BBC1 last year. Now, in ITV’s serial killer thriller The Loch (premieres Sunday, June 11, ITV) she’s playing another sleuth, detective Annie Redford.

Here, she reveals much more about her character and what to expect from the drama….

So how would you describe The Loch? “It’s all very dark and creepy, but also has moments that are quite tongue-in-cheek. It reminds me a wee bit of the classic movie An American Werewolf In London. It has that that vibe and there’s a lot of animal symbolism – wolves, crows, mutilated sheep and, of course, plenty of mentions of the Loch Ness monster.”

What’s Annie like? “She’s a wife and a mother and a cop in a town near Loch Ness. She has lived and worked there her whole life. It’s her community and she feels very protective of it, but at the same time she has got all this potential that she’s never used. She has never furthered her career and so she has stayed a detective constable. This is her first murder case and so she is thrilled to meet Siobhan Finneran’s character as she would like to emulate her.”

What is Annie’s relationship with Siobhan’s character, DCI Lauren Quigley? “Quigley thinks Annie is bit of a numpty. Quigley thinks she is in a backwater and just wants to get in, solve the case and get the hell out, whereas Annie is desperately trying to prove herself to her. Annie has had no experience of a murder case so she really is being led. At the same time Quigley is tapping her for local information and, although Annie makes mistakes, she turns out to have quite good instincts.”

What was it like working with Siobhan? “I often get intimidated by people I admire, but I relaxed with her straight away because she is so gorgeously down to earth and so funny. In fact, she made me laugh so much I was amazed when I watched the first episode that you couldn’t see us laughing. There was a lot of giggling – very unprofessional!"

How does Annie feel about Don Gilet’s character, forensic psychologist Blake Albrington? “She is thrilled to meet him because she’s read the book he’s written about his life as a forensic psychologist. It’s her equivalent of meeting Al Pacino. Blake is flashy and she thinks that’s a wee bit silly because I think she is a bit conservative and old-fashioned. Blake and Quigley coming to Annie’s town is like a dream come true and she can’t quite cope with it. She is trying to remain professional and calm, but she is a bit at sea so she is trying to prove herself.”

What was it like working with former EastEnders star Don Gilet? “He is such a lovely guy and so good. He’s hilarious. He is like a stand-up comedian.”

How does Annie handle her own daughter’s involvement in the case? “Annie is furious with her. There are all these ruptures within Annie’s family. Her daughter is planning to go Australia and there is a lot of repressed resentment in Annie towards her husband, Alan (Coronation Street’s Gray O’Brien), because she never took the career path she wanted and she blames him for not supporting her. Meanwhile, a serial killer is causing major ruptures in the community. There’s this paper-thin veneer of civilisation that’s ripped apart by this serial killer.”

This is quite a dark crime drama and you did The Missing before this. Can you switch off when you get home after filming? “I can’t. I would love to be able to. It wasn’t so bad on this, but it was really bad on The Missing. I felt I was in quite a dark place and depressed. I think a lot of the cast and crew were affected because it was such a horrible subject matter, so when I went to do this, it honestly felt like light relief. ‘Oh, it’s just a serial killer on the loose, nobody is being imprisoned for years and nobody is being sexually abused.’"

When your friends ask you who the killer is do you tell them? “Oh, I tell my family. My mum asked me who had done it The Missing and I told her, then she pretended to my dad that she had guessed!”

Finally, do you believe in Nessie? “It’s not like the tooth fairy or Santa where you believe in it until you are about seven and then you don’t believe any more. Nobody believes in the Loch Ness monster, a hundred years ago maybe, but not today.”

The Loch begins on ITV on Sunday, June 11 at 9pm

The monster mythology of Loch Ness is the background for a new serial killer thriller series just announced by ITV

ITV has announced a new murder mystery series, Loch Ness, only the monster at the heart of it is human rather than a mythical creature.

The six-part series has an all-star cast, including Breaking Bad’s Laura Fraser (pictured on set), Downton Abbey’s Siobhan Finneran and Upstart Crow’s John Sessions, as well as former soap stars such as EastEnders and Holby City star Don Gilet and Coronation Street’s Gray O'Brien.

