Fans of the BBC tea-time drama Robin Hood will have been keenly watching the new series as fresh female villain Isabella, sister to the evil Sir Guy of Gisborne, came crashing in to the medieval romp as Robin’s latest love interest.

Isabella is played by actress Lara Pulver, 27, who recently enjoyed success at the Hackney Empire in Beau Jest, playing a New York Jewish girl who tricks her parents into thinking she has a “kosher” boyfriend.

Ms Pulver, whose mother converted to Judaism before her marriage, was spotted by a BBC casting director while on stage at the Donmar Warehouse in the musical Parade.

“It was fortunate that she came to see me” said south Londoner Ms Pulver. “Three months later I was meeting the director and four days later I was on my way to Budapest to film the series for the next four-and-a-half months. It’s great. You couldn’t ask for a better TV debut. I’m getting fan mail every day which is a huge compliment to the show. Being accepted by the fans is a great compliment to the show’s producers and writers.”

Ms Pulver has recently finished filming a feature-length thriller, Legacy, alongside The Wire’s Eamonn Walker, and has her sights set on Hollywood where she is planning to move with actor husband Josh Dallas.