''Mrs Biggs'' is a 2012

British television Regular television broadcasts in the United Kingdom started in 1936 as a public service which was free of advertising, which followed the first demonstration of a transmitted moving image in 1926. Currently, the United Kingdom has a collection ...

series based on the true story of the wife of the Great Train Robber,

Ronnie Biggs Ronald Arthur Biggs (8 August 1929 – 18 December 2013) was an English criminal who helped plan and carry out the Great Train Robbery of 1963. He subsequently became notorious for his escape from prison in 1965, living as a fugitive for 36 ye ...

. The series covers Mrs Charmian Biggs' journey from naïve young woman to Biggs' wife and the mother of three young sons. Money worries force her husband to ask for a loan from

Bruce Reynolds Bruce Richard Reynolds (7 September 1931 – 28 February 2013) was an English criminal who masterminded the 1963 Great Train Robbery. At the time it was Britain's largest robbery, netting , equivalent to £ million today. Reynolds spent fiv ...

, planner of the most famous crime in British history, the Great Train Robbery of August 1963. The aftermath of the train robbery and Biggs subsequent escape from prison leads to a life of flight for Charmian and her children as she tries to keep the family together. Charmian Biggs is played by

Sheridan Smith Sheridan Caroline Sian Smith OBE (born 25 June 1981) is an English actress, singer and television personality. Smith came to prominence after playing a variety of characters on sitcoms such as ''The Royle Family'' (1999–2000), ''Two Pints of ...

; Ronnie Biggs is played by Daniel Mays. The series was written by

Jeff Pope Jeff Pope is a British television producer and screenwriter who co-wrote the film ''Pierrepoint (film), Pierrepoint'' and the television drama ''The Fattest Man in Britain'' and who won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts, BAFTA in 2006 ...

, in co-operation with the real Charmian Biggs.Page 18/19 of the ITV press pack Smith's performance as Charmian received widespread critical acclaim, and she ultimately won the 2013 BAFTA Television Award for Best Actress.

Cast

as Charmian Biggs. The wife of the Great Train Robber

. For her performance, Smith won the BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress and nominations for the National Television Award for Outstanding Female Dramatic Performance and the Royal Television Society for Best Actress. * Daniel Mays as Ronnie Biggs. For his performance, Mays gained a nomination for the National Television Awards for Outstanding Male Dramatic Performance. *

Adrian Scarborough Adrian Philip Scarborough (born 10 May 1968) is an English actor. He has appeared in films including ''The Madness of King George'' (1994), ''Gosford Park'' (2001), ''Vera Drake'' (2004), ''The History Boys'' (2006), ''The King's Speech'' (2010 ...

as Bernard Powell, Charmian's father *

Caroline Goodall Caroline Cruice Goodall (born 13 November 1959) is a British actress and screenwriter. She was nominated for AFI Awards for her roles in the 1989 miniseries '' Cassidy'', and the 1995 film '' Hotel Sorrento''. Her other film appearances include ...

as Muriel Powell, Charmian's mother *Florence Bell as Gillian Powell, Charmian's sister *

Jay Simpson Jay-Alistaire Frederick Simpson (born 1 December 1988) is an English professional footballer who plays as a striker or winger for Welling United. A product of the Arsenal Academy, he never played a league game for Arsenal, spending most of hi ...

Claire Rushbrook Claire Louise Rushbrook (born 25 August 1971) is an English actress. She is best known for her role as Roxanne in '' Secrets & Lies.'' Early life Claire Louise Rushbrook was born on 25 August 1971 in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. She attended Fearnh ...

as Ruby Wright * Jack Lowden as Alan Wright *

Tom Brooke Thomas Brooke (born 1978) is an English actor. He is best known for playing the roles of Thick Kevin in '' The Boat That Rocked'' (2009), Bill Wiggins and Andy Apsted in the BBC One television series ''Sherlock'' and ''Bodyguard'' respectivel ...

as Mike Haynes *

Leo Gregory Leo Gregory (born 22 November 1978) is a London born English film, television, voice-over artist and pantomime actor. Best known for starring as Bovver in '' Green Street'' (2005). Acting career Gregory has appeared in films such as the BAFTA w ...

as Eric Flower *

Freya Stafford Freya Stafford (born 21 January 1977) is an Australian actress who has appeared in the television programs '' Head Start'' and ''White Collar Blue'' as central characters. Early life Stafford was born in Sydney, New South Wales. In 1982 her fam ...

as Julie Flower *

Denise Roberts Denise Roberts (born in Glasgow, Scotland), is an Australian actress and director who has worked in theatre, film and television since 1980. She gained initial fame when she played Julie Winters in the ABC-TV medical drama '' G.P.'' from 1989 to 1 ...

as Annie * Phil Cornwell as

Detective Sergeant Sergeant ( abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other ...

Jack Slipper *

Robin Hooper Sir Robin William John Hooper (26 July 1914 – 14 June 1989) was an English Royal Air Force pilot and diplomat. He served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and later became the British Ambassador to Greece. Hooper was educated at Qu ...

as Mr Kerslake *

Luke Newberry Luke Newberry (born 19 February 1990) is an English actor. He is best known for his leading role in the drama television series '' In the Flesh'' (2013–2014), which earned him a British Academy Television Award nomination. Early life Newberry ...

as Gordon * Iain McKee as Charlie Wilson *Matthew Cullum as Buster Edwards * Jon Foster as Goody * Ron Cook as Peter *George Oliver as Polish Henry

Production notes

The series was filmed in London, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Manchester, Adelaide and Melbourne. Scenes of the Great Train Robbery were recreated on the

East Lancashire Railway East Lancashire Railway is a heritage railway line in North West England which runs between Heywood, Greater Manchester and Rawtenstall in Lancashire. There are intermediate stations at Bury Bolton Street, , Summerseat and Ramsbottom, with ...

using a locomotive from the same batch of engines involved in the 1963 raid. Charmian Biggs acted as a consultant on the series and flew to Britain from Australia in February 2012, just before filming began. She also visited Ronnie, who was ill; the couple had divorced in 1976 but remain on good terms. Some of the names in the series were changed for legal reasons. Charmian met actress Sheridan Smith and sat with her at the manuscript read-through. While filming in Australia, Sheridan Smith and Daniel Mays spent an evening at Charmian’s house, where she showed them her archive of personal letters and scrapbooks. Charmian herself appears in the background of one of the scenes in the public gallery of the Australian court when the lawyer is arguing for her to be released.Page 10 of the ITV press release

Episode list

DVD

A region 2, two disc set of the series was released on 15 October 2012.

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, 2186101, Mrs Biggs 2010s British drama television series 2012 British television series debuts 2012 British television series endings British crime television series English-language television shows ITV television dramas Television series set in the 1960s Television series set in the 1970s Television shows set in Brazil Television shows set in England Television shows set in Melbourne Television shows set in South Australia Television series by ITV Studios