Worst acting in a British tv drama goes to.......

[decisionsindecisions]

Winding down for bed and saw that the Inspector Lynley Mysteries is being repeated on Sky. My god it’s crap. I don’t recall it being this cliched and badly acted when it was on originally.

I used to quite like this. Maybe I was just easily pleased in those days.

On the flip side, I think young Liv from Emmerdale is a fantastic actress.

The Harry Potter kids are also really bad actors. I reckon they were chosen for their looks only. Emma Watson’s eyebrows were so distracting I gave up after about half hour of the first film.

I gave up on Eastenders years ago, Sharons acting was just unbearable.

I remember Sharon from EE in a series about switchboard operators (may have been set in the 50s) when she first left EE and she was really good. Every clip of EE I see her in she has the same expression on her face. I think it's the show, but then Lacey Turner is great.

Stephen Tompkinson Is very wooden.

“now, at the age of 56 is stuck competing with people who did a bit of am dram and fancied themselves as a professional actor”

It’s ultra competitive and there are far fewer paid jobs than people wanting the jobs. (Hence the crappy terms and conditions). Nothing wrong with anyone competing for the work.

All sorts of factors will be a consideration for people doing the casting - eg looks.

Steve in corrie is terrible I watch classic virtue and he has exactly 're same expressions now that he did then, I don't think he ever trained as an actor though I think I read years ago they picked the McDonald twins from the same school.

Classic corrie*

On the subject of children with "posh" accents. Many years ago DD's school (independent) was approached by casting directors for a film. They needed to cast two well spoken Victorian children. Apparently (so they said) they struggled to find RP accents in the public sector or through drama/stage schools.

I meant state sector, not public.

If you want to be amused by children's accents listen to some R4 drama. Either adult pretending to be children or very RP children no matter what the role is. And they are usually rubbish too.

Radio 4 drama is my pet hate Disford . Whatever I stumble across seems badly written with unbelievable dialogue and terrible acting.

Yes Jane Wymark was the original Morwenna in the best version of Poldark

Also here to defend Elizabeth McGovern and Stephen Tompkinson.

I tend to listen to a lot (off sick and agoraphobia). I enjoy Life at Absolute Zero (funny with some sad), Love in Recovery and The Interrogation. It's very hit and miss though.

Luxesoap there is the occasional good thing but yes couldn't agree with you more about Radio 4 drama! Either arch middle class actors with a capital "A" being irritatingly middle class, or arch middle-class actors with appalling regional accents.

Speaking of accents (excuse the pun) - Karl Urban in The Boys is hilariously bad. Makes Dick Van Dyke look like a native cockney. Good job the show is so good and he's easy on the eye.

Definitely Lady Mary in Downton Abbey - appalling!

But also this: Eve Myles in Keeping Faith. I've always liked her before but her gurning and overacting in this is unbearable Was thinking exactly this last night.

I watched the first three episodes of The Boys before realising that Karl Urban’s character was meant to be English. I literally thought he was playing an Australian.

I have been watching Downton repeats recently and was just thinking the very same thing StCharlotte!

I’m not a doctor who fan but my partner is so I’ve seen a few episodes. I thought Jodie Whittaker was terrible, very badly acted, along with her companions. The storylines were just as bad, even my die hard, life long dr who fan partner admitted the last series was dreadful.

Peter Sellars doing a French accent was pretty bad but very funny.

Danny Dire in EE is terrible.

Suranne Jones can't act to save her life in my view and yet has won a couple of awards!

I also think Billie Piper is a terrible actress

Joyfullittlehippo I was driving and caught a bit of a drama which had an Indian character in. It was a non-Indian woman tryIng to speak with whatever accent the character was supposed to have. It was just so grim. It feels as If they just can’t be bothered to find an actor with an authentic accent and just go for anyone prepared to have a stab at it. Awful.

I hate doing this on threads because these are people trying their best and i feel guilty bitching (mew mew i know!) but dev off coro!

Katenandme whilst I warm to a softhearted person such as you sound above , how do you know they are doing their best?? They might just be acting by numbers and picking up a big fat pay cheque!

Sorry but if you can't act get off my screen (and yes that most defo applies to Dev from Corrie and Charlie from Casualty)also Duffy is in the same class as Anna Friel with One Facial Expression.

Imagine pulling yourself into work every day and doing your best job and then having people slate you for it online No need to imagine it! My profession and workplace gets slated by the media, politicians and our partners. 😊