Trouble & strife

Sophie Okonedo makes waves as Aulus’ formidable wife, Hemple, as epic drama Britannia returns

- CAREN CLARK, IAN MACEWAN

NEW DRAMA

Britannia Tuesday, Sky Atlantic HD, 9pm

Across two series of Britannia, Roman general Aulus Plautius has remained coolly unruffled in the face of warring Celtic tribes, mysterious Druids and even a trip to the underworld.

However, as the brilliantly bonkers Roman Britain-set period drama returns for a third run, Aulus (David Morrissey) is on the back foot when his formidable wife Hemple (Sophie Okonedo) turns up at his villa in Verulamium – now St Albans – along with her strange entourage, unusual pets and decadent proclivities.

Already a huge fan of Britannia, Okonedo jumped at the chance to play the larger-than-life character.

‘I love her!’ she says of Hemple. ‘She’s quite naughty, and she doesn’t follow the rules. She’s full-on fierce, complicated, fearsome, scary, funny, sexy and dangerous.’

While Claudius (Steve Pemberton) made quite an entrance riding an elephant on his visit to Aulus at the start of the previous series, Hemple’s first appearance manages to run him a close second.

BIG IMPACT