Boy Meets Girl is one of the first mainstream TV comedies to feature a transgender actor in a transgender storyline. What does that mean to you?

Paris: I’m really pleased for Rebecca, because I’ve been looking at the States and have been quite envious of them for a while. They’ve got a really good scene in terms of transgender activism, with strong, sensible, articulate voices. And I just don’t think we’ve quite had that in the UK. So I’m really hoping this will provide a bigger platform for Rebecca, because we need as many people to fly the flag in this country – I think we need some more voices.

Rebecca: I think it’s wonderful that we are seeing one facet of one trans woman’s experience on mainstream British TV, and totally hats off to the BBC for picking up the flag and flying it, and reflecting a facet of our society. And I hope that Boy Meets Girl entertains people: it is a romantic comedy, it’s a sitcom, it’s supposed to make people feel good about themselves. But of course behind that there’s also a wonderful opportunity to show something, just something of the many complex stories that are out there in the trans community.

Paris: The frustrating thing for me a few years ago was that we were only seeing one type of trans story being told in the media, and it wasn’t coming from a very informed place. I always think it’s a rich sort of drama being trans. There are complications to it, there are emotions. But we weren’t really seeing it. It was always a case of pointing at the trans person and laughing and ridiculing them.

This programme didn’t happen by chance – it is actually the fruit of a really early meeting with the BBC, I think it was in 2011. So it’s really satisfying on so many different levels to see this project succeed, and for trans talent to be nurtured and celebrated.

How did your experiences relate to those of Judy in Boy Meets Girl?

Rebecca: Everyone’s got different stories. I mean there are as many lucky people like me who had a relatively safe transition as there are unlucky people who had a hideous transition. And everybody has – somewhere on that spectrum – their experiences. My transition, whilst I describe it as safe and supported, was not without its challenges and its aggressiveness in the streets and society. But I had it ‘easy’ because I’m an actor, I work in theatre in liberal arts. I’m not a welder or a soldier or a cop.

Paris: I’ve never had any problems in my dating life. I’ve been in two fairly serious relationships, one long-term, and nobody really cared actually. But I think Rebecca is right, I think we are privileged, and I think that’s partly to do with why we’re sitting here talking to you now.

But I think the real change we need to effect is with the people who are struggling to walk down the street every day, being abused every time they leave the house. That is still the reality for a lot of trans people. So while it’s wonderful that we’ve seen this explosion of media representation, that has to translate to better rights, better access to healthcare and housing, and mental health services. Because a lot of trans people sadly still face family rejection, so I think it’s important to keep that in mind.

I really hope that this show will help to be part of that change. Because this is mainstream, this is massive, this is literally groundbreaking. This is like when Lenny Henry or Julian Clary were first on TV: voices that we haven’t heard from in a minority are going to be in your living room.

Things have dramatically changed within even just the past three years, and this programme is part of that. I don’t think we can go back on that now.

Rebecca Root plays Judy in Boy Meets Girl. Paris Lees is a journalist and transgender rights activist.

Boy Meets Girl starts on Thursday, 3 September at 9.30pm on BBC Two. Each episode will be available in BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast on TV.

Read Boy Meets Girl writer Elliott Kerrigan's BBC Writersroom blog.

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.

Alice: Pete’s the loveliest man, he really made me smile. Whenever you walked onto set, he’d hug you to say hello – and he really hugged you. It was a real fatherly hug. And Lucy took care of us so much – anything you ever needed she was always there.

Frankie: And she’d give advice too, because obviously she’s been in the industry longer than we have. I mean the pair of them have, and they’re both awesome people.

Laurie: I think we all just had so much fun: a comedy brings everyone close. And with Peter playing our dad, there were so many scenes of laughter. We were crying with laughter! It’s just what families do, you know? If you’re sat around watching telly you do have a little joke and you have a little laugh. 

You play siblings in the show – does that brotherly/sisterly dynamic carry on off-screen?

