Suranne Jones lined up for role in witchcraft drama
Suranne Jones is set to star in a new drama about witchcraft, following on from her Channel 4 documentary about the subject last year.
Suranne Jones is set to star in a new drama about witchcraft.
The 46-year-old actress has long been fascinated by the subject as she hosted the Channel 4 documentary 'Investigating Witch Trials' last year and, together with her husband Laurence Akers, is now joining forces with the production team behind the award-winning Sky comedy 'Mr Bigstuff'.
The programme, which is not yet attached to a channel, is in its early stages but is set to go into production in the coming months – although the creators say that obtaining financial support for the series will be the biggest challenge.
Tom Miller, from the production company Water and Power, told the British Television Society: "We're currently developing a TV drama with Suranne and Laurence about witchcraft.
"Increasingly, as we build a reputation, we get sent books and scripts, though developing them can be expensive.
"We don't have backers – we're completely independent – so we have to bear development costs."
Suranne delved into the world of witchcraft for the two-part Channel 4 documentary last summer, where she explored the infamous trials in England, the US and beyond along with the age-old prejudices that still have an impact on women to this day.
The former 'Coronation Street' actress claimed she would've been considered a witch back in the 17th century.
She said: "I wouldn't have survived!
"I'm a creative, I'm outspoken, I change my look all the time, I tell stories, I love animals... I mean, it sounds mad, doesn't it?
"I have mental health issues and I'm perimenopausal, so that's surely not going to wash well because surely you're a witch if you're sweating too much or your hormones are all over the place and it's affecting you so you get angry."
The 'Doctor Foster' star also thinks that her birthmarks and moles would also condemn her.
Jones said: "I've got birthmarks and moles everywhere, so they would have been witch marks too.
"Everything about me as a person would have made them think that they needed to get rid of me because I would not have worked in their societal picture, for sure."
