Nigel Harman interview

Former EastEnder Nigel Harman, 40, stars in Mount Pleasant and Downton Abbey. He will also play Simon Cowell in The X Factor musical - but he's keeping shtum.

Nigel Harman interview

Former EastEnders bad boy Nigel Harman is swapping a recent stint on the stage for roles in comedy-drama Mount Pleasant.

Samantha Womack and Nigel Harman interview

Earlier on this year I went up to Manchester to visit the set of Mount Pleasant to find out exactly what the new neighbours have in store for the residents of Mount Pleasant and more importantly why they've moved up to Manchester. Here's what they both had to say...

EastEnders favourites Samantha Womack and Nigel Harman swap Albert Square for a cul-de-sac up north in the third series of eccentric dramedy Mount Pleasant - and if you've ever dreamt about Ronnie Mitchell and Dennis Rickman getting it on in an alternate 'Enders timeline, you're in lucky, as the pair are playing a couple!

But it's not long before lovebirds Tanya and Bradley are causing trouble for their neighbours, with a housewarming bash turning into a theatre of tears and tantrums following a series of unfortunate events in Mount Pleasant - including Lisa (Sally Lindsay) unexpectedly losing her job, Charlie (David Bradley) and Pauline (Paula Wilcox)'s wedding plans going up in the air and Bianca (Sian Reeves) being refused a big insurance payout after her late husband's death.

Sally Lindsay interview

Back in June, I went up to Manchester to visit the set of Mount Pleasant to see how the series is put together and got the chance to speak to Sally Lindsay who plays Lisa, wife of Dan who is played by Daniel Ryan. Here's what Sally had to say about the new series and how she feels about another familiar soap face joining the series...

The folk of Mount Pleasant are all covered in snow and good cheer as is proper at this time of year. We join them at first light on Christmas morning and no one has held back on the decorations. Bianca's bought Gary one of everything from the Argos catalogue, Dan and Lisa are exchanging gifts, and Pauline and Charlie are heading for their first domestic of the day. David Bradley, Paula Wilcox, Sally Lindsay, Liza Tarbuck: it's one of the most impressive casts on British television. If you like a bit of well-crafted family fun, you're in safe hands here.

Mount Pleasant nears third season renewal

I've learned that executives at BSkyB's Sky Living are closing in on a renewal for their dramedy series Mount Pleasant. My sources tell me that it is not a done deal yet, but they fully expect that the series will be back for a third season.

Tragedy hits the cul-de-sac tonight with the sudden loss of one of its residents, but it's a tribute to the resilience of Sarah Hooper's amiable series that it does not miss a beat, or suffer a plunge in tone, as it handles the funeral and aftermath. Equally devastating is news about the demolition of the ice rink, inadvertently revealed by the indiscreet vicar. A cast of old hands, from Bobby Ball to Paula Wilcox, ably handle the material, delivered with the very antithesis of EastEnders' morose sturm und drang.

Mount Pleasant - Episode 2.1 review

Judging from this first episode, I can see that this second series shows much promise.

The first series of this domestic sitcom set in the Manchester suburbs was too cosy and MOR for its own good but at least this second series feels better placed in its new home on Sky Living. All the regulars are back, including chirpy Lisa (Sally Lindsay), and her overbearing parents, played by Pauline Quirke and Bobby Ball.