Frankie: I think we still maintain that sort of relationship whenever we come together, we can always have a laugh and a joke. But at the end of the day, everyone’s off doing their own things and so it’s not like we all go sit round each other’s houses and sit on the sofa watching University Challenge [laughs]. But when we come together that spark returns, and we all just slot back in like a jigsaw.

Laurie: It’s very easy. Also it’s our real first break, so it was really nice to all go through that together.

Frankie: It was nice as well because although there were a lot of older cast members, because it’s based on Danny’s younger life, there were a lot of young actors too. Sometimes when you go on a job you’re surrounded by older heads who’ve got more experience, and they’re telling you what it’s like or what you need to watch out for. But the industry’s always evolving and changing and we’re evolving and changing with it. We’re experiencing everything together the same as that older generation did. So it’s lovely to just be on a set with people your age.

You all stayed in Manchester around the shoot. How much fun did you have when you weren’t filming?

Alice: It was fun, but it was a little bit manic! When I’ve worked on previous things in London, you come home in the evening. Like that’s it, you’re home, work’s finished. But it never ever felt like because we’d left the set, but we were still living with the cast and crew.

Frankie: But it was never like work: it was getting up every day to go on set with your bestest mates. Having a right good laugh, really enjoying yourself, the party never stopped you know? 

What did you learn working with Danny Baker?

Frankie: The way these episodes play out, I mean obviously it’s Danny’s life but it’s also exactly how his head works. You’ll go out for dinner with him, and he’ll start telling a story and then BOSH he’s telling another story, then he goes: ‘Anyway as I was saying…’ and you’re back where you started. You are constantly jumping! So this show is like diving inside Danny Baker’s head.

Laurie: His whole career is based on this just joyous storytelling. And I can’t reiterate enough just how welcoming he was to us. He was unbelievable. The first night, the day of the read-through was my 21st birthday, we all went out for this meal, and it was just…

Alice: IT WAS THE MOST EPIC MEAL EVER.

Laurie: …just incredible! It was like we’d known each other forever and he was chatting like it was the most normal thing in the world. And we’re like, ‘That’s him and we’re playing him and his brother and sister now, and we’ve gotta pretend like we’re cool’.

Frankie: I know, there was a time at that meal, Laurie and I were in the toilets going: "It’s bloody mad this! Can you believe it?"

Was it fun working with the Baker family?

Laurie: Yeah! The whole family is just so welcoming. Danny’s children, Mancie, Bonnie and Sonny are great people. Obviously with Danny as your dad, you’d just be the coolest cat in town

Frankie: And as much as Danny said Cradle to Grave is a reality, not the reality, the family still had massive involvement, it was such an asset to us to have. It was great for character development, but also to get the feel for that family environment.

Alice: So we now feel part of the Baker family.

Laurie and Frankie: Yeah!

Alice: And we only met each other in February…

Frankie: Exactly!

Laurie: That is madness.

Alice: Literally weird. It’s weird.

Frankie Wilson, Alice Sykes and Laurie Kynaston play Michael, Sharon and Danny Baker in Cradle to Grave.

Cradle to Grave starts on Thursday, 3 September at 9pm on BBC Two. Each episode will be available in BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast on TV.

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.

In Long Susan’s case, she goes from a fugitive hiding the secrets of her past to a woman who - once those secrets are exposed - finds the potential to live openly within her community and openly with her love, Jackson.

Season two sees those hopes threatened by debt. A debt that forces her from brothel madam to whore, let down by and at the mercy of the men around her. The irony is not lost on any one. 

In season three we find Susan having undergone a further transformation. Using her wit and resilience she has become an influential businesswoman and philanthropist, creating a financial empire with walls around it as thick as the ones she has built around her heart. 

The price for such walls is that once again she is forced to live with dark secrets. That was the most compelling aspect for me to explore while filming this season - to consider how extraordinarily lonely great power can be and to question what one might be willing to compromise in order to achieve a greater good. Can a dark deed ever be excused? Even if it means that many greater deeds are achieved because of it?

These are the character arcs you dream about playing as an actor. It is fun, it is challenging, it gives me food for thought - and for that I am very grateful.

So much about Susan also lies in what she doesn’t say  - there is always a huge tug between her inner and outer self, and I love that.

