Loving HANNAH

Peter Robertson spoke to the actress responsible for the death of Victor Meldrew

The popular Scottish actress Hannah Gordon is now 83 and has not been seen on our screens since playing Grace Greaves in six episodes of the ITV crime drama series Unforgotten in 2015. I was fortunate to interview her two years previously when we talked about her long and distinguished career, including the fact she is arguably best remembered for a film and a television series she appeared in only briefly 20 years apart.

In 1980, Hannah portrayed Lady Ann Treves in the great biographical movie The Elephant Man starring John Hurt as the severely deformed Joseph Merrick.

"That is the most internationally high-profile work I've done," she said.

"It's amazing that it was made by the American director David Lynch who chose to shoot it in black and white. I worked with John Hurt on the first day he wore 'the elephant mask' on his head.

They asked me if I wanted to see him first, and I said: 'No, just let him walk in so my reaction is genuine.

"Unfortunately for John, when he put it on, he couldn't move and couldn't be heard, and he found it extremely uncomfortable. His face was raw because they had to use adhesives and things, and he had a bad reaction to the head.

When we were about to do my closeups, he said: 'It's killing me...do you mind if I remove it?" So while I was all dressed up in my costume and wig, John was only in jeans and a T-shirt. So, I did all my acting, crying, without seeing him in his head. It was wonderful to be part of that classic film. I've nearly written to David a couple of times to see if I can work with him again." In 2000, Hannah was Glynis, the motorist who killed Victor Meldrew in the final episode of the hit BBC sitcom One Foot in the Grave.