Epworth star Sheridan wants to play Dolly

She’s played Cilla Black - and now Isle star Sheridan Smith reckons she’s like a go at country and western icon Dolly Parton.
Sheridan Smith at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards at the Theatre Royal, London.Sheridan Smith at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards at the Theatre Royal, London.
Sheridan Smith at the Broadcasting Press Guild Awards at the Theatre Royal, London.

Sheridan, from Epworth, was named best actress for her performance as Cilla Black at an industry awards and promptly set her sights on a more nine-to-five job - playing the American singer.

Her portrayal of the Liverpudlian singer in the ITV biopic was so successful it sent her 1964 hit Anyone Who Had A Heart back into the charts.

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The actress picked up her gong at the Broadcasting Press Guild’s (BPG) awards in central London and said playing the part had been “terrifying”.

Speaking on the red carpet at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, she said: “It’s a great story, a rags to riches story. I’m thrilled people liked it as much as we enjoyed making it.”

Asked who else she would like to play in a biopic, she said: “If I had the breasts Dolly Parton would be one I liked to play, but I’d need a lot of padding.

“They’d have to do some work, big hair, talon nails, I’d love it. It would be camp. I’m a big fan.”

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It is just the latest award for the actress who was named in the News Honours list in December.

She started out her career as a member of Doncaster Little Theatre and her first professional gig was aged just six, at Doncaster’s Civic Theatre, where she played Annie alongside her mum and dad.

Parents Marilyn and Colin are well known in the borough for performing as country and western duo The Daltons around the town’s clubs and pubs.

The actress is no stranger to awards for her work, having previously won a Best Actress BAFTA for her portrayal of Mrs Biggs in television drama.

She has two Olivier awards and was invited to host the last ceremony, and her Hedda Gabler at the Old Vic won her the ‘best actress in a play’ accolade at an earlier Whatsonstage.com awards.