Harlots reveals more of a valuable activity!

Not the whole book obviously, but a section which has piqued her interest. You could hear a pin drop as she finishes.

It’s 1997 and fresh from the success of TV hits Cracker and Band of Gold, the twentysomething actress is promoting an ITV version of the Charlotte Bronte classic.

As impressive as she is in said production, or at that reading, fate doesn’t always reward the gifted. Ms Morton could have been another of those ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ actresses, but thankfully she really started making waves in the acting world. Okay, make that a tsunami.

She was later cast in a string of high-profile projects, including Oscar-nominated turns in Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown, and Jim Sheridan’s In America, and gave stunning performance in Steven Spielberg’s 2002 sci-fi epic Minority Report.

Like Samantha, Lesley Manville also honed her acting skills on Soldier Soldier, the ITV crowd-pleaser which gave us tunesmiths Robson and Jerome. She’s spent decades turning out a wealth of dramas and comedies, many with Mike Leigh. Perhaps little wonder she’s one of Bafta’s most regular nominees, or that her stunning turn in Phantom Thread landed her an Oscar nomination.

Samantha and Lesley are a formidable double act whose work in alluring period drama Harlots has been one of TV’s best kept secrets for the past few years. If you’ve not already binged it on subscription telly, here’s a chance to see what all the fuss is about.

Samantha plays Margaret Wells, the madam of an up-and-coming brothel, while Lesley is Lydia Quigley, the ruthless boss of an uppe- class house of ill repute.

Set against the backdrop of 18th-century Georgian London, Harlots offers a new take on the city’s most valuable commercial activity – sex.

Inspired by the stories of real women, the saga follows Margaret and her daughters as she struggles to reconcile her roles as mother and brothel owner.

In the first of a double bill, Margaret plans to move up in the world by taking over a house in Greek Street, while rival Lydia enlists religious crusaders and constables to raid the illegal abode.

“Aided by a truly magnificent cast, Harlots brings 18th-century London to life with enormous style, wit, intelligence and humour,” enthuses Sue Deeks, BBC Head of Programme Acquisition. “BBC viewers will become immersed in the gripping lives of business women Margaret Wells and Lydia Quigley as they make their way in London’s grimy, decadent world.”

While some will boast about how they’ve already warmed to the charms of feuding madams Wells and Quigley via non-BBC means on channels such as ITV Encore, one of the benefits of being late to the party is the fact we can binge series one and two back to back in the coming weeks. The third series will air at a later date.

If you’re a fan of Ms Manville’s sublime sitcom Mum, look out for her co-star Dorothy Atkinson as religious zealot Florence Scanwell; Downton Abbey veteran Jessica Brown Findlay co-stars as Margaret’s daughter Charlotte Wells.

Trivia fans may also note the first few episodes are directed by Coky Giedroyc, sister of Mel, and helmer of the new Caitlin Moran-inspired movie, How to Build a Girl.