Soap star in new smuggling sitcom

EastEnders star Lucy Speed is to appear in a new Radio 4 comedy from the creators of Dead Ringers.

Speed, who plays Walford's Natalie Evans, is to play a Cornish smugger in the six-part series Elephants To Catch Eels.

And her father will be played by former Coronation Street star John Bowe, known to soap fans as Duggie Ferguson.

The show, which starts on February 12, was written by Dead Ringers scribes Nev Fountain and Tom Jamieson, and is produced Jan Ravens.

Lucy said: "I like the strong and capable character of Tamsyn; it was a very liberating role to play.

"The Cornish accent was a bit of a challenge but the fact that it was some of the Dead Ringers team behind the series really made me want to do it. Then I read the script and thought it was hilarious.

"I've always loved radio. It's lovely to do something that's anonymous because you can really concentrate on what you're doing and people don't always recognise your voice."

The show also stars stand-up comic and ventriloquist Mark Felgate, in his first acting role.

Free tickets are available for recordings on February 4 and 11. Click here for details.

Published: 20 Jan 2003