After his brilliant drama about the Aids crisis in Britain, It’s a Sin, was such a hit, one can only imagine the options that writer Russell T Davies had for what to do next. He returned to Doctor Who, of course, but I love the fact that first, he chose to make the wonderful, idiosyncratic Nolly (ITVX), a tender tribute to the TV soap star Noele Gordon, who died in 1985.
This three-part drama, which is impeccably put together, also serves as a tender tribute to British television in the late 70s and early 80s. As such, it is nicotine-stained, fuggy, floral and blousy, peeking out from over the top of increasingly enormous specs. Helena Bonham Carter is brilliant as Gordon, known to her friends and fans as Nolly, and we meet her in the twilight of her career. By 1981, Nolly had spent 17 years playing Meg Mortimer, motel owner and leading lady of Crossroads, the soap that had been built around her star power. The early scenes of Nolly in full flight, as she conducts the cast and crew to her own tune, are funny and vibrant. “Haven’t you read the script?” asks Poppy, a young actor who has recently joined the cast. “No, never,” scoffs Nolly, aghast.
