She began her career with comedic sitcom roles in the likes of The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps.

But Sheridan Smith demonstrated her incredible range on Friday, as she threw herself into filming dramatic and emotional scenes for her upcoming BBC drama The Cage.

The actress, 43, was seen pulling out all the stops for her powerhouse performance, looking distraught as she sobbed in the middle of the street.

Running down the road in just her checked pyjamas and socks, she attempted to chase down a silver car, banging on the windows and screaming at the driver.

As the vehicle sped away, Sheridan broke down in tears, as the film cameras surrounded her to make sure they got every angle.

But in a testament to her skill, after the director had called cut on the scene, the Cilla star was back to her cheerful and smiling self.

Sheridan Smith demonstrated her incredible range on Friday, as she threw herself into filming dramatic and emotional scenes for her upcoming BBC drama The Cage

The actress, 43, was seen pulling out all the stops for her powerhouse performance, looking distraught as she sobbed in the middle of the street

Running down the road in just her checked pyjamas and socks, she attempted to chase down a silver car, banging on the windows and screaming at the driver

She was seen smiling as she chatted and held hands with one of the female crewmembers between shooting. 

And the Gavin & Stacey looked in high spirits as she shared a sweet hug with the series’ director Al Mackay.

Sheridan has been spotted filming for BBC One series in Liverpool over the last few months alongside her co-stars Michael Socha and Barry Sloane.

The captivating five-parter was written and created by BAFTA nominee Tony Schumacher (The Responder).

It follows Sheridan’s character Leanne, and Michael’s Matty, who discover they are both robbing from the safe at the inner-city casino they work in.

Their lives are then set on a collision course; with each other, the local gangster they’re stealing from, and the police.

Tony teased: ‘I’m hoping people will find it funny, dark but, most of all, full of love, life and entertainment. I can’t wait for the world to see it.’

While Element Pictures and Fremantle executive producers Christopher Aird and Hilary Martin added: ‘Tony writes characters from the heart that break your heart, and we’re thrilled Sheridan and Michael are going to be playing Leanne and Matty. 

As the vehicle sped away, Sheridan broke down in tears, as the film cameras surrounded her to make sure they got every angle

 She flung her arms in despair, wearing only a pair of plaid pyjama bottoms with a comfy grey top and no shoes

 Her short blonde hair was pulled back in a top knot, allowing the cameras to capture every inch of her anguish

Her character could be seen desperate to stop the male driver from making his escape

Sheridan through herself into the role as she screamed and yelled at the driver

She was surrounded by a filming crew, with sound engineers and camera operators surrounding her from all sides

Crew members could be seen holding up boom-operated microphones to capture Sheridan’s screams and bounce boards for better lighting

‘The Cage is a crime show, a show about family and a love story of sorts. It is by turns funny, poignant, thrilling, and sad; we know Al Mackay will bring his love of real-world characters to tell Tony’s story with verve and energy.’

The new role comes after it was revealed that Sheridan had indefinitely shelved her long-awaited autobiography, Honestly.

The tell-all book was intended to explore her darkest moments, including her battles with alcohol, mental health struggles and high-profile relationships, such as James Corden and Jamie Horn, the father of her son Billy, five.

First announced in 2021, the project went onto face multiple delays, and has now been cancelled after Sheridan changed her mind about revealing all.

A source revealed to The Sun: ‘Sheridan has had a busy few years and didn’t have time to put the finishing touches to the book.

‘Her mindset is different now, and she doesn’t want this version to come out. She felt unsure whether she wants to put all of her life on pages for everyone to read.’

This decision came as no surprise to fans familiar with the Olivier Award winner’s long-standing struggles.

In 2016, the actress faced a highly publicised breakdown while starring in the West End production of Funny Girl. 

But in a testament to her skill, after the director had called cut on the scene, the Cilla star was back to her cheerful and smiling self

She was seen smiling as she chatted and held hands with one of the female crewmembers between shooting

And the Gavin & Stacey looked in high spirits as she shared a sweet hug with the series’ director Al Mackay (seen)

She began her career with comedic sitcom roles in the likes of The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, but has demonstrated her skill at dramatic roles too

The actress has won a slew of gongs for her talents, including a National Television Award, a BAFTA and an Olivier

Sheridan has been spotted filming for BBC One series in Liverpool over the last few months alongside her co-stars Michael Socha and Barry Sloane

The captivating five-parter was written and created by BAFTA nominee Tony Schumacher (The Responder)

It follows Sheridan’s character Leanne, and Michael’s Matty, who discover they are both robbing from the safe at the inner-city casino they work in

Their lives are then set on a collision course; with each other, the local gangster they’re stealing from, and the police

Tony teased: ‘I’m hoping people will find it funny, dark but, most of all, full of love, life and entertainment. I can’t wait for the world to see it’

While Element Pictures and Fremantle executive producers Christopher Aird and Hilary Martin added: ‘Tony writes characters from the heart that break your heart, and we’re thrilled Sheridan and Michael are going to be playing Leanne and Matty’

‘The Cage is a crime show, a show about family and a love story of sorts. It is by turns funny, poignant, thrilling, and sad; we know Al Mackay will bring his love of real-world characters to tell Tony’s story with verve and energy’

The new role comes after it was revealed that Sheridan had indefinitely shelved her long-awaited autobiography, Honestly

The tell-all book was intended to explore her darkest moments, including her battles with alcohol, mental health struggles and high-profile relationships, such as James Corden and Jamie Horn, the father of her son Billy, five

 First announced in 2021, the project went onto face multiple delays, and has now been cancelled after Sheridan changed her mind about revealing all

Stress, exhaustion and her father’s cancer diagnosis compounded her mental health issues, forcing her to take a hiatus from the show.

Reflecting on that period, Sheridan admitted: ‘I was very ashamed of that time in my life. I went off the rails a bit, dated all the wrong people… I feel like I’m a mum now, and I’m very grateful for everything I’ve got. I feel like the best is yet to come.’

The BAFTA-winning actress has never shied away from discussing her mental health battles, often tying them to the pressures of fame and loss.

Her father’s death in 2016 profoundly affected her, leading to an extended period of grief.

‘The public always stood by me… People were stopping me and cuddling me on the street,’ she shared in a recent interview, expressing graтιтude for the understanding she received during that time.

Her most recent West End play, Opening Night, which she described as ‘close to the bone’, highlighted the parallels between her own struggles and those of her character, a functioning alcoholic actress unraveling under pressure.

But despite Sheridan’s dedication to the role, the production faced harsh criticism and an early closure, as producers blamed a ‘challenging financial landscape’ for the shock decision.