Hosts of The One Show, Ronan Keating and Emma Willis, were stunned when one of the stars of BBC's hit new drama The Gold revealed her incredible link to one of the real-life characters from the programme - which is based on true events.
Appearing on the chat show on Thursday, February 16 to discuss the programme, which has had rave reviews since first airing last Sunday, Charlotte Spencer, who plays Nicki Jennings, was asked by Ronan about her "surprising connection" to the series. For more showbiz and television stories get our newsletter here.
The 31-year-old Sanditon actress said: "Yeah. My dad, actually, when I was reading the script, he was like 'Char, I know one of the policemen involved in this'. And he knew [Neil] Murphy. From years ago.
"They don't speak now, but it was an amazing... it felt very personal and I really wanted the part - to have that connection makes it feel even more personal to play a police officer."
The drama is inspired by the true story of the 1983 Brink's-Mat robbery when burglars got more than they planned for at a security depot near Heathrow Airport - gold bullion worth £26m.
The six-part drama also stars Dominic Cooper - from Marvel's Captain America and Mamma Mia! - and Jack Lowden of Slow Horses. Inspired by research and interviews with some of those involved in these extraordinary events, The Gold is a nail-biting dramatisation of real events which is being told for the first time in its entirety.
The revelation of Charlotte's link came before Ronan stated that it had been reported that those who had bought gold jewellry since 1984 probably had "traces of the gold from the Brinks-Mat robbery".
Charlotte responded: "I don't know how much, but there'll be a trace of it. Yeah, nearly all the gold after that moment was... everyone's wearing the Brink's-Mat."
The Gold is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
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