Ashley Jensen to star in Kay Mellor’s new BBC1 registry office drama Love, Lies & Records

Christina McKinney (Ashley Jensen). Shocks are in store for the seamstress, who is pregnant with Wilhelmina's baby
Christina McKinney (Ashley Jensen). Shocks are in store for the seamstress, who is pregnant with Wilhelmina's baby (Image credit: ABC)

Extras actress Ashley Jensen will lead the cast of Kay Mellor's much-anticipated new drama Love, Lies & Records

Extras favourite Ashley Jensen will head the cast of Kay Mellor’s new BBC1 drama Love, Lies & Records.

The six-part series, set in Leeds, follows Ashley’s character, registrar Kate Dickinson, as she juggles her hectic personal life with the daily dramas of births, marriages and deaths.

After a dream promotion to the top job of superintendent, Kate finds herself increasingly torn by the endless responsibilities of being a modern working mum. Things get even more complicated when a disgruntled colleague threatens to expose a secret from her past.

“I have admired and respected Kay’s work for a long time and I’m thrilled to be playing Kate,” said Ashley.

“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.”

Joining Ashley on the cast list are War & Peace actress Rebecca Front, Vera star Kenny Doughty, The Last Kingdom’s Adrian Bower and Dickensian’s Mark Stanley.

Award-winning writer Kay – who’s credits include BBC1 hits The Syndicate, In The Club and Playing the Field plus ITV’s Fat Friends and Band of Gold – often draws on her own experiences in her work and it was the same for Love, Lies & Records.

Kay explains: “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 rollercoaster 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 and also excited about attracting such a talented cast who will give birth to the series.”

Filming begins in and around Leeds next month.