In a village nestled on the eerie shores of Scotland’s most iconic loch, comes a story of local detective Annie Cathro’s first murder case, a hunt for a serial killer. It begins with the body of a local man found at the foot of Carn Mohr Mountain. The discovery of an isolated human heart on the loch shore follows. The day to day happenings of a quiet village is thrown into turmoil and so begins a chilling hunt for the person responsible.

Executive Producer Tim Haines said: “Serial killers are monsters that lie beneath the surface of normal happy communities. Where better to hunt for one than in a place that has thrived off its own monster myth for centuries – Loch Ness.”

The ordinary people living in this isolated setting among the wild and rugged highlands of Scotland are faced with the daunting prospect that a murderer lurks amongst them. The investigation takes a toll on Annie’s family life, creating cracks and tensions. Everyone in the village is a suspect, mistrust runs rife and no one is safe.

The murdering has begun, the fear has started to spread, everyone is left wondering who will be next?

The six-part show has been written by Stephen Brady (Fortitude, Vera, Silent Witness) and has started filming. No confirmation of a broadcast date yet.

It’s been an agonising two-year wait, but rough-tough Hebden Bridge copper Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire) will soon be returning to our screens in the Bafta-winning BBC1 thriller Happy Valley.

Here’s what TV Times know so far about one of 2016’s most eagerly awaited shows…

Catherine’s in the wars again

Poor Catherine spent most of the first series getting battered and bruised and on-set reports suggest  there’s no let-up in her troubles this time.

The new run will see her make a grim discovery after which  she starts to suspect that there’s another serial killer stalking the Calder Valley...

‘It spirals out of control very quickly again,’ Sarah tells us.

Tommy Lee Royce is back!

We know we should hate him but the always-excellent  James Norton (Granchester, War & Peace)  has made twisted Tommy one of TV’s most compelling villains  and fans will be (secretly) delighted he’s returning.

The second series finds the ultimate bad lad languishing in prison, but he has forged a bond with enigmatic newcomer Frances (played by Shirley Henderson)…

Molseley’s on the case

Kevin Doyle, best known as Downton’s downtrodden footman-turned-teacher Molseley, joins the cast as DS John Wadsworth.

Wadsworth arrives at Catherine’s station with a shed-load of personal issues. Kevin previously appeared in Sally Wainwright’s Scott & Bailey as sinister Geoff Hastings, so we’re expecting the complicated copper  have a bit more of an edge to him than cuddly old Molseley!

Corrie invasion!

A trio of former Weatherfield residents are joining fellow Coronation Street star Sarah in series two.

 Julie Hesmondhalgh is nurse Amanda, John Wadsworth’s wife,  and Mr Selfridge star Katherine Kelly is  DI Jodie Shackleton. Meanwhile Scott & Bailey’s Amelia Bullmore, who played Steph Barnes in Corrie, is the mysterious Vicky….

'It's a whole new ball game…'

Karl Davies and Siobhan Finneran will reprise their roles as Catherine’s estranged son Daniel and loyal sister Clare, while George Costigan and Charlie Murphy are back as local businessman Nevison Gallagher and his fiery daughter Ann – but how have they moved on from Ann’s kidnapping…?

'It's going to be quite different from the first series, but we have kept elements of the first series,’ reveals writer Sally Wainwright, ‘It's a whole new ball game…'

Here's the trailer for series two…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=somgQQah_ec

What do you think will happen next in Happy Valley?  Let us know below – TV Times mugs for three favourite ideas……

CAREN CLARK

Britain's most foul-mouthed granny, Madge Harvey, will be saying adios to Benidorm for good in this Friday's episode of the ITV comedy. And leaving the show after eight years has been very emotional for Sheila Reid.

Describing her screen family's last day on the Spanish set, Sheila says: "It was unbelievable. We came onto the set, and the crew were all wearing T-shirts they had had specially printed. On the front they read, 'Adios, Los Garvos.' Then they turned round, and on their backs it said, "We'll miss you." It was so emotional, we couldn't speak. It was an incredibly moving way to bid farewell.

