Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman will be joined by actors from Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures in Victoria, ITV’s major new drama series from the makers of Poldark.

The eight-part drama stars Coleman as Queen Victoria and will follow her early life, from her ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18, through to her courtship and marriage to Price Albert.

Rufus Sewell (Parade’s End) will play Lord Melbourne, Victoria’s first prime minister, alongside Paul Rhys (Being Human) as Sir John Conroy, the ambitious controller of the Duchess of Kent’s household, who controlled Victoria’s upbringing, hoping to rule through her, when she came to the throne.

Peter Firth (Spooks) will play the Queen’s conniving uncle, the Duke of Cumberland, and Catherine Flemming (No Place to Go) plays the Duchess of Kent, Queen Victoria’s mother.

The cast also includes Eve Myles (Torchwood) as Mrs Jenkins, the Queen’s senior dresser, Adrian Schiller (Suffragette) as Penge, the Household Steward, Nichola McAuliffe (Coronation Street) as the ruthless Duchess of Cumberland, Daniela Holtz (Phoenix, Der Verdacht) as Victoria’s governess and confidante Baroness Lehzen, Nell Hudson (Outlander) as the mysterious new member of the household, Miss Skerrett and Tommy-Lawrence Knight (The Sarah Jane Adventures) as the hall boy, Brodie.

Created and written by acclaimed novelist Daisy Goodwin, Victoria will begin in 2016 with a 90-minute special, followed by seven one-hour episodes.

Jenna Coleman can be seen on BBC One this autumn as Clara in the new season of Doctor Who, which continues on Saturday night.

Are you looking forward to Victoria? Let us know below…