Jemma Redgrave - Francesca Rochester
Francesca Rochester is the wife of Sir Ian Rochester, Permanent Secretary to the Lord Chancellor. Tall, intelligent and beautiful, she arrests John Deed’s roving eye the first time that they meet.
Although she resists him at first, it doesn’t take long for Deed’s charms to work and for Francesca to find herself back at the judge’s lodgings for a night cap.
The Rochesters’ marriage is a sham, and any love Francesca once felt for her husband has long since been extinguished. She only stays with him out of financial expedience. When she meets Deed, Francesca is only too aware of the disastrous consequences that an affair between them would have. She knows how much Rochester hates the man, and how he’s constantly trying to find ways to bring him into line.
Ironically, it is partly the fact that her husband so loathes him, that propels Francesca into Deed’s arms. She’s bored out of her mind with Rochester and needs some excitement. Also, she’s not immune to Deed’s seductive charms and doubtless her own marriage has been a sexless one for some time. In the event, the affair between Deed and Francesca has the desired effect, and when Rochester finds out about it he’s more angry than ever.
Jemma Redgrave believes that Francesca is attracted to Deed for a number of reasons: “She likes his rebelliousness and his reputation as a bit of a womaniser goes before him. Plus, he’s the man that her husband most detests, and I should think that’s part of the attraction too.”
“I should think that she was in love with her husband originally,” Jemma continues, “but they’ve become completely incompatible over the years, grown into different people. Their marriage is in crisis and, because having an affair with Deed is such an explosive thing for her to do, she does it in the hope that she’ll explode the marriage. But even that doesn’t work unfortunately.”
So why have they stayed together all these years? “There’s a codicile in his aunt’s will about their finances,” Jemma explains, “they are wealthy as long as they stay together.”
Jemma is delighted to be playing the role. “I liked the film of it they did originally,” she says. “I thought it was really good television drama and I like Gordon Newman’s writing. Hopefully we’ll see more of Francesca in future episodes.”
The Rochesters’ marriage is a sham, and any love Francesca once felt for her husband has long since been extinguished. She only stays with him out of financial expedience. When she meets Deed, Francesca is only too aware of the disastrous consequences that an affair between them would have. She knows how much Rochester hates the man, and how he’s constantly trying to find ways to bring him into line.
Ironically, it is partly the fact that her husband so loathes him, that propels Francesca into Deed’s arms. She’s bored out of her mind with Rochester and needs some excitement. Also, she’s not immune to Deed’s seductive charms and doubtless her own marriage has been a sexless one for some time. In the event, the affair between Deed and Francesca has the desired effect, and when Rochester finds out about it he’s more angry than ever.
Jemma Redgrave believes that Francesca is attracted to Deed for a number of reasons: “She likes his rebelliousness and his reputation as a bit of a womaniser goes before him. Plus, he’s the man that her husband most detests, and I should think that’s part of the attraction too.”
“I should think that she was in love with her husband originally,” Jemma continues, “but they’ve become completely incompatible over the years, grown into different people. Their marriage is in crisis and, because having an affair with Deed is such an explosive thing for her to do, she does it in the hope that she’ll explode the marriage. But even that doesn’t work unfortunately.”
So why have they stayed together all these years? “There’s a codicile in his aunt’s will about their finances,” Jemma explains, “they are wealthy as long as they stay together.”
Jemma is delighted to be playing the role. “I liked the film of it they did originally,” she says. “I thought it was really good television drama and I like Gordon Newman’s writing. Hopefully we’ll see more of Francesca in future episodes.”
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