‘Fleabag created hunger for female stories’ says Daisy Haggard

Episodes star Daisy Haggard has praised Phoebe Waller-Bridge for “opening doors” for more female writers and characters.

The actress, who has also starred in Black Mirror and Uncle, has written her first show, Back To Life, which has been made for BBC Three by the producers of Fleabag.

Haggard, who also plays the lead role in the series, believes the two shows are “really different”, but that Fleabag’s success has paved the way for more female voices in TV.

She told A-List: “Phoebe is amazing. Fleabag is a work of art and I love it so much. But what it proves, with the response Fleabag has had, is that there is a real hunger for female voices.

“I do look forward to a time where there are so many strong female voices that we don’t have to compare them all – it would just a great show rather than another woman.”

She added: “Phoebe opened the doors and has awakened something. People are so excited by her that it’s proved the point that we are really hungry for flawed, strong, fabulous female characters.”

Haggard, 41, who lives in south London with her musician husband Joe Wilson and their two daughters, stars as ex-con Miri Mattheson, who returns to her seaside hometown after 18 years in prison.

Describing the inspiration behind the show, which is produced by Two Brothers Pictures, she said: “I’ve always been fascinated by how we judge women who have done something bad over how we judge a man who has done something bad.

“I thought: what if you had done the unthinkable and you were pushing 40 and trying to restart your life in the small town where you did something terrible?

“It’s basically putting someone in the worst position possible. How hard would that be? Cue hilarious comedy!”

As part of her research, Haggard spoke to those who had served lengthy prison sentences before returning to their family homes.

She added: “Me and [co-writer] Laura [Solon] had some fascinating exchanges. From the mundane – like not being able to register with a GP – to the extraordinary.”

Back To Life will be released as a box set on BBC Three before airing on Mondays on BBC One at 10.35pm from 15 April.