I will be watching it with my parents, son and brother in Cheshire. I think it will stand on its own two feet very well. It’s got real depth and character and, because it’s seen from the perspective of women, it's a completely new drama. How do you feel about the show’s debut on Sunday evening?Ī new project is always scary but I absolutely believe in it. It’s been a hugely positive experience and I’m incredibly grateful to ITV and the whole production team for being so generous to me. The detail was so beautiful and authentic and it was just perfect. It made a noise, it had a smell and it was warm - it was the most magical thing I’ve ever experienced in my career. I’ve worked on this era for 15 years – I’ve read about it, I’ve seen black and white films, I’ve researched books and diaries and letters about it and then suddenly, in front of my eyes, it came to life. The most surreal and exciting moment was when we were filming herding some cows into a farmyard on day two.

What was the most surreal moment of the production? It was my first, and I expect my last, bit of acting - I certainly didn't look very good in the grey wig but they were all very sweet about it. ’ He just roared with laughter and said ‘you've got to be in it!’ It was great fun to meet the actresses and see how the filming process works. We’d had a convo during one of the first script meetings about the first time it had snowed in 1940 and I had to say, ‘I’m really embarrassed but I do actually know the answer - it was. Will we see you in a cameo role in the series? I read all the scripts so I could comment on factual accuracy and also on tone to make sure Simon used words that were around in the 1940s - one of the most important things was that women in rural villages didn't swear! I really had very little to do - Simon is a fantastic writer and the women he has created are so believable, magnificent and special. I was Historical Consultant, particularly on all matters to do with the WI. What was your role in the making of Home Fires? It looks at the war from a completely different perspective. I was very interested to find out what the Women’s Institute had done during the Second World War and I was astonished! You have to understand that the war was for women too - their war was about anxiety, fear of loss and loss itself - Jambusters really brought that to life. The series is created and written by Simon Block and stars Samantha Bond and Francesca Annis. The series, set in Cheshire, is inspired by Julie's factual book, Jambusters, which tells the inspiring story of the Women's Institute's role during the Second World War.

Author and historian, Julie Summers, talks about her latest project Home Fires, which will air this Sunday at 9pm on ITV.

Jambusters by Julie Summers