Clip: Season 2024 | 2m 1s | Video has closed captioning.
"The story of a woman who is a great survivor." Helena Bonham Carter and more discuss the real story behind legendary British television star Noele 'Nolly' Gordon.
Aired: 03/07/24
From:
Support provided by:
(upbeat music) - Ladies and gentlemen, miss Noele Gordon.
(crowd clapping) (upbeat music) - [Helena] Nolly, Noele Gordon, was the star of a soap opera called Crossroads.
15 million viewers a night.
Which was enormous.
- [Speaker 1] It's you, isn't it?
- Yes, I'm afraid - it is.
- She was an icon.
- [Speaker 2] No charge, Nolly, no charge.
- Then overnight, suddenly, she was sacked, brutally chopped out of her own show.
No one's ever quite known why.
- [Speaker 3] They have plans for the future of the show without you.
- This is her story, the story of a woman who's a great survivor.
- [Speaker 4] 60 seconds, quiet please.
- [Helena] It's a beautiful piece of writing.
She just jumped off the page.
I have been brutally axed and my heart is utterly broken.
She's somebody who's treated really badly, but didn't behave like a victim.
She called them out on it.
She's so gutsy, I just thought, God, everyone needs a Nolly.
- Why did they get rid of you, Nolly?
- Why did Crossroads sack you?
- Why did they get rid of you?
- I don't know, dear, I do not know.
I don't know, all right?
(Nolly screaming) - That's an amazing amount of work for Helena's character.
- [Speaker 5] Okay Nolly, we need you on set.
- [Con] She exudes.
No, it's lovely to watch.
- [Augustus] She's so mischievous and so joyous and so smart and so talented.
She's Noele Gordon in this, she completely transforms.
- Ready to record, places, please everyone.
- [Helena] We had a really fun time on the Crossroads set.
- And action.
- And I've never seen Muscles so exciting.
Or the reception and picking up the phone Crossroads Motel.
Can I help you?
It's funny and it's moving and it's mad Cat and bonkers.
- It's fast, it's lively, it's full of glamor.
It's really fun.
But under that, a proper drama, one woman fighting the system, - Those men singled me out.
They beared their teeth, they brought me down.
It's really inspired by her.
- Take center stage.
Beat those bloody men if people are gonna love it.
- Oh, Nolly, you're alive.
I am - best episode ever.
Special Feature
Learn what happened to the real Noele "Nolly" Gordon in her later years. Helena Bonham Carter stars in Nolly on MASTERPIECE on PBS. Watch with PBS Passport.
Learn More
