Anglesey actor Tony Adams portrayed in ITV's Nolly

Augustus Prew, who recently appeared in The Lord Of The Rings: The Rings Of Power, plays Welsh actor Tony Adams, who starred in Crossroads as a young actor alongside Noele Gordon, known to friends as Nolly.

It was there a friendship formed, and he stood by Gordon from beginning to end, including during the troubled times - when she was infamously and controversially sacked after 19 years on Crossroads aged 61 - portrayed in ITV's new series Nolly.

Augustus described the invaluable meetings he had with Tony before portraying him on the series.

“He’s a magical man. He was just so progressive for his time and I just wanted to honour his spirit,” said Prew.

“He loves his mother, he sort of idolises powerful women, which was the opposite of the time. It’s a time of action movies and it’s the beginning of big muscles and Tony is this wonderful breath of fresh air that at the time was very contrary to what was going on.”

Augustus Prew as Tony Adams in ITV's Nolly. Picture credit should read: ©ITV.

Tony was born in December 1940 in Anglesey, to Winifred Brown, a well-known sportswoman and aviator.

He trained as an actor at the Italia Conti Stage School. As a child, he appeared on the London stage, before going on to major roles in Crossroads and General Hospital. He is a familiar face on television with varied roles in popular series, including Doctor Who.

Tony appears as himself in later life in the drama.

Meanwhile, Doctor Who showrunner Russell T Davies said the late Noele Gordon has no living family – which made him and Helena Bonham Carter “extra protective” of her legacy and determined to do her “justice” on their latest project.

Three-part ITVX series Nolly sees Bonham Carter play Gordon following the rise and fall of the actress.

Davies, best known for Doctor Who and Channel 4 series It’s A Sin, said of Bonham Carter: “What a joy and what an honour and what a laugh. She’s so delightful. It’s one of those situations where people say, ‘Shall we send the script to Helena Bonham Carter?’

“I just kind of rolled my eyes, saying, ‘She won’t want to do this, she’s busy making movies’. To get an instant yes from her and an instant connection with the character was amazing.

“In absolute fairness, she was so determined, like all of us, to do Nolly justice. There’s no one left from Nolly’s family so there’s no one to protect her legacy. I think that made us extra protective – all of us – to take care with her, to be honest but kind.

“That’s what Helena’s brought to it. There’s a ruthless honesty. But she captures the joy of her, I think, too. She fills it with life.”

Davies said Bonham Carter’s embodiment of the role is one of his “favourite performances” and he had “the most fun” spending lots of time talking to previous cast members who “adored” Gordon.

British actor Mark Gatiss, who stars as inimitable entertainer and Gordon’s best friend Larry Grayson, said Davies wrote the series as a “love letter” to television.

Meanwhile, Bonham Carter said Davies is a “champion of the underdog and the people that were forgotten.”

Of Gordon, she said: “Russell thought she was treated appallingly and wanted to bring her back into people’s minds and give her the send off she deserved. I know he felt that Nolly deserved better treatment than what she’d received in real life.

“So, for me, personally, I hope it inspires the Nolly within all of us – somebody who won’t go quietly and won’t brook any mistreatment.”

Nolly can be seen on ITVX.

Additional reporting by Newsquest staff