Downton Abbey star Joanne Froggatt is no stranger to period dramas but her latest one could not be more different from the show that made her household name.
The actress, who played ladies’ maid Anna Bates in ITV’s hit series Downton Abbey stars the sinister role of a Victorian poisoner for two-part drama Dark Angel, which is based on historical events.
Jo, 36, plays Mary Ann Cotton, a poverty-stricken woman living in north-east England in 1857 who committed a series of grisly murders to bolster her finances and boost her social standing.
Her victims included her husbands and even her own children as she used tea laced with arsenic to make a more comfortable life for herself by claiming life insurance policies and viewers were shocked at the contrast between Joanne’s roles.
Goodness gracious Anna, you used to be such a nice girl. What would Mr Bates say? #DarkAngel
— Melanie GGMU ⚽ (@WaywardFannibal) October 31, 2016
#DarkAngel on @ITV - good lord it's evil & eerily good. Who knew Anna Bates could be so cold?! 😈😂 @JoFroggatt is excellent. #downton
— Victoria Todd (@VickiGraceTodd) October 31, 2016
If Mr Bates saw this, that bloke would soon find himself pushed under a bus... #darkangel
— Darren Harrison (@dazrison) October 31, 2016
@JoFroggatt such a fantastic actress #darkangel is fabulous, bit more racy than Anna Bates!!
— @travelprincess99 🏝 (@ruth_clark) October 31, 2016
#darkangel what an amazing show! Mrs Bates form downton is a right little goer!
— Garthy (@garthy2008) October 31, 2016
Hooked to #darkangel #joannefroggatt new role is miles away from nice #mrsbates 😲
— Fay P Bramwell (@FayPBramwell) October 31, 2016
She even delivered on the North East accent.
Accents on dark angel 😇 are not that bad, normally anyone trying to take off any north east accent sounds awful! #darkangel
— Terri (@T_15x) October 31, 2016
Not many actually pull off a convincing north east accent, but @JoFroggatt has nailed it, thoroughly enjoying #DarkAngel so far
— Darren Williamson ™ (@DazDub73) October 31, 2016
But it did make everyone at home nervous to drink tea.
When she offers you a cup of tea to make it better #darkangel pic.twitter.com/xPdVb1RdbW
— Harriet Holland (@zoominhat) October 31, 2016
Just asked my husband for a cup of tea in the #darkangel break - then realised I might be better making it myself!
— Gwyn GarfieldBennett (@GwynGB) October 31, 2016
Mam has just put the kettle on "1 teabag, dash of milk, sprinkle of arsenic" I'll pass on the cuppa thanks #darkangel
— AmieSlack👻 (@amieslackx) October 31, 2016
Linda has just offered me a cup of tea. I've said no. #darkangel
— John Myers (@johnmyersteam) October 31, 2016
Should I be worried? @davedevelopment just brought me a cup of tea... #darkangel
— Bexie M (@BexieM30) October 31, 2016
Watching Dark Angel ,other half says do you want a cuppa tea ,I said can I watch you make it #darkangel
— Dazz (@darrenbizzle) October 31, 2016
This seems like some huge feminist plot to make men not want women to make a brew anymore.#darkangel
— . (@citizenx99) October 31, 2016
Even The Only Way Is Essex star Amy Childs was hooked.
O no the kettle is back out #darkangel 😵
— Amy Andrea Childs (@MissAmyChilds) October 31, 2016
The two-parter was inspired by David Wilson’s book Mary Ann Cotton: Britain’s First Female Serial Killer, and was filmed in County Durham and North Yorkshire.
Dark Angel airs on ITV at 9pm and concludes on November 7.
