Sharon Small reveals why she can’t wait for Iain Banks’ novel Stonemouth to appear on screen in BBC drama

Sharon stars alongside fellow Scottish actors Gary Lewis and Peter Mullan in Stonemouth.

For years, Sharon Small was one of British telly’s most familiar faces.

Scot Sharon was the trusty sidekick in BBC One’s Inspector Lynley Mysteries, helping crack dozens of cases.

Sunburn, Cutting It, Kidnap and Ransom and, more recently, Law and Order UK were a few of her other regular series.

But as she’s about to feature in BBC Scotland’s new drama Stonemouth, Sharon is clear about one element of the appeal.

“It’s not a very big part, but it’s a nice part for an actress of my age,” says mum-of-two Sharon, 48.

“I don’t want to bang a drum because everyone talks about it, but people stop writing for women in their 40s and 50s. They don’t seem to find them interesting.

“I don’t know why that is because our life balance is really different and worth writing about. Our children may be growing up and we’ve got elderly parents.

“The actors stay the same age but then they get younger and younger girlfriends. You think, ‘I’m sure I used to play his girlfriend but now I’m too old to be his girlfriend’, which is a bit dull.”

Stonehouse is an adaptation of Fife author Iain Banks penultimate novel before his untimely death from cancer two years ago this month.

It’s is a two-part romantic mystery delving into love, loyalty and vengeance, starring an impressive cast including Peter Mullan, Christian Cooke and Charlotte Spencer.

It centres on Stewart Gilmour who returns for his best friend’s funeral.

Run out of Stonemouth two years earlier by girlfriend Ellie Murston’s criminal family, Stewart is forced to face up to his past while uncovering the sinister truth behind best friend Callum’s apparent suicide.

Stewart resolves to find out what really happened, which means he must face the girl he left behind Ellie.

However, he has her crime boss dad Don to contend with.

“I was a big fan of Iain’s work and I’d read a lot of his books,” says Sharon. “I just liked the way he wrote and the places he refers to.

“And his ideas were a bit crazy and out there.”

Filming took place around Sharon’s native city of Glasgow, as well as Macduff in Aberdeenshire, and getting back was no hardship for the London-based actress.

“It was really lovely to spend some time in Glasgow,” admits Sharon.

“My brother stays near the city so I got to spend a lot of time with him and his wife, which was good.

“I’ve been up a lot over the years and I love it. It’s just such an exciting place that gets better and better every time I visit.

“It will always be home. I like Scottish people and their sensibility and I miss that when I’m away.”

Sharon has made guest appearances in Downton Abbey, New Tricks, Silent Witness, Call The Midwife, Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders in recent years.

And she had just started appearing as the new ‘guvnor’, as she puts it, in Law and Order UK before ITV pulled the plug.

“I liked her character so although it’s been put on hold for a while it might come round again, you never know.”

But her most recent acting work has been on stage, not screen.

She just finished a starring role in a play called Carmen Disruption and was juggling her final performances in that with her new play Luna Gayle.

“It’s just how things work out really,” she says.

“You just go for what you can and see what presents itself but you don’t always have masses of choices. These roles have been really good and it’s been exciting to be a part of them.”

Being a working mum means striking a suitable work/life balance for sons Leo, nine, and Zac, seven.

Partner Dan has often been the stay-at-home parent but his work as a photographer means a bit of to-ing and fro-ing can be required.

“We try and juggle as much as we can,” adds Sharon.

Stonemouth is on BBC One Scotland on Monday and BBC Two nationally on Thursday.