She’s often referred to as a ‘strong’ character and to an extent that is very true - she is, and admirably so. But if she were only strong she would be boring to play. 

Humans are a big mix of paradoxes really. We are strong, but we can be vulnerable as well. A character’s greatest strength can become their greatest weakness, and that’s what’s interesting – the light and shade, navigating the constant push and pull of opposing forces within oneself. A character lacking in such juxtapositions is never as satisfying to get one’s teeth into. Ripper Street has never failed to provide all of us with many layers to explore.

The language of Ripper Street’s scripts is extraordinary. Not only in that it very much establishes the world of Whitechapel, but it is rewarding to work with as an actor. The lines are so specific that we rarely change them and when spoken, the rhythms infect how you feel. That was a very new experience for me as an actor.

The family atmosphere and rapport on set is another reason I celebrate the continuation of the series. We have many cast, crew and production members who have now worked together for four years. The shorthand that has developed between all departments is palpable and the humour that abounds on set is infectious. It makes for a very happy workplace and one that we have all wanted to return to again and again. 

MyAnna Buring plays Long Susan in Ripper Street.

Ripper Street, series three continues on Friday, 7 August at 9pm on BBC One. Each episode will be available in BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast on TV.

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.

For me, it was the main attraction of bringing him to life. It’s a big challenge as an actor, to find a way of allowing him to remain at all times both enigmatic and intriguing to an audience, without being so distant that they don’t feel like they know him.

You’re asking an audience to connect with his story in a far more visceral way - through sensations rather than an intellectual explanation of his state of mind.

The job is a game to Joe. He has no ambition, he never had a desire to be a spy, and isn’t attracted to the apparent glamour of the job. He cares little for patriotism, in fact he cares little for anything in this world.

But he has been forced, throughout his life, to learn how to manipulate his own emotions to protect himself from showing any vulnerability. He’s perfected the art of lying and manipulating the world around him and, more importantly, lying to himself.

He’s near perfect at it, and like any perfectionist he has a keen eye for spotting other people’s weaknesses, faults and mistakes.

He knows when people are lying, almost before they do. He sees the games they are playing. He sees the ridiculousness of the world they are in. So to him it is just a game. A game of lies. The real battle in Joe’s life, the real war, is with himself.

The only time in Joe’s life when he allowed his guard down was when he met a defecting KGB agent, Yulia. She had a profound effect on him, and taught him to trust again in the idea of love.

With the arrival of The KGB’s Odin in Joe’s London surroundings, he is reminded of Yulia and everything she meant and represented. Joe’s need for revenge starts to take a hold over him. All the deep emotions Yulia helped Joe to connect with begin to bubble to the surface. You start to see the real him, the man he could have been.

Joe is lost, bitter, anxious, obsessive, idealistic, passionate, desperate - and ultimately alone.

Tom Hughes plays Joe Lambe in The Game.

The Game starts on Thursday, 30 April at 9pm on BBC Two. Each episode will be available in BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast on TV.

Tom’s byline picture is from Who’s In Today? – See other celebrities snapped as they visit the BBC HQ in London.

More on The Game

BBC Writersroom: Toby Whithouse on creating the Cold War drama 

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.

2. You have to make sure you’re fit for the job

It’s prime time and BBC. I have a responsibility to show up every day, to try to not get sick and not get injured. I mean the very first scene on my very first day I was galloping on a horse – amazing but if I come off that horse and slip a disc, or if I roll an ankle playing football that’s going to shut down production. Are they going to hang on for me or are they going to recast? I think they’re going to recast! So I hold on for dear life and grab the reins!

3. And you end up learning about the most unlikely subjects

After filming Poldark, I now know quite a lot about mining - maybe too much about tin mines, actually. Obviously it’s a huge part of what my character, Ross does and a huge part of the show. It’s not boring, I was really into it. I bought a lot of books on Cornish tin mining. I went down a couple just to see what they were like, just to get that feeling and it’s exactly what you’d think: completely claustrophobic and dark and dangerous and everything. They smell like wet granite, it almost smells cold. And then of course when the lights go out it’s just the darkest dark you’ll ever see. Back in the day that happened a lot, you’d have drips and flames go out and that’s it: you’re finding your way through darkness. So dangerous and so scary.

