Doctor Who’s Jodie Whittaker explains how she developed mannerisms and accent for Dear England – and whether she met the real Pippa Grange

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The BBC’s Dear England features a cast made up of both original stage actors returning to their roles and new performers joining the production.

Joseph Fiennes returns as Gareth Southgate in this new drama, alongside John Hodgkinson, Adam Hugill, Josh Barrow, and Lewis Shepherd, who all previously appeared with him in the original play.

Pippa Grange is a key character who’s been portrayed by several actresses. Gina McKee first played the role, followed by Dervla Kirwan, Liz White, and Samantha Womack in different versions of the show. Now, Jodie Whittaker, known for her role in Doctor Who, is taking on the part.

In an exclusive interview with TopMob, Whittaker shared that she never met the real-life Dr. Grange, the psychologist hired by Gareth Southgate to lead team development at The Football Association from 2017 to 2019. She spoke alongside actor Ralph Fiennes.

Surprisingly, this didn’t hold Whittaker back at all – it actually relieved some of the pressure he was feeling.

I never actually met Pippa, and honestly, that was a good thing because it took some of the pressure off,” Whittaker said. “If I’d had to describe her, it would have been difficult to say whether my impression was accurate. There wasn’t much information to work with, so I felt a lot more creative freedom.

It really helped that she has a public profile. Like Joe, I was able to get a sense of her voice, and it was fascinating because she’s originally from the North but has lived in Australia for years. That experience gives her speech a distinct Australian quality, which is wonderful to hear throughout this incredibly well-written book.

As an actor, it was a real gift to approach this role without feeling the need to copy anyone else. I didn’t have to worry about matching a stage performance or translating it for the screen, because I hadn’t played the role before. I was just able to watch the original performance and be deeply moved by it.

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So, I heard about the play, and Jodie Whittaker actually saw it! She said it was fantastic, but here’s the funny thing – she didn’t see Ralph Fiennes in the lead role. Instead, she watched Gwilym Lee, who played Southgate both in the National Theatre production and is set to reprise the role in Salford in 2025. It’s a bit confusing, but cool that she got to see a different actor take on the part!

“Don’t tell Joe, he was brilliant,” Whittaker joked.

The play ‘Dear England’ follows Gareth Southgate’s time as manager of the England national team, from 2016 to 2024. It’s based on a script by James Graham, who also created the stage version.

Dear England will begin on BBC One and iPlayer at 9pm on Sunday 24 May 2026.

Don’t miss Dear England! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app now for daily TV suggestions, articles, and more.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, an international television production company. He has a BA in English and Theatre Studies, as well as a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-05-20 10:34