Suranne Jones

Start your engines, because Suranne Jones is about to become the first ever Scrooge inspired by a TV drag competition. In Christmas Carole, the Vigil and Doctor ...

“I was aware that it was different, with Covid and the costs of that,” says Jones. “I had to be convinced,” she says. I’ve watched that and I thought: ‘They just want to see the end of the show.’ So I do feel for what the fans want.” I genuinely was 50/50, of well, it might or it might not, and if it doesn’t, I would understand why.” After the first season, it was renewed quickly, but the second took longer to film. I can say: ‘Well, I want to do your job, but not at the cost of this.’ Some people can’t lose the work.” As a producer, she feels more able to be “part of the change” – finding new talent, ensuring better working conditions, “moving forward in ways we’ve always wanted to move forward. “Once it’s actually Christmas time, because life is so busy for us and my son has time off school, I find it really important for us to have our time together.” “Because even if you don’t have the money to do lavish things, or you don’t want to do lavish things, or you have family members that are gone, so you’ve got no one to visit or you’re reflecting on the people you’ve lost … “Because we’re all guilty of going down to the shops or whatever the version is on your high street or supermarket and buying stuff. “With the crisis, and the way we might not be able to be lavish, it’s a fitting moment for this to be out there.” He watched a bit of Doctor Who, when she played Idris and the Tardis, and saw her read one of the Bedtime Stories on CBeebies. You can understand why, for Christmas, she treated herself to a comedy caper with a side order of singing and dancing. Carole is instantly recognisable, with the bob, the red lips, the red bag and the red nails.