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Frauds star Suranne Jones has revealed she was left 'in tears' after finally working alongside her close friend Jodie Whittaker on the set of ITV's new heist drama.
The pair, two of the most admired actresses on British television, play lifelong partners-in-crime Bert and Sam in Frauds, a six-part caper that places women firmly at the centre of a traditionally male genre.
Suranne, 47, admitted that meeting Jodie properly on set was an unexpectedly emotional experience, the Mirror reported.
'I'm totally in love with Jodie Whittaker,' she said warmly. 'I mean, I knew her from up the road, having coffees and whatever.
'But oh my god, I mean, she's so funny. She's hilariously funny. Kind, loyal. So generous to a fault.
'I could cry that I met her - properly - on this. We just clung together and I loved it. Absolutely loved it.'
Frauds star Suranne Jones (L) has revealed she was left 'in tears' after finally working alongside her close friend Jodie Whittaker (R) on the set of ITV's new heist drama
The pair play lifelong partners-in-crime Bert and Sam in Frauds, a six-part caper that places women firmly at the centre of a traditionally male genre
The actress, who also co-created and executive produced the series, explained that their chemistry was evident from the very first rushes.
As both star and producer, she would watch scenes back and realised immediately that the pair were 'bouncing off each other' in a way that does not always happen on set.
Jodie, 43, echoed the admiration. Watching her friend juggle a leading role with production duties left her in awe.
'She's amazing,' Jodie recalled. 'I'd be coming into work at six. So I'd get up at ten to six and hope no one noticed.
'I'd get in to work and Suranne's been up for an hour and a half watching rushes and giving notes. She's an absolute powerhouse.'
With mutual friends and homes not far apart, they had long been acquainted but had never shared a screen.
'It was really exciting to be sent something that is not just from her but that she's gonna be in too,' she explained, adding that every project Suranne has worked on has felt 'very different' - and Frauds continues that trend.
The series tells the story of Bert and Sam, teenage misfits who became expert con artists. When they were eventually caught, Bert was sent to prison for a decade while Sam never visited.
Suranne, 47, admitted that meeting Jodie properly on set was an unexpectedly emotional experience
'I'm totally in love with Jodie Whittaker,' she said warmly 'I mean, I knew her from up the road, having coffees and whatever'
Now, with Bert released on compassionate grounds after being diagnosed with a terminal illness, the two reconnect - but Bert has one final heist in mind, targeting a priceless painting at Madrid's Reina Sofia gallery.
For co-creator Anne-Marie O'Connor, the premise sprang from a conversation with Jones about their shared love of the 1988 comedy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. From there, they began shaping a female-led story of tricksters, betrayal and friendship.
As Anne-Marie explains: 'Bert comes out and the idea is that she's going to be looked after by Sam and die quietly - but instead what Bert really wants to do is get Sam on the hook for the one last job, so that she can shuffle off this mortal coil, as she says, and leave a mark on the world.'
'There are no female parts that I've read for a really long time that come anywhere near the dynamic of Bert and Sam,' Jodie enthused.
'And particularly the fact that it crosses into a genre we don't often see on TV. There's the female-led genre, it's a play on a heist and it's not set in the UK. Everything felt really exciting.'
Suranne described it as 'essentially a heist show that centres on toxic female friendship.' The fun, she added, was that viewers are invited to enjoy both the action and the humour.
'On a basic level, if you have fun watching it, that's great. It's made on a double level as in it's a fun show and it shouldn't be taken too seriously because the characters don't take themselves too seriously.'
The humour includes outlandish set pieces, from breaking into a bullring to dancing with a chicken. Yet beneath the comedy lies a poignant exploration of a relationship that is as destructive as it is compelling.
The actress, who also co-created and executive produced the series, explained that their chemistry was evident from the very first rushes
As both star and producer, she would watch scenes back and realised immediately that the pair were 'bouncing off each other' in a way that does not always happen on set
Reflecting on her own character, Suranne explained: 'I think we've all had Berts or been Berts. At the time it feels amazing and it brings out a side to you that you wouldn't necessarily know was there, but then when you've outgrown it, you need to move on for your own development.
'The trouble is if it's still there and it keeps coming back into your life, the only way you can cut it off is by literally cutting it off and that's like removing a limb.'
Jodie, meanwhile, praised the inventiveness of Jones and O'Connor in creating two characters who can be adored and despised simultaneously.
'Those two genius brains have come up with these people that you can love and hate… sometimes all in the same sentence,' she said. 'And their backstory is as rich and as relevant as the heist that you watch play out.'
Filming took the cast and crew to Tenerife, with Jodie quickly falling in love with her temporary home in the historic northern town of La Laguna.
'It is literally gonna be in my top five places in life, I loved it so much,' she said, although the weather was not always on their side. 'It was amazing, but it rained a lot. Didn't matter - it was stunning.'
Frauds will premiere on Sunday October 5 on ITV1.
