BOLTON actress Amy Nuttall is set to appear in a new crime drama series, playing a hard-hitting journalist.

The Downton Abbey star, from Westhoughton, is part of the By Any Means cast, alongside other high-profile names including David Harewood, from Homeland, Nick Moran, from Mr Selfridge, and Honor Blackman, from Goldfinger.

Amy, who went to Bury Grammar School, said: “I’m so excited to be part of this gripping new drama. My character is a hard-hitting journalist, very different from some of the other characters I’ve played.”

The stars will join the original drama’s cast, made up of Warren Brown, from Luther, Shelley Conn, from Mistresses, Andrew-Lee Potts, from Primeval, Gina McKee, from The Borgias, and Elliot Knight, from Sinbad.

By Any Means will air on BBC next month with Amy appearing in episode four.