Sean Bean plays school teacher, Simon Gaskell, seen here as Simon's alter ego, Tracie Tremarco, during the making of Accused





















Sean Bean plays school teacher, Simon Gaskell, seen here as Simon's alter ego, Tracie Tremarco, during the making of Accused

He became known to millions of viewers as the macho soldier in historical drama Sharpe. But here’s actor Sean Bean in a slightly more unfamiliar role.
The 52-year-old poses in drag in his new role as a transexual in BBC1’s courtroom drama The Accused. Bean dons a mini-skirt and a blonde wig as he plays the part of school teacher Simon Gaskell’s alter ego, Tracie Tremarco.

Stephen Graham stars as Tony, a satellite and aerial engineer, and Rachel Leskovac plays his wife of 12 years, beautician Karen.

* Here are ten other cross-dressing stars - can you work out who they are?

Ben Stephenson, Controller of Drama Commissioning at the BBC, said Bean would feature in the third episode of the four-part show.

He told members of the Broadcasting Press Guild: "He's playing a transsexual, a brilliant story, untold I think on mainstream television".

Sean Bean as Richard Sharpe (pic: ITV)
Sean Bean in more familiar territory as Richard Sharpe

Other names lined up for the new series include Anna Maxwell Martin, Stephen Graham and Liverpudlian comic John Bishop.

The first series of the legal drama, written by Cracker creator Jimmy McGovern, starred Peter Capaldi, Christopher Eccleston and Mackenzie Crook.

Bean plays an English teacher called Simon and his alter ego, Tracie, whose quest for love leads to the courtroom.

He will appear alongside Graham and Rachel Leskovac, who played hairdresser Natasha Blakeman in Coronation Street.

Bean said: "I've wanted to work on a Jimmy McGovern drama for a while and I think this cracking script really delivers a powerful, emotional drama for the audience."