Anna Friel rave reviews for new American TV show

Date article online: 11/10/2007

Rochdale-born actress Anna Friel has received rave reviews for her performance in a new American TV show, "Pushing Daisies’, which has all the plots of murder mysteries, romances, and comedy but is delivered by some very different characters in an even more interesting town, and critics have already been singing the praises of a show with a "whimsical twist".

Anna, aged 31, plays Charlotte "Chuck" Charles, the childhood sweetheart of Ned, a man with the mysterious ability to bring the dead back to life. Charlotte is murdered on a cruise ship under strange circumstances. Her death brings Ned back to his hometown of Coeur d' Coeurs to bring "Chuck" back to life and solve the crime.

The first of 13 episodes secured top spot in US viewing figures on Wednesday night.

The former Brookside star’s father, Des Friel, who still lives in Rochdale, attended a public showing of the new series in Los Angeles last month and said: "It is a big production by Warner, and pilots through ABC USA. It has been up against other companies such as Fox, and was watched by 13 million viewers last week alone.

"Barry Sonnenfield, the director of movies such as Men in Black, is the director so the quality is great, it is very funny, very quirky.

Mr Friel added: "It is lovely to see yet another Rochdale person put our town on the map. It’s a great series, I saw the pilot when I was in Los Angeles. I don’t think there was a single person in the audience that didn’t enjoy it. Her mum, family and I are proud of her as always."

Anna lives in Hollywood with her partner, David Thewlis, who plays Professor Lupin in the Harry Potter films and their two-year-old daughter Gracie.

"Pushing Daisies’ is set to be aired on ITV1 and ITV2 in 2008.