"Of course it was difficult. Our family was so much of a unit, but it felt like a communal decision to go. Things move on, and life continues in other directions. I really believe in looking forward and not looking backwards. It was the right decision."

This Friday's episode of Benidorm sees Madge hear some amazing news from eccentric Californian lawyer Buck A Roo (Leslie Jordan). She's inherited millions from a deceased secret family member in Las Vegas and Mr A Roo invites Madge, Janice, Mick and Michael out to America to claim their cash....

Sheila knows exactly why Madge has proved so popular with Benidorm viewers despite her acid tongue and sometimes shocking foul mouth: 'It's because she says what she thinks,' she says. 'She's not afraid to be shocking or to be who she really is. She could be gentler, but she's had a tough life and says that things we'd all love to say if we were brave enough. Also, young people love to hear an older person being so shocking!

"The Garveys seem such a real family - there's such a connection between us all. However irritated they get, the love between them is absolutely enduring. Madge would kill for any of her family. That comes over, and viewers really like to see that."

Benidorm is shown every Friday, ITV, 9pm.

There's more stupidity and slapstick in the new series of Benidorm that kicks off tonight (Jan 2, ITV, 9pm) but Solana staff Mateo and Lesley worry about their jobs when Hotel manageress Joyce has to make cutbacks. Jake Canuso spoke to What's On TV on the Spanish set last summer and here he reveals more secrets about the latest series...

What's new for Mateo this year in Benidorm?

"He's pretty much the same. I know Mateo inside out now! I don't even have to think about the accent any more. The series kicks off this time with a lot of staff being demoted, which comes from the top, so Les is being made a cleaner and Mateo is made a junior barman. It doesn't go down well, and there's a big plot against Joyce because everyone thinks she's demoted them. But it turns out later in the series, when Joan Collins returns as Crystal Hennesssy Vass, that she's got the most to do with it."

The Garvey family are leaving the show...how does that happen?

"The first two episodes establish how the Garveys leave. It's a great story and I love the way it all goes. We've got Leslie Jordan - the little guy from Will & Grace - who plays a lawyer who comes over America to tell the Garveys the good news. But he's a crazy mad guy. Leslie's had the best stories, he's a real funny storyteller and we had a lot of fun with him on set."

We've heard Mateo has botox this time around. Sounds hilarious?

"Yes episode three is about Blow & Go's new botox clinic. Basically everyone keeps going into the salon and coming out very youthful, including Mateo. They did a lot of work on me, I had prosthetics on my forehead and all around my eyes so when I was smiling nothing moved and they pulled me with those clips. You can't see anything because it's really well done. There's a whole storyline where basically Joyce notices that Mateo looks youthful and he's obviously trying to deny it. And then it ends up all going wrong for her in the botox clinic."

Mateo's also set to become Solana manager for the day at. How does he do?

"It's his big moment and he's all suited and booted. He's so chuffed about being made manager for the day, he takes it really seriously and tries to speak really properly but gets it all wrong. He says things like: 'Furnish me with the keys of your room'. He thinks he's really important and says: 'I'm the manger of the hotel, top dog, there's nobody higher, that's me, big manager!' on and on and on like that."

Philip Olivier is back as Jason later in the series. Does Mateo have the big rivalry with him again?

"It's the battle of the chests again! We have a pose off! We had a very homoerotic fight scene last time so I did a lot in the gym, as he's about 12 years younger than me. As I soon as he arrived on set I got him straight back in a headlock! Crissy Rock comes back with a bang, too, as Janey York. She's just legless that whole episode, hammered."

What was it like to have Jonny Vegas back as The Oracle? It's been nearly five years since he last appeared...

"We had a great relationship and have great scenes again this time starting in episode three. He's such a great character. The Oracle still thinks he's the king of the quiz, and he still calls his mum his PA! We're at a point now where there have been so many characters over the years that have come and gone and it's great that we can bring people back. The comedy is set in a holiday resort - so anyone can come back at any time. It's nice to have people come back. Everything's always left open. There's nothing finite."

Would you like to see Benidorm The Movie?

