简介：JennaColemanandTomHughesjoinedDameDianaRiggasshootingstartsonsecondseriesofVictoriaLondon,27February2017:Asfilmingbeginsthismonthonthehighly-anticipatedsecondseriesofITVandMammothScreen’shitdramaVictoria,BAFTAwinningiconicactressDameDianaRigg(GameOfThrones)hasbeenconfirmedasanewregularcastmember.Thesecondseries-onceagainwrittencreatorandexecutiveproducerDaisyGoodwin–seesQueenVictoriafacethenewchallengeofmotherhood.FollowingcriticalacclaimforherportrayalofthemonarchbothintheUKandAmerica,JennaColeman(DoctorWho)reprisesherrolealongsideTomHughes(TheGame)asPrinceAlbert.Pickingupsixweeksafterthefirstseriesended,thesecondinstalmentestablishesVictoriaasaworkingmother,learningtobalanceherresponsibilitiesasbothparentandQueen.However,withPrinceAlbertstillstrugglingtofindaroleforhimselfthereisaninevitablepowerstrugglebetweenhusbandandwife.DameDianaRiggwillplaytheDuchessofBucchleuch,theyoungQueen’snewMistressoftheRobes,whoisrenownedforspeakinghermind.ShejoinsreturningcastmembersincludingNigelLindsay(Unforgotten)asSirRobertPeel,AlexJennings(TheLadyInTheVan)asKingLeopold,PeterBowles(ToTheManorBorn)asDukeofWellington,DavidOakes(TheWhiteQueen)asErnest,DanielaHoltz(CircleOfLife)asBaronessLehzenandCatherineFlemming(Tatort)astheDuchessofKent.BelowstairsNellHudson(Outlander)returnsasSkerrett,FerdinandKingsley(Borgia)aschefFrancatelliandAdrianSchiller(TheSecretAgent)asPenge.AswellasmuchdramainBuckinghamPalace,theserieswillincludetripstoFranceandGermany,touchontragedyinIrelandandwarinAfghanistan,andseeVictoriaandAlbertdiscoveringsanctuaryintheIsleofWight.Theeight-partseriesand2hourChristmasspecialhasbeenmissionedITV’sHeadofDrama,PollyHillandSeniorDramaCommissionerVictoriaFea,andwillbeexecutiveproducedDamienTimmer(Endeavour),KateMcKerrell(LostInAusten)andDaisyGoodwinforMammothScreen.ItwillagainbeproducedPaulFrift.Creator,DaisyGoodwinsaid:“InseriesoneVictoriamarriedthehandsomeprince,butinthisseriessheandAlbertgetdowntotheseriousbusinessoflivinghappily,sometimesstormily,everafter.VictoriaistheonlyQueenRegnanttomarryandgivebirthwhileonthethroneandthechallengesofbeingheadofstateaswellasawifeandmotherarelegion.InmanywaysVictoria’sdilemmaisamodernone-howdoyouhaveasuccessfulmarriageandahappyfamilywhenyouareholdingdownanimportantjob.Canyoureallyhaveitall?”ExecutiveProducerandManagingDirectorofMammothScreen,DamienTimmeradded:“SeriesoneofVictoriawasabigsuccessbothathomeandabroad,anditisaprivilegetocontinuetotellthestoryofthisfascinatingwomanataparticularlyinterestingpointinherreign.AudienceswillbeintriguedthemeticulouslyresearchedstoriesDaisyhasplanned,brimmingwithscandal,romanceandtragedy.Atthecentreofitisabeautifullynuancedstudyofayoungmarriage,andit’sajoytowatchJennaandTomfindnewlayerstothisiconiccouple.”ThefirstseriesofthedramawasITV’shighestratingdramaof2016,receivingcriticalacclaimandaconsolidatedaverageof7.7mviewerswitha29%share.ItisdistributedITVStudiosGlobalEntertainmentandhasbeensoldin350territoriesworldwide.IthasalsoprovedhugelypopularintheUS,withthefirstseriesreachinganaverageaudienceof6.3mviewersandthefirstepisodedrawingina28%share-moreviewersthanthefirstseriesofDowntonAbbey.
