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Original poster

Am I the only Guardian reader who is fed up with all these no names presented like they are celebrities? Example: "Wouldn’t it be lovely if I could shut up?’ Meet Lola Petticrew, TV’s most fearless actor" - who TF is this person?

111 replies

localnotail · 26/12/2025 15:10

Basically, as my title. Its not the first time I'm reading an article about some one I never heard of who is presented as someone famous. This article really took the bisquit. Who is this person? They? WTF? Why does it matter what THEY think, say or do?

Or am I being unreasonable and this is actually someone who IS famous?

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/dec/25/lola-petticrew-interview-say-nothing-trespasses

‘Wouldn’t it be lovely if I could shut up?’ Meet Lola Petticrew, TV’s most fearless actor

The award-winning star of Say Nothing and Trespasses refuses to play the fame game when they can fight government inaction. They open up on making amazing TV … and why morals matter more than nice handbags

https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/dec/25/lola-petticrew-interview-say-nothing-trespasses

OP posts:
KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 18:53

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 26/12/2025 18:51

It's entirely your own fault for reading the Guardian 😂

😂

HappyFace2025 · 26/12/2025 18:53

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 26/12/2025 18:51

It's entirely your own fault for reading the Guardian 😂

This 100%!!!

Didshejustsaythatoutloud · 26/12/2025 18:51

It's entirely your own fault for reading the Guardian 😂

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 18:50

It did make me laugh that they were anxious about getting old, but they've just turned 30 and they realise it's not that bad!
😂

HappyFace2025 · 26/12/2025 18:49

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 18:47

I've noticed in the article they are not "she". They are they.

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I haven't read the article but that would put me off no matter how good an actress she is. It's no wonder that the Guardian interviewed her lol

KarminaBurana · 26/12/2025 18:47

verycloakanddaggers · 26/12/2025 15:27

Well that's on you, because the dramas she has been in recently are widely known.

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I've noticed in the article they are not "she". They are they.

DuchessofStaffordshire · 26/12/2025 18:44

tartyflette · 26/12/2025 17:38

I'm another one who has not heard of this actress or the TV show in question. And I do watch a lot of television, especially decent dramas.
So I have to concur with the OP on this.

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Read: I have exceptional taste in televised drama so if I haven't heard of it, it must be crap.

PhantomOfAllKnowledge · 26/12/2025 18:32

I'm not especially interested in celebrities, however famous they are - but other people are interested, so nothing is wrong with this kind of piece.

If Lola Pettigrew was in two series recently shown on mainstream telly, that's well-known enough to justify an interview in my opinion.

Americano75 · 26/12/2025 18:25

So many deleted comments. Only on mumsnet could this be such a controversial topic.

Lovelyview · 26/12/2025 18:15

TheSmallAssassin · 26/12/2025 17:53

Do you listen to much Radio 4? They're really good for this sort of thing, for example The Life Scientific.

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Yes, I really enjoy The Life Scientific.

yorkshiretoffee · 26/12/2025 18:09

Trespasses was a fabulous series, based on a fabulous book. Lola was brilliant.

Articles like this might make more people aware of Lola and that's a win for everyone.
There's quite often articles about people I've never heard of - if there wasn't, I'd be stuck in the 1980s.

Piggywaspushed · 26/12/2025 18:00

There were threads on MN about both dramas. MN approved both programmes.

TheSmallAssassin · 26/12/2025 17:53

Lovelyview · 26/12/2025 17:12

It's not just the Guardian, I've never understood why newspapers interview actors rather than scientists, campaigners, writers, artists, etc. I know they sometimes do but actors seem to outnumber anyone else 10 to 1.

Do you listen to much Radio 4? They're really good for this sort of thing, for example The Life Scientific.

Piggywaspushed · 26/12/2025 17:49

Watch it. Then you will have heard of her. Both her shows have been shown on C4 in the last month.

tartyflette · 26/12/2025 17:38

senua · 26/12/2025 16:17

Am I the only [person] who is fed up with all these no names presented like they are celebrities?
Can I join the club. Who the heck cares what actors (celebrities or otherwise) think? They are not Great Thinkers of Our Time, they are (1) people who need publicity and (2) fill media's column inches / airtime.
It is, sadly, no deeper than that.

I'm another one who has not heard of this actress or the TV show in question. And I do watch a lot of television, especially decent dramas.
So I have to concur with the OP on this.

HappyFace2025 · 26/12/2025 17:34

Lovelyview · 26/12/2025 17:32

That's why the actors want to be interviewed but I don't understand why the newspaper want to feature them. On the whole they're not the most interesting group.

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Cheap for the newspapers I guess.

Lovelyview · 26/12/2025 17:32

HappyFace2025 · 26/12/2025 17:28

Because they need the 'advertorial' for their latest film. Lots of writers are also interviewed when they have a new book out.

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That's why the actors want to be interviewed but I don't understand why the newspaper want to feature them. On the whole they're not the most interesting group.

GeorgeClooneyshouldhavemarriedme · 26/12/2025 17:30

jen337 · 26/12/2025 15:38

It’s ok OP MN is a safe space, you can admit it’s all the they/them bollocks that annoyed you.

Totally.

How tiring must it be to write like that?

"They say, They've been, They are....."

HappyFace2025 · 26/12/2025 17:28

Lovelyview · 26/12/2025 17:12

It's not just the Guardian, I've never understood why newspapers interview actors rather than scientists, campaigners, writers, artists, etc. I know they sometimes do but actors seem to outnumber anyone else 10 to 1.

Because they need the 'advertorial' for their latest film. Lots of writers are also interviewed when they have a new book out.

Curledup81 · 26/12/2025 17:24

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

Fernsrus · 26/12/2025 17:19

Some of those threads are just adverts, I expect. You see them for proff it’s too often. Ten people in a row come in to best each other about how essential to their lives is some product or other. Usually costing a fortune.

DenizenOfAisleOfShame · 26/12/2025 17:17

Zhu · 26/12/2025 17:12

700k viewers is about 1% of the UK population. I think it’s relatively safe to say that very few people are talking about the show. It’s crazy how low viewing figures are now even for “popular” shows.

Yeah, I got a few replies haughtily telling me that this person is not any of an influencer, a pop newcomer or a minor soap actor. True, she’s even more obscure than those!

700k viewers. Not impressive. And on C4, apparently. So a complete backwater.

Zhu · 26/12/2025 17:12

700k viewers is about 1% of the UK population. I think it’s relatively safe to say that very few people are talking about the show. It’s crazy how low viewing figures are now even for “popular” shows.

Lovelyview · 26/12/2025 17:12

It's not just the Guardian, I've never understood why newspapers interview actors rather than scientists, campaigners, writers, artists, etc. I know they sometimes do but actors seem to outnumber anyone else 10 to 1.

Ghostmartin · 26/12/2025 17:04

Personally I like dramas with unknown actors in them. They have no 'baggage' and I don't have to try and forget their previous roles. The same goes for reading about new talent instead of the same people we've heard from a million times.

Say Nothing was a great drama that stays with you. LP and the actor that played her sister were both great.

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