"The show's writer Derren Litten isn't sure it would work but I think it would cinematically. There's also such a big fan base in the UK who'd love to see it happen, plus it also would bring in a new audience abroad. As a series it's hard to take over to America, but as a film it's much easier to promote to them and all the Americans who've seen the show are obsessed with it on YouTube."

Benidorm begins on ITV, Friday January 2 at 9pm

It will soon be time to bid a fond farewell to the Garvey family who've had some crazy holidays at the Solana Hotel since Benidorm began in 2007. In an emotionally charged episode of the comedy on 9 January (ITV, 9pm) Mick, Janice, Madge and Michael Garvey hear some amazing news from eccentric California lawyer Buck A Roo (Leslie Jordan). He tells them Madge has inherited millions from a secret family member in Las Vegas and Mr A Roo invites them out to America to claim their cash.

Leaving Benidorm, ITV's top comedy show, was a very difficult decision for both Siobhan Finneran and Steve Pemberton, who play Janice and Mick Garvey, but it was one they made together...

"Benidorm has always been more than just a TV show for us,' admits Steve, who's been starring in Mapp and Lucia on BBC1 over the festive season. "We're such good friends and part of one big happy family. Working on Benidorm has been the most fun I've ever had. I'd have kept going for the rest of my life, but there are other considerations.

"It was a very difficult decision, but the amount of time we were away from home was key. We all sat down and discussed it during series 6. It's great that we had the same instinct to go at the same time. No one wanted to go on their own. So all things considered, it was absolutely the right time to leave."

The last scenes the actors filmed as the Garvey family in Spain last summer left them in tears, as Siobhan Finneran explains: "We were in a terrible state. It was our decision to stop, but it was still heartbreaking. A lot of guest stars - brilliant people like David Bradley - have said it's a treat of a job, and they're right.

"Steve, Sheila Reid (Madge), Oliver Stokes (Michael) and I have a very special relationship. There's a fantastic chemistry between us as human beings and on the screen as the Garveys. So it was really, really upsetting to say goodbye to the cast and crew. You know you're not going to work with them ever again. Then to come home and think, "Blimey, we've actually done it", is quite something."

* The Garveys final Benidorm episode will be shown on ITV, 9pm, Friday January 9.

The glamour factor is upped like never before in Benidorm this Thursday (ITV, 9pm) when Hollywood legend Joan Collins breezes in to play Crystal Hennessy-Vass, CEO of the Solana Leisure Group. This shoulder-pad-wearing ruthless businesswoman is on a mission to set things straight after all the recent chaos at Benidorm's Solana Hotel.

Here's what a few of the Benidorm actors had to say about working with  Joan when she arrived on the Spanish set last summer....

Tim Healy (cross-dressing barman/handyman Les/Lesley)...

"I had a great scene with Joan. Lesley is the first person she sees when she comes in to the hotel. It's the back of my head and, of course, Lesley then turns round and starts talking to her about putting her bras on a boil wash. It's just ridiculous. She was great fun and remarkable for her age - I think she's 80. She's a big fan of the show apparently and she'd always wanted to do an episode... I met her once before in the Ivy restaurant. She did a movie with Timothy Spall, a friend of mine. She came over and said 'I'm working with your friend, Timothy Spall!. It really shocked me!"

Sherrie Hewson (Benidorm Solana manageress Joyce Temple-Savage)...

"We have some great scenes and she plays the big boss beautifully. Poor Joyce really gets it in the neck from Crystal who lays down the law. It's all good for Joyce, though - she needs a bit of a slap for being so abrasive with her staff and those staying in the hotel. Every character needs their comeuppance! I'd met Joan a few times before because she'd been on Loose Women. She kept saying she'd love a part in Benidorm. It's great how it worked out."

Danny Walters (teen troublemaker Tiger Dyke)...

"I did a great scene with her. Just wow! I don't often get star-struck but I was a bit this time... just by the way she walks and the way she is. She has that persona, that elegance. You knew she was a somebody and I personally have never seen any of her films but I know she's a big name and it was a joy working with her."

Jake Canuso (barman/receptionist, Mateo)...

