Blake's 7 star on her early exit: 'I felt a bit short-changed'

War meant casualties, with a number of series regulars exiting the show across its run – and now, star Sally Knyvette has spoken out about her exit after two seasons as space smuggler and skilled pilot Jenna Stannis.

Speaking at a BFI event to mark the release of Blake’s 7 - The Collection: Series 1, Knyvette explained that the character was originally pitched to her as an "intergalactic space pirate" and that she ended up feeling "a bit short-changed" by her eventual on-screen portrayal.

"I think it's well-known that I felt my role became less and less of an intergalactic space pirate and more and more of a sort of dolly bird," she said.

"I was given extra hair to look like Raquel Welch and I was given tighter and tighter clothes, of which there were a lot of lingering shots in certain positions, and it was counter-productive to the sort of feisty, intergalactic space pirate [character]... I felt so constrained by how I had to look all the time."

Knyvette recalled that, in a later encounter with series creator Nation, he admitted to her that he "was much more comfortable writing for men" – with Jenna's lack of screen-time and absence from key action sequences eventually pushing the actress to attempt to exit the series.

"I tried to leave after series 1 and I wasn't allowed to because I was under contract.

"I was particularly unhappy at the end of series 1 – and as I think they knew I was going to leave, I think I got written less and less for in the second series."

Eventually leaving Blake's 7 after two years, Knyvette went on to study for an English and drama degree at the University of London. "I was very clear I wanted to go to university and I'm very glad I did do that, but I'm also very glad that [Blake's 7] is back in my life.

"The irony is that it's the one thing I really walked away from and I'm still here, after all these years – so it's most peculiar but it's obviously meant to be and it's entirely to do with all these extraordinary fans and followers, who've kept it alive.

"I'm more proud of it now probably than [I was] at the time. I really understand now why it has caught on in the way that it has."

Jenna – along with title character Blake (played by Gareth Thomas) – disappeared off-screen between the second and third seasons of Blake's 7, though in the later series finale, a returning Blake claimed that Jenna died by self-destructing her ship and taking "half a squadron of gunships" with her.

Knyvette, though, isn't so sure if the character's fate is quite so final. "I'm not dead," she insisted. "Nobody found my body, so I'm actually not officially dead!"

Blake’s 7 - The Collection: Series 1 will feature all 13 episodes from the first season, newly remastered, with new optional updated effects on every episode.

Other special features will include archive documentary Making of Blake’s 7, a new feature-length documentary exploring the making of the first season, rare convention footage, a tribute to Travis actor Stephen Greif and more.

Read more:

• Doctor Who's Sylvester McCoy reveals "stipulation" he made when cast
• Doctor Who "has always been political", says Sylvester McCoy

Blake’s 7 - The Collection: Series 1 will be released on 11th November.

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