DOCTOR Foster star Victoria Hamilton has lifted the lid on the 'dark secrets' of her 'control freak' character in spin-off series Life.

Hamilton plays the part of Belle in the new BBC offering – the new name adopted by Anna, the character she brought to life in Mike Bartlett's Doctor Foster.

The spin-off follows Belle attempting to make a new life for herself following her split from cheating husband Neil (played by Adam Jones).

Viewers watch as the stories of the residents of a large house divided into four flats unfold across six hour-long episodes.

Speaking on the show's themes of love, loss, birth, death and everything in between, Hamilton told Radio Times: "Everyone has secrets and dark stuff going on and you don’t need to go too far through the wall or behind the curtain to glimpse them.

"I look at my neighbours and think they seem so sorted, why can’t our family be more normal? We all think that."

She explained how the house at the centre of Life "looks beautiful from the outside, cosy and lovely, but when you meet these people who’ve been living there for a long time, you realise they don’t know each other, apart from a nodding acquaintance in the hall."

The 49-year-old reflected on her own character's personal battles, including the return of her ex-husband and the arrival of her 15-year-old niece Maya (Erin Kellyman) which turns her new life upside down.

She commented: "Mike is brilliant at sending his characters the worst challenge possible.

”Mine is a control freak and suddenly she’s in a situation she cannot control and that makes for very good drama."

But Hamilton admits it took her a while to realise she was in fact playing Anna – the role she brought to life in Doctor Foster.

She recalled: "I just thought this is a wonderful character.”

And as she recognised the similarities between the two she mentioned her discovery to creator Bartlett in an email.

Hamilton revealed: "He wrote back saying, ‘It is Anna. She’s calling herself Belle, as in Anna-Belle'."

She admitted: "I was very slow on the uptake."

Alison Steadman, Adrian Lester, Melissa Johns, Elaine Paige and Susannah Fielding also star in Barlett's latest offering.

Life airs on BBC One from September 29th at 9pm.

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