4. You might bond with co-stars you never expected

Every scene was great with the horse - he was my best friend. Seamus the Irish horse, I just loved his personality. When you get to know an animal like that you feel like you’re both doing the scene together because he’s delivering so much too. Horses are so sensitive,they just feel an energy from the crew so they know when we’re getting close to shooting. He would start getting a bit skittish and moving around because he just wants to go on his route again and do it. I mean 10 seconds before action is called is insane, you really have to try and distract him because he just knows. Then all you have to do is tap and he takes off and launches himself into it.

5. The right location makes all the difference

We had a private beach in St Ives… St Just. It’s stunning and we got the best summer ever! It felt like the South of France or Italy. There’s a great scene with the late Warren Clarke who played Charles Poldark where we’re just looking out at the sea. It just grounds you because it feels like the biggest set on the planet! These amazing, epic, terrifying cliffs everywhere and it feels real. It doesn’t feel like you’re acting in a costume drama, it just feels like everything is justified. The odd time you might think “this is a weird shot” but on location it just makes sense and brings a clarity to the whole production. It’s stunning, it really, really is.

Aidan Turner plays Ross Poldark in Poldark.

Poldark starts on Sunday, 8 March at 9pm on BBC One and BBC One HD. 

More on Poldark

The Telegraph: It was time to play a normal human being
The Express: Robin Ellis returns to Poldark
BBC Writersroom: Q&A with Poldark screenwriter Debbie Horsfield 

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.

On set, it was about making the actors feel relaxed and confident so that they could chat truthfully and openly, although certain storylines may have been expected, the actual chosen footage was kept under-wraps until ‘action’ was called.

We filmed between two-three hours with each pairing and often did more than one showing of a clip. The first time around gave us genuine reactions, on the second take we could expand those thoughts and stories. But sometimes the cast became so engrossed as viewers, they forgot to chat!

Occasionally, I would be needed to steer the conversation back on track or help to give their comments context that we’d all understand, but mostly once they started it was very hard to stop them chatting, especially Pam St Clement and Barbara Windsor - they are probably still there!

Making each episode was a long process. Matthew Campbell the EastEnders archivist would draw up a massive long-list of moments for us from the EastEnders database. Assistant producer Katy Reid would then work through the endless clips, helping to reduce the long-list, before we’d work together in creating a final running order, shaping something that flowed and felt like a rounded show. I was keen not to ask the actors for their thoughts at this stage as I felt that may give us a too polished response.

Samantha and Rita’s reaction to the frozen lake scene was totally unexpected – and hilarious. It would be easy to mistake them for real-life sisters. The screen kisses generated a far more school playground level of embarrassment than I ever expected.

Meanwhile, Nitin Ganatra and Himesh Patel might be father and son on-screen but they are clearly mates with an added mentor relationship off-screen. The story of Himesh first meeting Nitin with an autograph request is sweet and told brilliantly.

Adam Woodyatt’s relationship with ‘his house’ – ie Ian Beale’s set - was fascinating. He’s essentially grown up on set and he feels a real ownership towards it. He would refer to times when the house dimensions or layout were ever so slightly different, or, as you can see in his episode, where he believes Ian’s belongings (props) should be! Kat and Alfie’s place has actually burned down since filming, so that was lucky!

Barbara Windsor and Pam St Clement are TV legends, so it was so nice to see them working so naturally together, with such a genuine friendship built around the shared experience of working in Walford. It also became very old-school showbiz at times, especially when Christopher Biggins called Barbara for a chat!

The clips had an equally strong reaction for people who had worked on those episodes too. During Pat’s death scene, we were concentrating on Pam and Barbara’s responses to this story and out of the corner of my eye I could see one member of the production team in floods of tears!

The audience responses have been fascinating – it’s given EastEnders viewers a chance to feel like they really know the people behind the characters just that little bit more.

