TV
Susan Penhaligon is set to return to our TV screens this January 27 in the role of Pam Hartley, a psychologist who assists D.I. Jack Frost in a new two-part special of ITV1's A Touch of Frost. Penhaligon has had a distinguished career in drama shown on ITV, after initally shooting to fame playing Pru in the controversial Bouquet of Barbed Wire.
"It was a wonderful role because she was a spoilt daddy’s girl", Susan recalls. "She was a bit of a bitch really – but the baddie always gives you something more to get your teeth into."
The series became an instant hit and overnight Susan found herself in the public eye.
"I still can’t believe that the series became such hot property – everybody wanted a bit of it and it caused such a media stir," she says. "Thankfully because I was that little bit older than the character I was playing, I could take it in my stride. They did a sequel because it was such a huge hit but as they killed me off I had to keep coming back in the second series in flashbacks."
Susan followed the success of Bouquet of Barbed Wire with appearances in cult movies such as The Land That Time Forgot and Patrick and many television roles including co-starring in the long running sitcom with Judi Dench and Michael Green A Fine Romance. Recently she has been working prolifically in the theatre and has started to write for television.
"Writing is something I’ve always wanted to do and one day I just started to do it," she says. "You have to be very disciplined because it’s a lonely process and you can easily be distracted from just getting on with it. I wouldn’t leave acting altogether however. I’ve always described myself as a character actress because I like reinventing myself. I’m now entering a stage in my life when there are more casting options open to me."
Susan got the role of Pam whilst working in the theatre in Leeds. She had also been collaborating, as writer, with Mistaken Identity director Roger Bamford on a drama project for Yorkshire Television.
"Roger came to see the play and said he wanted me to do the role," says Susan. "I have followed the series over the years and was excited at the prospect of working with David Jason again. We were both in the movie version of Under Milk Wood with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Although we never met on screen I can recall many happy times spent with him in the bar!"
Pam Hartley is a psychologist whom Frost turns to for help when a particularly vicious murderer starts a killing spree in Denton.
"I was instantly attracted to the part," says Susan. "She’s an intelligent, independent, professional woman who is extremely successful. Although we learn little about her past it’s quite obvious that she’s sacrificed a lot personally for her work. She’s never done criminal profiling before Frost enlists her help but she’s not afraid to have a stab at it."
As well as encountering Frost professionally Pam also brings an element of romance into the series.
"She meets Frost at a convention and there’s an instant rapport. It’s sweet and charming the way they like each other and I like the fact that the relationship isn’t overstated in the story. It just happens."
The climax of the two-part special involved Susan doing a major stunt sequence.
"I can’t give away the plot but Pam is in mortal danger by the end of the story," she laughs. "This involves water - lots of it – and I spent about six days in a wet suite. A few days were filmed in a training tank, which was wonderful. The water was warm and buoyant and I just imagined I was in the Caribbean. But then we had a very cold day in a dark tunnel where I had to be hosed down with a very powerful jet of freezing water. I sang ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ all day between takes with the man who held the hose to help me get through it."
Susan's latest role as Pam Hartley in A Touch of Frost - 'Mistaken Identity', airs January 27 and 28 across the ITV1 network.
"It was a wonderful role because she was a spoilt daddy’s girl", Susan recalls. "She was a bit of a bitch really – but the baddie always gives you something more to get your teeth into."
The series became an instant hit and overnight Susan found herself in the public eye.
"I still can’t believe that the series became such hot property – everybody wanted a bit of it and it caused such a media stir," she says. "Thankfully because I was that little bit older than the character I was playing, I could take it in my stride. They did a sequel because it was such a huge hit but as they killed me off I had to keep coming back in the second series in flashbacks."
Susan followed the success of Bouquet of Barbed Wire with appearances in cult movies such as The Land That Time Forgot and Patrick and many television roles including co-starring in the long running sitcom with Judi Dench and Michael Green A Fine Romance. Recently she has been working prolifically in the theatre and has started to write for television.
"Writing is something I’ve always wanted to do and one day I just started to do it," she says. "You have to be very disciplined because it’s a lonely process and you can easily be distracted from just getting on with it. I wouldn’t leave acting altogether however. I’ve always described myself as a character actress because I like reinventing myself. I’m now entering a stage in my life when there are more casting options open to me."
Susan got the role of Pam whilst working in the theatre in Leeds. She had also been collaborating, as writer, with Mistaken Identity director Roger Bamford on a drama project for Yorkshire Television.
"Roger came to see the play and said he wanted me to do the role," says Susan. "I have followed the series over the years and was excited at the prospect of working with David Jason again. We were both in the movie version of Under Milk Wood with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Although we never met on screen I can recall many happy times spent with him in the bar!"
Pam Hartley is a psychologist whom Frost turns to for help when a particularly vicious murderer starts a killing spree in Denton.
"I was instantly attracted to the part," says Susan. "She’s an intelligent, independent, professional woman who is extremely successful. Although we learn little about her past it’s quite obvious that she’s sacrificed a lot personally for her work. She’s never done criminal profiling before Frost enlists her help but she’s not afraid to have a stab at it."
As well as encountering Frost professionally Pam also brings an element of romance into the series.
"She meets Frost at a convention and there’s an instant rapport. It’s sweet and charming the way they like each other and I like the fact that the relationship isn’t overstated in the story. It just happens."
The climax of the two-part special involved Susan doing a major stunt sequence.
"I can’t give away the plot but Pam is in mortal danger by the end of the story," she laughs. "This involves water - lots of it – and I spent about six days in a wet suite. A few days were filmed in a training tank, which was wonderful. The water was warm and buoyant and I just imagined I was in the Caribbean. But then we had a very cold day in a dark tunnel where I had to be hosed down with a very powerful jet of freezing water. I sang ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ all day between takes with the man who held the hose to help me get through it."
Susan's latest role as Pam Hartley in A Touch of Frost - 'Mistaken Identity', airs January 27 and 28 across the ITV1 network.
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