Sheridan Smith to star in new BBC drama The Cage alongside The Crown actor
SHERIDAN Smith is set to star in a new BBC drama called The Cage.
According to TV Zone, the 43-year-old Gavin and Stacey star will start filming in Liverpool with the other cast members in March.
While details for the new drama are limited, Enzo Cilenti, who played Mario Brenna in The Crown, will play DS Mark Braithwaite.
Sheridan, who played Smithy’s sister Rudi in Gavin and Stacey, previously dated co-star James Corden for two years between 2007 and 2009.
She returned for the Christmas special, which attracted over 12.3 million viewers.
This year Sheridan filmed scenes in Hartlepool for I Fought The Law, in which she plays former nurse Ann Ming.
Ann’s daughter Julie Hogg was brutally murdered in 1989, but her mum fought to scrap the UK’s double jeopardy law for 15 long years after the murderer was acquitted twice.
All Creatures Great and Small screenwriter Jamie Crichton, who was also responsible for The Last Kingdom and Grantchester, wrote the screenplay.
Sheridan said of the role: “I am so honoured to have been asked to play the role of Ann Ming, a mother so determined to fight for justice for her murdered daughter that she spent 15 years campaigning for the Double Jeopardy law to be changed.
“She is a truly courageous and remarkable woman to whom we all owe a debt of gratitude.”
Meanwhile, we recently revealed Sheridan‘s book, Honestly in 2021, has been axed.
The actress had worked with a ghostwriter and was set to open up about her struggles with alcohol and mental health as well as her relationship with James.
However, a source revealed to The Sun: “Sheridan’s book has, to all intents and purposes, been shelved.
“It’s not going to see the light of day.”
Sheridan Smith's career timeline
Sheridan Smith's TV Career to date
Sheridan Smith rose to fame playing Emma in The Royle Family from 1999 to 2000
She portrayed Janet Keogh in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps from 2001 to 2009.
In 2000 she played the role of Lyn Marsh in the Heartbeat episode “A Shot in the Dark” and “Where the Heart is”.
In February 2003, she played teenage cancer patient Francesca Wheeler on Heartbeat’s sister programme The Royal
In 2004, she made a cameo in Mile High as Suzy, an airport cleaner who impersonates a flight attendant to become cabin crew.
She appeared as a character named Angie in the 2005 episode “Sex Actually” from The Comic Strip.
Smith played Cleo Martin in Love Soup in 2005.
Then followed a role as Michelle, in Grownups from 2006–2009.
She played M.E. Westmocott on The Lenny Henry Show, spoofing CSI’s medical examiners.
In the 2009 Comic Relief special of Two Pints of Lager, she played her characters from both this show and Grownups.
She then went on to roles in The Bill and Fat Friends – where she met James Corden.
One of her most iconic roles was as Rudi, Smithy’s little sister, in the second and third series of the BBC Three sitcom Gavin & Stacey, which just aired the last ever episode.
She guest starred in the Christmas 2008 episode of Lark Rise to Candleford
Since was Joey Ross in special seasonal episodes of Jonathan Creek, namely “The Grinning Man” (2009), “The Judas Tree” (2010), and “The Clue of the Savant’s Thumb” (2013).
She was Brandy in the third series of Benidorm
She appeared in the 2012 ITV film adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s novel The Scapegoat.
In September 2012 Smith played the title role in Mrs Biggs, a five-part series on ITV.
In 2013, she appeared in the Channel 4 series Dates.
In January 2014, she starred in the two-part BBC drama The 7.39.
In March 2014, she appeared in the ITV crime drama The Widower as the first wife of serial killer Malcolm Webster.
She played Cilla Black in the three-part ITV drama series Cilla.
In 2015 she starred as cancer patient Lisa Lynch in the one-off BBC drama The C Word and as policewoman Jo Gillespie in the three-part ITV drama Black Work.
Sheridan narrated the reality series Bear Grylls: Mission Survive from 2015.
In February 2017, she starred in BBC drama The Moorside, all about the kidnapping of Shannon Matthews in 2008.
She appeared in her own ITV music special, Sheridan with Alexander Armstrong, in November 2017 performing songs from her album and talking about her life
In December 2017, Smith starred as evil step-mum Sheila in the television adaptation of David Walliams’ children’s book, Ratburger.
In January 2019, she appeared as Sam in ITV drama series Cleaning Up.
In January 2021, Smith appeared as a guest judge in the second series of the BBC drag competition series RuPaul’s Drag Race UK.
Later in 2021, she presented the BBC dog-grooming competition Pooch Perfect.
In January 2022, she starred in The Teacher, playing Jenna who was accused of sleeping with one of her students.
In June 2022, Smith narrated all episodes of Channel 5 docusoap The Cruise.
In 2023, Smith began filming The Castaways for Paramount+