A new BBC sitcom starring Leicestershire actor Adrian Scarborough is making TV history for two reasons.
Up the Women is the first sitcom filmed in front of an audience for BBC4 and the last to be filmed at BBC Television Centre in London.
The show – about one woman's efforts to get her friends into the suffrage movement at the start of the 20th century – is written by Jessica Hynes, who also stars alongside Rebecca Front and Sandi Toksvig.
It goes out at 8.30pm tomorrow.
For Melton-born Adrian, 44, who plays hall caretaker Mr Miller, it is the latest role in a successful career that has encompassed television, radio, stage and film.
His first big-screen debut in 1994 was The Madness of King George, while his other films include Elizabeth: the Golden Age, The History Boys, The King's Speech and Les Miserables.
He said: "On TV it's probably easier to count the series I've not been in."
One of his most memorable roles was as Pete Sutcliffe in Gavin and Stacey. He also recently played the butler Mr Pritchard in the return of Upstairs Downstairs, Claudius in Roman comedy Plebs and Kahler Jex in Doctor Who.
Younger viewers may recognise his voice in CBeebies' animated series Abney and Teal, where he provides the narration and voice for Abney.
In 2011 he won a Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a revival of Terence Ratigan's After the Dance.
Although now living with his wife, two children and a West Highland White terrier called Watson in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, Adrian still has fond memories of growing up in Melton and has relatives living in the area.
"I attended Melton College, which is now Brooksby Melton College, and, on Saturdays worked for Ralph the Butcher. In the mornings I'd do the deliveries on my bike, help in the shop during the afternoon and then go home, have a shower and be calling out the Bingo numbers at the Working Men's Club.
"I used to go to The Boat Inn in Burton Street which was run by Phil Tomblin. A great pint of Burtons and I got to play the piano there.
"I still regard Baileys as the best pork pies in the world and, on the rare occasions I am in the area, always make a point of getting one."
Adrian said he had tried to spread his work as widely as possible instead of concentrating on, and becoming best known for, a particular type of role.
He said: "I like doing lots of different things, as much for my career as for my self-interest. It could be comedy such as Plebs or Gavin and Stacey, high drama such as The Paradise or King Lear or something completely different, such as Abney and Teal."
He said Up the Women was: "Very, very funny. Comedy gold. It is nice to see a sitcom with such a lot of very classy ladies.
"Not only that, another series of it has already been commissioned."
