BAFTA Award-winning actress Joanna Scanlan will return to our screens next year in a new punk rock drama.

The 62-year-old, who grew up in Ruthin and went to school in Denbigh, won the BAFTA for Best Actress in a Leading Role for her part in After Love as well as scoring hits including No Offence, Getting On, The Thick of It and A Very Royal Scandal. 

Now the former Howell's School pupil - who spent her younger years living in the Ruthin Castle Hotel her parents once owned - will join the cast of Sally Wainwright's new series, Riot Women.

The six-part series by the Happy Valley showrunner centres on five women who, along with two riotous backing singers, come together to create a makeshift punk rock band in order to enter a local talent contest.

As they write their first original song however they discover that they have a lot to say - and punk is the way to do it.

Set in Hebden Bridge in Yorkshire the cast also features Rosalie Craig, Tamsin Greig (Sexy Beast, Episodes, Black Books), Lorraine Ashbourne (Sherwood, Alma's Not Normal) and Amelia Bullmore (The Buccaneers).

The series also features the legendary talents of Anne Reid (Dinnerladies), Sue Johnston (The Royle Family) and Peter Davison (Doctor Who) plus Claire Skinner (Outnumbered) and Angel Coulby (Merlin).

Riot Women will also feature original songs from the band ARXX.

"I think I am more excited about this than anything else I have ever written," said Sally. "We have five of the most fabulous actresses on the planet playing the Riot Women. It's scarily exciting."

Riot Women will premiere on BBC iPlayer and BBC One in the UK in 2025.