THE TUDORS

THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL (2003 TV)

Sex, Passion and Royal Intrigue

BBC2's costume drama based on Philippa Gregory's award-winning novel of the same name, tells the story of Anne Boleyn's sister, Mary, who had also attracted the roving eye of the King - and had lost her heart to him many years before.

All's fair in love and war
Happily married Mary Boleyn (Natascha McElhone) is forced by her family to become King Henry VIII's (Jared Harris) mistress after catching his eye at Court. "Use your wiles!" insists her father, Sir Thomas Boleyn (Jack Shepherd). Initially horrified by her predicament, the young bride quickly falls in love with her lover the young King, but whilst pregnant and in confinement, the King's wandering eye turns to her ruthless, ambitious sister, Anne (Jodhi May, "The Last of the Mohicans", "Aristocrats", "The House of Mirth", "Daniel Deronda", "The Mayor of Casterbridge").

It's a family affair
Mary bears the King a son, but the Boleyn family's scheming relations make her step aside so Anne can manoeuvre herself into becoming Queen.

Ladies, hold your breaths for:

* Jared Harris (b. 1961, "Far and Away", "The Last of the Mohicans", "To the Ends of the Earth") as King Henry VIII.