Netflix adds lavish Jenna Coleman costume drama which is a must watch

Netflix has added Jenna Coleman 's lavish period drama Victoria , which cemented her place as a top star.

Over three seasons, Jenna starred as the young monarch opposite Tom Hughes as the love of Victoria's life, Prince Albert.

At the time Jenna was already well known for playing Jasmine Thomas in Emmerdale and for appearing as Clara Oswald in Doctor Who , however, Victoria proved she could lead a major series.

I was actually lucky enough to interview Jenna on location for the first series of Victoria , which is obviously where you should begin if you've not seen the series!

The opening season, available now on Netflix UK, is in many ways the most interesting as it covers the early period of Victoria's life, something not explored greatly elsewhere.

We see 18-year-old Victoria try to escape her suffocating mother and assert herself as she takes the throne.

Jenna told me : "Victoria has been brought up at Kensington Palace and treated like a political pawn.

"She doesn't have anyone at Kensington except her dog. Her relationship with her mother has already dissolved by the time we start the series and although Conroy [a controlling man who tries to manipulate her] wants to be a father figure to Victoria, she can't abide him."

But in the opening series, we see Victoria gain an ally in her prime minister, the dashing Lord Melbourne (Rufus Sewell).

"Her diary entries reveal that she's obsessed with Melbourne. We explore their incredible relationship, which I don't think I've seen played out in any other show.

"Some suggest it's love, others that it's simply a friendship, but what's clear is that when she becomes Queen she needs him, she really needs him."

Talking about why she enjoyed the part, Jenna added: "She's wonderful to play because while on occasions she has to act formally at other times she's actually just a young girl who wants to break out of her corset to play on the floor with her dog."

Later in the opening series, we see Victoria meet Albert and their love affair begins. Victoria boasted an amazing cast including Eve Myles, Peter Bowles and Peter Firth, but it was Jenna's series. She's since gone on to star in a string of dramas including Prime Video's Wilderness and most recently the hit BBC drama The Jetty .

Victoria is available on Netflix UK and ITVX. While American viewers can watch it via PBS Masterpiece. Wilderness is available on Prime Video while The Jetty is on BBC iPlayer and BritBox.