Beyond Paradise star Felicity Montagu's life off-screen from famous ancestors to children

BBC One's Beyond Paradise is back with a new season, featuring the return of Felicity Montagu in her role as Margo Martins. The 64 year old actress hails from Leeds and is perhaps most recognised for her portrayal of Lynn Benfield, the beleaguered assistant to Steve Coogan's Alan Partridge.

Born into a family of five children, Montagu has an intriguing lineage as the daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel John Drogo Montagu, whose great-great-grandfather was Admiral George Montagu, a renowned Royal Navy officer.

George was the great-great-grandson of James Montagu, who was the third son of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester. Henry was a prominent English judge, politician and peer, infamous for sentencing Sir Walter Raleigh to death.

His son James served as MP for Huntingdon in the English House of Commons, sharing the platform with Oliver Cromwell in 1628. As for Felicity's career, she boasts notable credits such as Bridget Jones's Diary, Doc Martin, Suburban Shootout and Nighty Night.

She has also been a regular voice on BBC Radio 4 since the 1980s. In her personal life, she tied the knot with TV and radio producer Alan Nixon in 1984.

Despite divorcing in 2006, the couple shares two children - Olivia and Luke. "We're still a team," she shared with The Guardian. "My children make me laugh a lot."

Felicity and her daughter, also an actress, collaborated professionally in the BBC Radio 4 series Guilt Trip, where they portrayed a mother-daughter duo, drawing on real-life inspiration from a package holiday they enjoyed together to Fuerteventura in the Canary Islands.

Speaking of their bond, she remarked: "We've always had a rough and tumble relationship. Forever catching up with each other because I was grieving when I gave birth and then I got very ill and was in hospital for weeks."

Felicity opened up about the tough times surrounding the birth of her daughter Olivia, who arrived just three months after the passing of her own mother from cancer. Gina Ford, before rising to fame as a childcare expert, served as baby nurse to Olivia.

"She was whipped away and taken home because I couldn't breastfeed her. It was a strange beginning," Felicity recounted. She contrasted that experience with her more fortunate early years, recalling how her parents supported her acting career even though they had their doubts.

The series Beyond Paradise is currently broadcast on BBC One, Friday nights at 8pm.