First LADY

HANNAH WADDINGHAM on why she loves her role in sumptuous period saga Tom Jones.

- HANNAH DAVIES

TOM JONES

LAST ONE SUN, 11.15PM & 12.10AM, ITV1 DRAMA

Hannah Waddingham has long dreamt of starring in a lavish costume drama. So the Emmy Award-winning actor (Benidorm, Ted Lasso) was thrilled to don a flamboyant wig and sumptuous corseted gowns to play beguiling but dangerous Lady Bellaston in period adventure Tom Jones.

Laced with romantic secrets, the four-part adaptation of Henry Fielding's 1749 comic novel which debuted on ITVX last year and began airing on ITV1 last week with a double bill-centres on foundling Tom Jones (played by Solly McLeod), who's taken in by warm-hearted and wealthy widower Squire Allworthy (James Fleet).

Tom grows up to be spirited, wilful and very popular with the local ladies, but his low-born origins continue to blight his life.

So when he falls for sparky heiress Sophia Western (Sophie Wilde), their scheming families conspire to keep them apart.

Things get more complicated, however, when they swap their country homes for bustling London, where Sophia's jealous aunt Lady Bellaston becomes determined to destroy their love.

Here, as the series concludes this week with two episodes, Hannah, 50, tells us more...