'James Can Be Quite Naughty Sometimes!'

Tessa Peake-Jones on her co-star, a shocking arrival in Grantchester and why Mrs Maguire will always be grumpy…

- Victoria Wilson

Being Del Boy’s other half Raquel in Only Fools and Horses made her a household name but Tessa Peake-Jones has recently attracted a new legion of fans as Mrs Maguire in crime drama Grantchester.

The vicarage housekeeper has become a firm favourite with her grouchy demeanour and no-nonsense approach, as she tries to keep crime-fighting clergyman Sidney Chambers (James Norton) and timid curate Leonard Finch (Al Weaver) in check. Tessa feels lucky to play her, especially as she reckons Mrs M is one of the very few interesting roles for older women on television.

‘Things are changing but it’s happening rather slowly,’ says Tessa, who turns 60 this week. ‘I long for a series about women in their 50s and 60s talking about the menopause and other problems. When you consider that it’s most likely to be women in that age group who are watching TV, they want drama they can relate to. They don’t always want to see thirtysomethings getting their kit off!’

Mrs Maguire has revealed a – dare we say it – softer side this series, as she explores her courtship with the incredibly charming Jack (Nick Brimble). But when a face from her past turns up, this week, it looks set to throw a spanner in the works, as Tessa reveals…