Matt Taylor is the director and producer of EastEnders: Back To Ours.

EastEnders: Back To Ours is available until Thursday 26 February on BBC iPlayer.

More on EastEnders: Back To Ours:

Digital Spy: Barbara Windsor and Pam St Clement join EastEnders: Back To Ours
Daily Mail: Goggle-box style EastEnders

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.

Humphrey likes that Camille (Sara Martins), is a very opinionated, strong-willed character – but also, look at her!! He and Camille have a close friendship based on mutual respect and fun, but Humphrey's holding a secret. He desperately doesn't want to erode or destroy that friendship, but he's like a pressure cooker ready to burst!! So it evolves…

Sara herself is very professional, hardworking, fun and French. My French is getting pretty good now. I did A level French at school (though I failed it) and had done a couple of films with French crews before. So I had a modicum of fluency already, but it's improved enormously since.

Our guest cast (like Neil Morrissey, Will Mellor, Hetti Bywater and Natalie Gumede)  are generally out in Guadeloupe for a couple of weeks and only have to work four or five days, so as a result they get to experience the various charms of the island. Often much more than the regular cast do, as we live there and work six days a week!!

Kris Marshall plays Humphrey Goodman in Death In Paradise.

Death In Paradise continues on BBC One and BBC One HD on Thursday, 29 January at 9pm.

More on Death In Paradise:
The Express: Filming in paradise is a tough job
Radio Times: Not all dramas have to be shot down a Danish alleyway

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.

Over time he develops a desire to travel abroad and sets his sights on Paris to become an artist.

I wanted to feel the need to escape, the feeling of being trapped and restricted, the need to be creative and get out of my own head.

I watched a lot of cinema, especially films focusing on relationships.

Blue Is The Warmest Colour was a beautiful portrayal of love, and how wonderful AND devastating it can be.

Stoker directed by Park Chan-wook focused on a dysfunctional family and a vampire.

Also during filming, Emily Bevan (who plays Amy) and I kept our creative juices flowing by binging on emotionally complex French cinema!

I think one of my favourite moments was the first day arriving on set. We were so excitable and thrilled to be back!

We filmed the zombie rave so that was a great scene to kick off with.

Filming was quite different this time as we had three new directors and a new make-up team.

The first series was shot in about eight weeks and this series was roughly four months.

That's a long time being to be covered in mousse make-up!

It was like being on three different shows. All three brought their own unique methods of working, and yet they all shared a vision for the series.

The whole process of playing Kieren is a challenge and that's what I love about it, but one of the most difficult scenes to film was when Kieren tries to look at himself without his mousse on in the bathroom mirror.

It's a mentally and emotionally complex moment and also an extremely tricky scene to get right make-up wise.

Make-up designer Davy Jones did a fantastic job, ensuring that when Kieren wipes off the mousse you see his pale skin underneath.

Sounds easy, but it was actually a technical nightmare and required extreme focus and elements had to be re-shot at a later date.

The fan reaction to the show is quite overwhelming. It's really affected people across the world.

The show is very original and speaks to people young and old.

Dominic Mitchell has beautifully written the character of Kieren, a character that young teenage boys can relate to.

He may be a zombie but he's just questioning who he is and trying to figure out what life is about.

It's a testament to Dom and his brilliant writing, that although it's set in a tiny rural village in northern England, it speaks to people all across the world.

Luke Newberry plays Kieren Walker in In The Flesh.

In The Flesh continues on Sunday, 4 May at 10pm on BBC Three and BBC Three HD. For further programme times please see the episode guide.

More on In The Flesh
BBC TV blog: In The Flesh: Kieren's Diary 
BBC Three: In The Flesh: Watch a clip: The Second Rising 
BBC Three: In The Flesh: Meet the characters 
BBC Media Centre: Watch interviews with Luke Newberry and Dominic Mitchell 
BBC Writersroom: Read scripts from series one and two 
BBC Writersroom blog: Simon Judd: Bringing the Undead to life - Series 2

Comments made by writers on the BBC TV blog are their own opinions and not necessarily those of the BBC.