REBELS with a cause

AMELIA BULLMORE, LORRAINE ASHBOURNE, ROSALIE CRAIG, JOANNA SCANLAN and TAMSIN GREIG on teaming up to form a punk-rock band

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The lives of five very different ladies are changed forever when they decide to form a punk-rock band in much-anticipated new BBC1 drama Riot Women.

Penned by award-winning writer Sally Wainwright (Last Tango in Halifax, Happy Valley), the star-spangled six-part series is set in the West Yorkshire market town of Hebden Bridge and sees enthusiastic pub landlady Jess (Lorraine Ashbourne) put together a musical group for a fundraising talent contest at the local school.

Depressed teacher Beth (Joanna Scanlan) is quickly on board, along with upbeat, soon-to-be-retired cop Holly (Tamsin Greig), and they are joined by Holly's taciturn sister - midwife Yvonne (Amelia Bullmore) - and troubled shoplifter Kitty (Rosalie Craig).

But they ditch their initial plans to sing an ABBA cover when they realise that, as middle-aged women dealing with the menopause, difficult partners, defiant children, and demanding elderly relatives, punk is the perfect outlet for them to shout about how they often feel pretty angry and overlooked.

Here, Amelia, Lorraine, Rosalie, Joanna and Tamsin introduce TV Times to their characters...

THE LEAD GUITARIST

Amelia Bullmore plays Yvonne Vaux

Dedicated midwife Yvonne, who is Holly's sister, is initially unwilling to join the group, but the chance to create an incredible sound wins her over.

'Yvonne is a "can't do" person,' smiles The Jetty's Amelia, 61. 'She learnt guitar as a kid, but she is wary of looking like a fool, so she can see the reasons why the band would be embarrassing or a dangerous, exposing idea. But, actually, Yvonne becomes ignited by playing in the band.