"I get to insult Joan's character on screen and it's the best thing I've ever done! She was such a good sport. I was a little worried. I mean, it's Joan Collins! People my age have been brought up with her as scary Alexis in Dynasty. She's was actually very witty, real old school. She's a huge fan of the show. When she arrived the whole street was closed off, and we had about 10 policemen and security guards there. Hollywood glamour had hit Benidorm!"

Siobhan Finneran (mum Janice Garvey)...

"The Garvey family didn't get any scenes with Joan, but we did see her from across the pool. Steve Pemberton (Mick Garvey) went over to say hello and she was very friendly apparently."

Janine Duvitski (swinger Jacqueline Stewart)...

"We met Joan and she was really lovely, but we sadly didn't have a scene with her. She seems to really like the show though, which is great. In this episode we're mostly in scenes with Rustie and The Krankies, who I've seen on telly many times."

Benidorm continues Thursdays at 9pm on ITV.

More chaos is about to hit the Spanish resort of Benidorm when the ITV comedy returns in the New Year (Thursday, Jan 2, 9pm).

What's On TV went to the set of the Solana Hotel last summer to speak to Steve Pemberton, Siobhan Finneran and Sheila Reid - AKA the Garvey family - who told us what utter mayhem we can expect from the sixth series...

So what's new for the Garveys this time in Benidorm?

Steve: "They come for their holidays every year but have a sticky start in that we don't come through the airport without a hitch. Madge has brought some illegal tanning pills, though why she would need tanning pills I don't know? We get into a fight in the line so we get pulled over and they say, 'What's this?' Because Mick's carrying the bag he gets done for it. Then the Garveys meet a new family, the Dykes, on holiday who've got a teenage son Tiger, and we've got a teenage son Michael. They go off together and cause all kinds of problems."

Siobhan: "Yes, their teenage son leads our delightful, angelic teenage son into lots of trouble."

Is there a lot of friction between the two families?

Siobhan: "Well there's friction because of that."

Steve: "Michael goes off with Tiger and ends up with a tattoo."

Siobhan: "Yes, he gets drunk and has a tattoo. Our family blames them, they blame us..."

Where is Michael's tattoo?

Siobhan: "Up his arm. We won't reveal to you what it says. We'll keep that for the series!"

Steve: "What Mick and Janice have said is, when we go home, he'll have it removed. Although how the Garveys can afford to have tattoos removed who knows?!"

So are the Dykes a southern version of the Garveys?

Sheila: "They're very different actually. There's this real friction between them, whereas the Garveys' friction is based on real love. I'm not sure theirs is."

With the arrival of the Dykes, is there a north/south divide at the Solana this series?

Steve: "Yes, there's definitely a north/south divide - but the Garveys love coming to Benidorm whereas when the Dykes arrived and they're going, 'Ooh where are we?' You need that in the show. We've always had characters who don't really like being in Benidorm and characters who love being there. The wife Tanya is like, 'Why are we in this horrible place?' But we end up rubbing along quite well for a bit, but there are always points of friction and fights."

Siobhan: "Mick wants a peaceful life, really."

Sheila: "Yes, he tries to smooth the waters a bit whereas Madge does the opposite. She's stirring things between the two families? She's sees it in her rights to do that!"

How easy is it to slip back into these well-loved characters?

Steve: "Pretty easy. We know them incredibly well now."

Sheila: "It's a bit like putting on an old overcoat. In my case, very old!"

Why do you think they're so loved? The fans who holiday in Benidorm as the show is filming are absolutely crazy about them...

Sheila: "They love it. All ages, both sexes, it's extraordinary. It seems to have touched a vein. Everyone calls me Madge! They like to identify themselves with the characters. Because we're the normal family in the middle of it so that's why they like to identify with them."

Siobhan: "They love the banter and that family dynamic. There's four of us here now, with Olly who plays Michael, and a lot of them do say, That's just like people we know or our family on holiday. They believe the Garveys are real so they're happy to go to the extremes with us!"

They must be shocked to see 'Madge' out of the mobility scooter?

