Soap legend set to return to our television screens

Anna Friel is set to return to our screens for a new BBC drama. Titled Unforgivable, the original drama comes from leg endary Liverpool screen writer Jimmy McGovern.

- BY OLIVIA WILLIAMS

It explores the impact of grooming and sexual abuse on one family.

The show centres around the Mitchell fam ily who are dealing with the devastating aftermath of an act of abuse perpe trated by a member of their own family.

Having served his prison sentence, Joe (Bobby Schofield) arrives at St Maura’s an institu tion which offers him a home and rehabilitation after his release.

With the support of Katherine (Anna Maxwell Martin), an ex-nun, Joe undertakes therapy ses sions in the hope of understanding what led him to commit the abuse and to face up to the con sequences.

Simultaneously, his sis ter, Anna (Anna Friel), is dealing with the enor mous impact that Joe's crime has had on her fam ily - her sons, Tom (Austin Haynes) and Peter (Fin McParland) and her father, Brian (David Threl fall).

Directed by Julia Ford (Showtrial, The Bay, Safe), the drama is made by LA Productions (Broken, Anthony, Care) for BBC iPlayer and BBC Two. The drama examines the extensive ripple effect of abuse from multiple per spectives and how those involved can try to move forwards in the midst of the devastation.

Following the announcement of the new show, we look at the life and work of Anna Friel.

The 48-year-old was born in Rochdale, to par ents Julie Bamford Friel, a special needs teacher, and Desmond “Des” Friel, a former French teacher and folk guitarist, who now owns a web design company. She also has a brother named Michael.

Anna made her profes sional debut aged 13 in the TV miniseries G.B.H, written by Alan Bleasedale, and starring Robert Lindsay and Michael Palin.

It was described as an epic - and sometimes hilarious - story of the madness of power, and how it affects the lives of two men.

This led Anna to get small parts on ITV soaps Coronation Street and Emmerdale.

One of the most suc cessful ex-Brookside stars, Anna Friel played Beth Jordache for two years on the soap.