Martin Freeman reveals his Talking Heads monologue has a surprising EastEnders connection

And when asked about how he enjoyed filming while adhering to social distancing roles, Freeman made a surprising revelation about the room his monologue was shot in.

"The filming itself was okay; everyone was doing their best to maintain the distancing rules, as you’d expect," he said, before adding, "I was in Dot Cotton’s bedroom, so that’s one thing ticked off the bucket list!"

The actor described taking on the role originated by Bennett as "a little intimidating" but said that it was also a "huge honour".

"To be approved of by Alan, who I don’t know, is something I wish I could have told my Mum," he said.

"I knew some of the monologues better than others; I remembered snippets of Alan’s but not too
much, I’m glad to say! The first thing I said to Jeremy [Herrin, the director] was, ‘Well, I'm not going to outdo Alan Bennett, am I?’

Freeman is one of many household names appearing in the series, with some of the best British acting talent also taking on some of Bennett’s monologues, including Jodie Comer, Tamsin Greig and Imelda Staunton.

Talking Heads will begin on BBC One at 9pm on Tuesday 23 June with a double-bill featuring Imelda Staunton in A Lady of Letters and Sarah Lancashire in An Ordinary Woman. All twelve Talking Heads will be available to stream as a boxset on BBC iPlayer. Check out the full Talking Heads cast list to see who else will appear. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our TV guide.