Suranne Jones unveils statue of Gentleman Jack protagonist Anne Lister

The actress unveiled the sculpture in Halifax, West Yorkshire.
Suranne Jones as the character Anne Lister (Jay Brooks/BBC One)
PA Media
Laura Parnaby26 September 2021

Actress Suranne Jones has been pictured unveiling of a statue of Anne Lister, a diarist regarded as the first modern lesbian, who she plays in Gentleman Jack

The Vigil star revealed the new sculpture – called Contemplation – in Halifax West Yorkshire where the 19th-century writer was from.

The life-size statue of Lister was commissioned by The Piece Hall Trust and is set to welcome thousands of visitors to its Georgian courtyard.

Jones, 43, was joined by the Gentleman Jack series creator Sally Wainwright and sculptor Diane Lawrenson to reveal the piece.

Wearing a navy blazer and matching trousers, Jones smiled and waved for pictures, and spoke with fans who had joined them at the square for the unveiling.

Gentleman Jack is a dramatisation based on Lister’s diaries, which were written in a cryptic code.

Set in 1832, it follows Lister’s life as she inherits her uncle’s fading estate, Shibden Hall in Halifax, which she attempts to restore while encountering a romance with another woman.

This comes as the final episode of Vigil, a six-part BBC thriller made by the same company behind Line Of Duty – which Jones also stars in, is broadcast on Sunday night.

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