Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran's drama copped a great deal of flak for supposedly glamorising the British fascist leader. There is a sense in Bramwell of a time when there was no central heating It was freezing in that hospital. Poverty was filthy and not glamorous in any way."For all Redgrave's success over three series in Bramwell, it was Mosley that grabbed the most headlines. It looks cold in the same way that Persuasion did - people are crumpled and muddy. A hundred years ago, they were removing a woman's ovaries for what is now called post-natal depression."This is all of a piece with the gritty feel which distinguishes Bramwell from the chocolate-box look of much costume drama "It's less well-pressed than a lot of other period drama. "People are fascinated by Victorian medicine because it's so gruesome. But a lot of people identify with her strength and her determination, and her will to forge a career for herself in a male-dominated profession That strikes a chord even now.

She's headstrong, bloody-minded, passionate and difficult, but naive and vulnerable at the same time. It's a good rich mixture."Viewers have also been attracted, Redgrave admits, by the often gory hospital scenes. People say to me, 'God, I want to slap her sometimes.' And so do I I think, 'calm down, and just count to 10'. She frequently puts her foot in it, and she's not afraid to be bad-tempered. "People say you are so lovable, and I am so interesting," he sneered. "I will try to be more lovable, if you'll try to be more interesting."Bramwell, showing in two World Cup-busting feature-length episodes this week, was the show that really made her.

Created by the acclaimed writer Lucy Gannon, the character - a doctor battling against prejudice and scant resources in the East End of Victorian London is both feisty and fiery.A tall, elegant figure in a blue dress and pale cardigan, Redgrave reckons that "the good thing about Eleanor is that she's not ingratiating. Think of the poignant look of hurt that crossed her face when her husband (Jonathan Cake) in Mosley had the gall to blame her for his serial philandering. Her performances in the title role of Bramwell on ITV, as Sir Oswald's wife in Channel 4's Mosley, and as the lover in The Buddha of Suburbia on BBC2 have placed her at the forefront of TV performers.In all Redgrave's roles, viewers are drawn to her warmth and humanity. One critic observed that what marked her out was "her sense of heart".