Sabrina Bartlett has confessed she did little research before taking on the role of Mariette Larkin in ITV's comedy drama The Larkins. The 30-year-old actress appears in the latest adaptation of H.E. Bates' novel The Darling Buds of May, a character famously played by Catherine Zeta-Jones in the 1990s series.
Speaking on This Morning on Monday, Bartlett said she was 'aware of the legacy' of the show and praised Zeta-Jones's performance as 'incredible'. However, she admitted: 'I didn't read or look at too much in terms of the original show.'
Bartlett stars alongside Bradley Walsh, who plays Pop Larkin, and Joanna Scanlan as Ma Larkin. She described Walsh as 'the heart of the show' and recalled a hairy moment on set involving a vintage tractor and 'burning gears'.
The six-part series also features Tony Gardner, Robert Bathurst, Amelia Bullmore, Tok Stephen and Peter Davison. A Christmas special, The Larkins at Christmas, will air on Christmas Day at 9pm on ITV, following the success of the first series.
