Home Fires star Francesca Annis is looking to break down barriers

She’s had a career spanning more than 50 years and is currently starring in ITV’s Sunday night drama Home Fires.

But Francesca Annis says age can still be a barrier for women in media and the arts.

“TV news is a very good example,” Francesca told The Sunday Post.

“There aren’t many grey-haired, older women reading the news. It’s an issue that’s often brought up, but there is change and long may it continue.

“One of the things that attracted me to Home Fires was that eight of the nine protagonists are women over 40 and that’s an achievement in this day and age.

“We are starting to see more shows about women’s issues, like Call The Midwife, but I wish there were more female writers.”

Home Fires focuses on the work of the Women’s Institute during the Second World War and the subject matter fascinated Francesca.

“I knew very little about them but I’d back any organisation that supports local communities. Oh, I sound like David Cameron, don’t I?” she laughs.

“I might not have been doing it in a group but I do make my own bread and I’ve made plenty of jam in my time.”

Francesca plays Joyce, married to the local magistrate and a former WI president.

Her character likes to be in charge and is on the board of everything in the area. But although she might appear to be a snob, her family’s shady past means she has no reason to feel superior.

Francesca’s now 69 and Joyce is just the latest role in a career that goes way back to a teenage appearance in Carry On Teacher in 1959.

Along the way, Francesca, who has three children and had a lengthy relationship with Ralph Fiennes, has had notable highlights.

She was Elizabeth Taylor’s handmaiden in Hollywood epic Cleopatra and later films included 1971’s Macbeth and 1984’s blockbuster Dune.

TV appearances have ranged from 1960’s classic Danger Man right through to a starring role in Cranford.

She’s been nominated for numerous Bafta’s, triumphing for her performance as Lillie Langtry in ITV’s series Lillie.

But ask her which roles stand out and she admits she prefers to look forward, not back.

“I don’t think much about the past,” she confesses. I’m just pleased I’ve had parts that were successful.

“There are a couple of things that were so long ago that I don’t even think they’re on tape.

“There was Madame Bovary and something called A Pin To See The Peepshow.

“People have said they had a great effect on them at the time and they carried them forward and that’s fantastic.”

Despite the fact there are roles for older actresses, Francesca says they’re not always what she wants.

“I’m definitely not a workaholic and I don’t do everything I’m offered.

“Sometimes so many of the parts for women over 60 are absurd caricatures and I just don’t do them.

“I’d rather not work than do something for the sake of it. I know that’s a luxury, but I’ve always been like that.”

Having been in so many period pieces over the years, Francesca says rolling the clock back to the 1940s was no big stretch and she reckons it’s an era that still chimes.

“I think some of the younger cast used to today’s relaxed clothes might have found the costumes a bit uncomfortable but I’ve done such a lot of these things I didn’t have any problems,” she adds.

“Because it’s not from hundreds of years ago, people can still relate to the time.

“Even younger viewers will know their granny came from that era and village life and domestic life have endless mileage.”