SHE is one of Britain’s biggest TV actors and now Sheridan Smith is preparing to get her teeth into one of her most gritty and emotional roles to date.
I can exclusively reveal she is set to play Ann Ming who fought for 15 years to change the “double jeopardy” law — which stopped people being tried twice for the same crime — after her daughter Julie Hogg was murdered by her former partner in 1989.
A source said: “Sheridan is taking on the role for a new ITV drama based on Ann’s book, For The Love Of Julie.
“Ann campaigned tirelessly to change the 800-year-old double jeopardy law and saw Julie’s killer, Billy Dunlop, eventually jailed for life.
“She will work with Sheridan and ITV on the four-part drama which will follow Ann’s fight for justice for Julie.
“It is an incredibly emotional story and Sheridan has promised Ann she will do her, and Julie, proud.
“Filming will start later this year.”
Ann discovered Julie’s body hidden behind a bath panel at her home 80 days after she first went missing in November 1989.
Two years later, Dunlop, a former boyfriend of Julie’s, was tried twice at Newcastle Crown Court for killing her.
On both occasions the jury failed to reach a verdict — leading the second trial judge to order that he should be formally acquitted.
He later confessed to killing Julie, who was 22 when she was killed, and bragged he had got away with the “perfect murder”. The ancient double jeopardy law meant Dunlop could not be tried again.
Ann worked to change the law and in 2005 finally made it happen.
A year later, Dunlop was jailed for life and became the first killer to be convicted under the new legislation.
Ann and Julie’s story was made into a Channel 5 documentary, The Incident Room, last year.
Speaking to our newspaper at the time, Ann said: “I’m pleased I have made a difference.
“I was just a one-man band, writing letters into the night.”
I have no doubt Sheridan will more than do justice to Ann’s story.
TATTOO HOT FOR JAMES
JAMES Martin’s cooking shows may be family viewing, but off-screen the TV chef says his fans can be quite risqué.
During his live speaking tours, tattoo-lover James invites audience members to show off their inkings.
But he sometimes gets more than he bargained for.
James tells today’s Spooning with Mark Wogan podcast: “You get some very surreal things – usually in the places you don’t want to announce in front of 4,000 people.
“This lady, without drink, took her entire top off and she had a whole lion’s head on her back.
“There was a lady with a Jack and the Beanstalk on her leg – I shan’t tell you where Jack was ending up. He was going all the way up!
“We could just see Jack’s feet.”
You don’t get that on James’ Saturday Morning show . . .
ALAN CARR
ALAN CARR deserves to put his feet up after his semi-autobiographical saga Changing Ends was a huge hit.
The first series has been streamed a whopping 6.5million times on ITVX since it launched last June.
Now the cast are back on set for series two – including Oliver Savell, who plays Young Alan.
My first look picture shows the duo pampering in the salon.
Changing Ends is based on Alan’s own life in Northampton in the 1980s growing up as the son of a fourth division football manager.
The second season sees young Alan contend with impending puberty and feeling sidelined by his family as dad Graham is distracted by Northampton Town FC’s promotion battle.
Shaun Dooley and Nancy Sullivan are back as Alan’s parents and the new series will drop as a box set on ITVX this summer and air weekly on ITV1 primetime.
Elsewhere, the channel’s commitment to comedy continues as it will be bringing the chaos and hilarity of the Edinburgh Fringe with sessions streamed live on ITVX.
It’s less good news for Jayde Adams, as her comedy Ruby Speaking won’t return for a second series and Jaime Winstone’s Count Abdulla also won’t be returning.
ANT AND DEC IDEA IS BELTA
ANT and Dec pulled the shutters down on Saturday Night Takeaway earlier this month to “take a breather”.
But it sounds like the lads are busier than ever.
As well as their social media foodie show, Taste Mates, I can reveal they are cooking up another new slot. With their Mitre Studios production company, the duo have dreamt up a new vehicle for their fun pranks and content named Belta Box.
But the lads won’t be the face of the new project.
A Mitre Studios source told me: “We’re always looking at new and exciting development opportunities across genres. Taste Mates and Belta Box are digital projects that will tap into the Mitre core values of being fun and engaging.”
Those lads will be grafting well past retirement age.
KEN POPS QUESTION TO STARS
BROADCASTING legend Ken Bruce may have been replaced by younger DJ Vernon Kay on Radio 2, but his PopMaster quiz is still a hit.
The format was snapped up last year by More4, where it will be returning for a second series from May 13, kicking off with two celebrity specials.
I can reveal those taking part include music producer MistaJam, Pussycat Doll Kimberly Wyatt, actress Sally Lindsay, choirmaster Gareth Malone, former EastEnder Richard Blackwood, singer Toyah Willcox and comedian Nish Kumar.
In PopMaster TV, five contestants go head to head to test their music knowledge.
When the radio quiz made the jump to TV in 2023, it elevated More4 to the number one digital channel on weekdays at 8pm.
Ken’s still a chart topper all these years on.