Sheila: "They kind of take that on board now as well. They used to say 'Ooh you talk posh!' and all that, but nobody says that any more. The scooter thing has taken off to such an extent - even hen parties come out and dress up as Madge then scoot around Benidorm! It's wonderful."

So would you say you were very unlike Madge?

Siobhan: "My God! She's the total opposite."

Do you even smoke?

Sheila: "No, I used to. Madge says she doesn't like pork in this series, but she loves bacon and she loves ham and sausages. So she likes pork really! I don't eat even meat."

Do you think if you met Madge, you'd be pals?

Sheila: "I'd find her quite scary, but I'd love her honesty and directness. She calls a spade a spade which is refreshing.

Steve: "And you'd get to borrow some of her clothes!"

Sheila: "What could be better than that?"

Steve: "When we go out, we do get all the Madges descending on us so you do get to see it all."

Have you had many scenes with the guest stars like Joan Collins, Ken Morley and the Krankies?

Sheila: "We haven't had much to do with them I'm afraid."

Siobhan: "They keep us away from them for some reason we're unaware of. We've not had any scenes with them. We looked at Joan across the pool."

Steve: "I went and said hello to her. She was very friendly."

Is there anything that still shocks you in the scripts?

Siobhan: "It's still hard to keep a straight face a lot of the time."

Sheila: "I had quite a surprise this time when we had the read-through. Something very different happens which is sad in a way."

Is Madge still dealing with bereavement, after the loss of her husband Mel a few years back?

Sheila: "She is inside yes, very much so, because he was absolutely the one for her and always will be, despite her dalliances."

Siobhan: "Actually we're all still dealing with it. We miss actor Geoffrey Hutchings very much. He was amazing to work with."

Steve: "A real loss from the show."

Do you all still like coming out to Benidorm or do you miss home?

Siobhan: "We all miss home as we've all got families there. But we've got a great love for it here in Benidorm now."

Do you bring your families here?

Siobhan: "No because they're at school. In the school holidays when everything's 20 times more expensive, they come out then."

Steve: "They love coming here and it's nice that they're as familiar with it as we are. My family have had eight holidays here and they enjoy it."

Janice has gone blonde in this series...

Siobhan: "Not this blonde. I've always had big blonde streaks in. It's blonder now. It was my choice. It wasn't quite this blonde when I arrived in March."

Steve: "I'd quite like to go blonde too - just like Eminem."

How long does it take to get the fake tan off?

Shelia: "This year we've got a different one so it shouldn't be quite so bad. I do a lot of scrubbing and exfoliating. It does take a while."

What do your family think?

Sheila: "They're used to it now. It used to be quite alarming."

The series goes from strength to strength, doesn't it?

Steve: "Yes I  think it's quietly risen every year. You don't get hit over the head with it. I know it's on ITV2 every other day which is different, but I always think like Mrs Brown's Boys and Miranda on BBC get a lot more attention. But Benidorm has constantly had those viewing figures rising each year. We don't do lots of the big chat shows and I think that's good really. You need the Joan Collins-type guest stars coming in to generate some interest - but it's word of mouth that's made this show."

Sheila: "And you really need to follow the story. If you just dip in, it doesn't really work. There's an ongoing story so you need to watch the whole series so you'll understand what it's about."

It must have been nice to be in the show from the beginning?

Sheila: "Yes it is nice.

Siobhan: "We wouldn't be immodest to say it wouldn't work without the Garveys."

Steve: "It's down to Derren who's written and created it. He's given us these parts and he's the story behind the show, it's not us. The last series had a big shift towards the people working in the hotel, so this time you needed to do something to bolster the guests. And having the Dykes has given us someone to argue with. This series, there's an awful lot about Michael and how his mum and dad cope with him. We'll have this in real-life soon, as both Siobhan and I have teenagers. You're letting go in a way. How many more holidays does he want to have with his parents? My son is 15 same as Oliver who plays Michael."

Is there more of Michael getting drunk?

