British Drama “Nolly” Premieres Friday 10 February on Foxtel

A quick Foxtel premiere for current three part ITVX drama “Nolly” which stars Helena Bonham Carter as british actress Noele “Nolly” Gordon who was the star of long running soap Crossroads before unceremoniously sacked in 1981.

Written by BAFTA winner Russell T. Davies, NOLLY is a daring examination of the establishment’s treatment of women who defy norms, whom it either doesn’t understand or terrifies. Helena Bonham Carter stars as flame-haired widow Meg Richardson, aka Noele Gordon, on the long-running soap opera Crossroads. Gordon was a sensation in her own day. Nolly was one of the most well-known individuals in Britain when she was abruptly fired from the show she had been a part of for almost 18 years. There was no fanfare, no warning, and no explanation for the decision.

Helena Bonham Carter said: “She [Nolly] was fantastically multifaceted. She wasn’t easy, she didn’t suffer fools, so I can think she might have put peoples backs up. Nolly is also a bit of a MeToo story, but without the sex. It’s men in offices in suits deciding on what women should be doing, what they should be like, as Nolly says in the show… In light of Roe versus Wade, it is extraordinary how backwards some parts of the world are going or choosing to go. Maybe they’re terrified of the consequences of giving women too much power or just having an equal playing field.”

Tony Adams, Nolly’s Crossroads co-star, ardent friend, confidant, and occasional chauffer, is played by Augustus Prew (The Morning Show, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power). Mark Gatiss (Sherlock, Doctor Who), a winner of both an Emmy and a BAFTA, plays the unforgettable Larry Grayson. Ronnie Allen, who played the dashing hotel manager David Hunter, is portrayed by Richard Lintern (Young Wallander, Silent Witness). Jane Rossington, who starred as Meg’s daughter, is played by Antonia Bernath (Downton Abbey, Dickensian). Suzy Lloyd, David’s wife at the hotel, is played by Clare Foster (The Crown, The Ex Wife). Fan favourite Miss Diane, Susan Hanson, is played by Chloe Harris (Sherwood, The Spanish Princess). Paul Henry, who played handyman Benny, is Lloyd Griffith (Ted Lasso, It’s A Sin). Poppy Ngomo, a young performer who finds herself in the Crossroads realm, is played by Bethany Antonia (House of the Dragon, Stay Close). Tim Wallers (The Windsors, Belgravia) plays Crossroads producer Jack Barton, who reports to Con O’Neill (Happy Valley, Uncle) as ATV’s Controller of Programming.

The series is directed by Peter Hoar (It’s A Sin, The Last of Us), produced by Nicola Shindler, Karen Lewis, Russell T. Davies, and Peter Hoar, and overseen by ITV’s Head of Drama, Polly Hill. Quay Street Productions, helmed by Nicola Shindler, is making the show; it’s the first drama under Shindler’s new label at ITV Studios.

NOLLY Premieres Friday 10 February on FOXTEL On Demand