Ashley Jensen turns amateur sleuth for Sky1's Christmas mystery Agatha Raisan (VIDEO)

(Image credit: PA Archive/Press Association Ima)

Ashley Jensen will play intrepid detective Agatha Raisin in a new Sky 1 comedy drama, Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (Boxing Day, 8.30pm).

The one-off two-hour drama will see the Ugly Betty and Extras actress take on the role of the amateur sleuth who appears in a series of novels by Hamish Macbeth creator MC Beaton.

Screening this Christmas, the one-off will feature former PR guru Agatha moving from London to the sleepy Cotswolds village of Carseley. As she struggles to fit in, she enters a local quiche-making contest, but when a killer strikes, Agatha finds herself suspected of murder and resolves to solve the case and clear her name.

“I am absolutely delighted to be on board! It's not often a part like this comes along for a woman. Agatha Raisin is a strong, forthright, independent, driven, successful woman, who is both funny and flawed, a real woman of our time," says Ashley.

"She is determined to fulfil her lifelong dream and in doing so discovers that all is not quite as rosy as she had anticipated, but undeterred she finds a new purpose in her life. It's based on the hugely successful novels, filled with wonderful hilarious characters and set in one of the most beautiful parts of the country, so it has all the ingredients for a great show. I can't wait!”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4jlAieV5vE

Caren has been a journalist specializing in TV for almost two decades and is a Senior Features Writer for TV Times, TV & Satellite Week and What’s On TV magazines and she also writes for What to Watch.

Over the years, she has spent many a day in a muddy field or an on-set catering bus chatting to numerous stars on location including the likes of Olivia Colman, David Tennant, Suranne Jones, Jamie Dornan, Dame Judi Dench and Sir Derek Jacobi as well as Hollywood actors such as Glenn Close and Kiefer Sutherland.

Caren will happily sit down and watch any kind of telly (well, maybe not sci-fi!), but she particularly loves period dramas like Call the Midwife, Downton Abbey and The Crown and she’s also a big fan of juicy crime thrillers from Line of Duty to Poirot.

In her spare time, Caren enjoys going to the cinema and theatre or curling up with a good book.