Bridgerton's Adjoa Andoh says fans want "more" LGBTQ+ storylines

Born in the Cotswolds and married to writer Howard Cunnell, Andoh, 62, began her career while juggling life as a single mum in Brixton, south London.

She talks to Radio Times about global fame, learning to lay bricks in a squat, the lack of arts funding in schools and the return of Bridgerton.

How do you feel about the phenomenal success of Bridgerton?

It’s a tremendous privilege. People tell me they love to watch a costume drama with women so central to the stories, and people of colour in a historical drama. I’ve had gay and lesbian people saying, "We've had little hints, when can we get a bit more of that sort of story?" There are lots of people who see themselves reflected in it.

And what do you tell them?

Nothing, or somebody would take me to a dark room! I’m filming the fourth season now and all I can say is it’ll be another dramatic, emotional, aesthetic feast.

It was one of the earliest shows to feature colour-conscious casting, where actors of colour are deliberately cast. Why is that important?

It has expanded the possibilities of what stories you can tell, how you tell them and who can be in them. It also means you've expanded your audience. When I stay with family in Ghana, people will charge across the street to me, excited about a costume drama set in Regency England. They identify with it in a different way.

Has it changed your life?

I was in EastEnders for a while, so I was very well known for that, and then I was in Casualty and Doctor Who, so it's not unfamiliar for me to be recognised. But Netflix is international, so that’s different. I can be recognised in Thailand or America or Shropshire. It means you’re doing your work well, and it's quite moving. Being older, there’s a contentment; you understand that life is a series of accidents and challenges with some lovely bits in between. The gratitude you feel is at a deeper level.

You're narrating Château DIY, in which adventurous Brits take on the renovation of majestic properties in France.

Every so often I have to stop recording and go, "My God, that's fantastic, I want to do that." In another life, I would have been an architect, so I'm a bit geeky about DIY, and there are psychological dramas going on with the couples and families. We all get to pressure points with our beloveds, don’t we? So it’s fascinating on all levels!

Are you tempted to buy and do up a château yourself?
Hell, no! The parts of France we film in are beautiful, and I love DIY, but it’s a big job. I salute them all day long.

Living in a squat in Brixton in the 1980s means you must have become pretty skilful yourself, though?

Yes, there were these beautiful Edwardian houses that had fallen into disrepair and become squats. The council would grant you a licence to do it up, and it was a big collaboration of everybody chipping in with whatever skills they had, and an architect overseeing us to make sure we didn’t blow ourselves up by laying an electricity cable next to water. I learnt a lot: glazing a window, rendering, bricklaying. Who knows if I could still do it, but I'm not intimidated by it.

You're also known for your lead roles at the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre and Shakespeare's Globe. Is theatre in a good place?

West End theatre is having a resurgence but, in some areas, theatres are being shut down. One ticket can cost somebody's weekly shop. We need to make theatres more accessible to local communities, not just in terms of budget but providing arts and youth projects and gatherings for people in the local area.

There are complaints about modern theatre audiences heckling or talking through performances. Is that a problem?
We could have more school parties having access to theatre, and more theatre companies going into schools. If people had more access to theatre from an earlier age, they’d understand the etiquette.

Talking of schools, should there be more arts in the curriculum?

We have to get that back on the curriculum. Arts are seen as the fluffy icing on the cake; not proper education. But they’re important. We understand the world through story. The minister for culture, media and sport, Lisa Nandy, is really interested in this, and I want this government to stick with it.

We've had great investments in infrastructure, now we need to get boots on the ground in those communities where they've lost youth clubs, where the library has been closed, where there isn't a local orchestra.

Kids don't want to be hanging around the street, they want to be actively engaged. They need to feel that somebody’s interested in them, somebody cares when they don't turn up on time for choir practice or netball. They need to learn about being part of something where they've all got to contribute, to have empathy for each other, to work collaboratively. These are life skills. You may not end up playing for a national orchestra, but you will learn what it is to be part of something where you all come together to make joyful music.

How do you feel about Vengeance Most Fowl, last year's Wallace and Gromit Christmas film (in which you voiced the judge), winning an Oscar?

I’m thrilled. Aardman are Bristol-based, and I'm from Bristol, so I'm really proud of them. It was also a show you could watch with the family, which I love.

The new series of Château DIY airs weekdays at 5pm on Channel 4.

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