Dangerous liaisons

Lola Petticrew and Tom Cullen play forbidden lovers in 1970s Belfast in new drama series Trespasses

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From the moment Lola Petticrew read the Louise Kennedy novel that drama series Trespasses is based on, they were desperate to play the role of Cushla Lavery, a Catholic schoolteacher who falls for an older Protestant man in 1975 Belfast.

"I read the book twice before this job," Lola says. "I did that really 'actor' thing where I immediately rang my agent and said, 'I've just read this book and I am certain they're going to do something with it because it's too good. If you hear about an audition for the role of Cushla Lavery, ring me immediately.' Six months later, he emailed and said, 'You have an audition for Cushla.' I was buzzing!"

The four-part Channel 4 series, set against the backdrop of The Troubles, follows 24-year-old Cushla’s dangerous affair with married barrister Michael Agnew, played by The Gold's Tom Cullen, and also focuses on Cushla’s relationship with her sharp-tongued mother, Gina (Gillian Anderson).

For Lola, starring alongside Tom was "a dream come true".