Siobhan: "Yes, there's a bit more of that. Janice doesn't have any scraps this year though. No head butting. I was nowhere actually near her in reality for that scene, I was head butting into thin air. It was just exhausting. A fight sequence can take hours."

http://vimeo.com/v/83017010 

Former Downton Abbey star Siobhan Finneran plays a nurse who wins the lottery in the new series of BBC1's The Syndicate. Here, she tells us what she'd spend her own winnings on and her eagerness to return to Benidorm...

Tell us about Mandy, the character you play in The Syndicate?

"Mandy's doing a good job of coping with her circumstances. Being a nurse, a mother to Becky (Prisoners' Wives' Natalie Gavin) and a grandmother are what keep Mandy going every day."

She also has a rather aggressive husband in Steven (Steven Waddington), doesn't she?

"Yes! And all of those other things provide a distraction. If she had nothing but Steve to deal with, I'm not sure she'd get out of bed."

At the lottery press conference, Mandy tells reporters she might buy herself a house. Is she surprised at herself for saying this?

"Yes, it shocks her, but it's the first thing that comes into her head. It's a completely innocent comment - it's only when viewers find out what's really happening at home that that one sentence becomes so powerful."

That's when we discover that Steve's anger has reached boiling point...

"That's right. None of Mandy's friends would suspect she has problems at home. This lottery win gives her a chance to escape - it's just whether she's brave enough to open the door and walk through it."

Can you give us any hints about what we can expect for Mandy as the series progresses?

"Well, she goes through a lot in the first episode, but it's actually quite mild compared to what she goes through the rest of the series..."

On a lighter note, what would you do if you ever won the lottery?

"I'd take my family off to see the world and I'd buy lots of shoes. There's no way you'd keep me out of the shops!"

Are you looking forward to heading back to Benidorm?

"Steve Pemberton and I can't stop texting each other at the moment saying how much we can't wait to be in the sun. The show's got such a big fan base now, we can't sneak around the resort as much as we used to without being spotted.... Especially when it's 6am and you're dressed up like something out of Big Fat Gypsy Weddings. Although in Benidorm that's not that unusual!"

The Syndicate returns on Tuesday at 9pm on BBC1

Downton Abbey star Siobhan Finneran has spoken out about her decision to quit the show, saying that it was time to move on.

The 47-year-old - who plays scheming maid Sarah O'Brien in Downton - said in an interview with the Daily Mail that she had been wanting to leave the series for a while - but denied it was a career-motivated move.

"I signed up to do three series and that's all I wanted to do," Siobhan said. "I just talked it through with my family and it was the right decision for all of us.

"I had great fun doing it but I just didn't want to do it any more," she added. "I decided this before I even did the last series. When I stop loving something I stop doing it."

Unlike former co-star Dan Stevens however - whose character Matthew Crawley was killed off in a shocking car crash at Christmas - Siobhan has been given the option to return in the future, but admitted she had "no idea" how her character would leave the show. 

And the actress, who is now starring in BBC One drama The Syndicate, added she was grateful to the series for boosting her career.

"Downton has really pushed me to a new level in my career," she revealed. "But it's not like I have a big career plan. They are about as useful as birth plans; they should be burned."

Downton Abbey's scheming maid Sarah O'Brien has left the hit period drama.

Actress Siobhan Finneran said she will not be returning to the show as the nasty screen character, who is maid to Lady Grantham.

Viewers have seen her throughout the first three series, but O'Brien will not feature in the fourth series, which is now being filmed.

Siobhan - soon to be seen in BBC1's The Syndicate - said she enjoyed playing the part, but she would not be back.

"I'm not doing any more," she revealed. "O'Brien is a thoroughly despicable human being - that was great to play."

During her time in the show she has been involved in a bitter feud with under-butler Thomas Barrow, as well as causing Cora Crawley to miscarry.

A spokeswoman for Downton confirmed O'Brien would not feature in the fourth series, but it is understood the door could be left open for a return.

At Christmas viewers were shocked to see the surprise exit of actor Dan Stevens when Matthew Crawley was killed off in the show's seasonal special.

Siobhan is in the cast of the second series of The Syndicate, playing a nurse who wins millions on the lottery with her colleagues.

Downton Abbey will return on BBC1 later this month.