Paloma Faith is not one to stand on the sidelines.

However, during her most recent filming stint as part of Pennyworth series two, the performer had no choice but to relinquish control and let someone else undertake the action sequences.

She has recently given birth to a healthy baby girl following a planned C-section, but speaking to her prior to the new arrival, she reflects on being pregnant during filming in the midst of a pandemic.

"I had a whole new experience," recalls Faith, 39.

"Throughout the bit where we returned to film, which was after the first lockdown, I was in a pregnancy, so I was growing bigger and bigger by the minute.

"And then as I grew, so did the number of body doubles.

"Because I'm somebody who likes to do all my stunts myself, it was quite difficult at times.

"'I was like 'can I just do it?' and the stunt coordinator was very worried about his insurance.

"So, I just kept getting put to one side and [had to] watch someone else with longing eyes do the mutilation that I really wished I was doing myself."

Adored by DC Comics fans on both sides of the Atlantic, Pennyworth has become known as the overarchingly dark Batman spin-off packed full of twists and turns.

The tale of Batman's loyal butler Alfred Pennyworth, played by The Imitation Game star Jack Bannon, the series sees Faith flex her acting talents as sociopathic Raven Society member Bet Sykes.

With Sykes being a seasoned anarchist with a penchant for lawlessness, Faith says she drew inspiration from a variety of sources ahead of filming.

"We initially started off season one basing Bet Sykes quite heavily on Myra Hindley - both in character and psychological detachment," says Faith.

"And then, over time, I think the American production team got wind of the fact I had another career - which they didn't realise before and started googling.

"They were like 'oooh, she's more attractive than that! Let's sprinkle a bit of that in, it's Hollywood after all!'" she laughs.

With Pennyworth following the misadventures of Alfred, a former SAS soldier, during his 20s, series one saw him form a private security company and undertake work for young billionaire Thomas Wayne, the father of Batman star Bruce Wayne, played by Our Girl and Fleabag actor Ben Aldridge.

After initially becoming a target of The Raven Society - a group conspiring to take over the British government, the action became frenetic, as Alfred found himself fighting against them, joining forces with an American group known as the No Name League.

As for series two?

The drama only escalates.

According to Faith, her recalcitrant character is "promoted for her loyalty, but it doesn't take long for her to realise that just giving her a uniform and a few kind words is enough to make her feel like she has any power".

"She flourishes but she starts to take the law into her own hands and create her own rules - irrespective of what side she's on - and sort of be the ruler, or dictator, of her own mini universe."

Despite the glamour brought forth as part of an international production, Faith notes that it was her northern education and days spent at university that put her in good stead.

"I do keep saying to people I really worry that it's too Coronation Street.

"I keep saying 'I'm trying to be high brow! I'm trying to be Alan Bennett!'

"I spent three years doing a dance degree when I was 18 in Leeds, so it did have a big impact on me.

"Observing northern colloquialisms - and obviously because I'm a touring musician, I go back there quite a lot and revisit and check in that some of the slang is still maintained and stuff.

"But it feels every time I go too northern, I get called in for additional dialogue recording to overdub the actual words.

"They're like 'we don't understand what 'aught' is. Can you just overdub 'nothing'?' and it starts to look like a martial arts thing."

Yet, despite battling with regional accents in the real world, the fictionalised nature of Pennyworth's scripts proves a point of contention for the seasoned performer.

"I don't believe in fiction," says Faith.

"I don't think there's such a thing.

"I feel like its origins are always influenced by the time in which it's written or authored.

"So, for me, when I watch the show, there's definite acknowledgement of current political climates on a global level and there's parallels, because unfortunately, history repeats itself over and over again and humanity's not clever enough to stop making the same mistakes.

"So, I would say it's a convenient big cover up when they say it's fictional. It seems relevant to me. "

Starring Jason Flemyng (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button) as Lord James Harwood and Emma Paetz (Gentleman Jack) as roving journalist Martha Kane, a host of familiar faces are set to return alongside Faith and Bannon for series two.

"The events of season one have taken their toll," notes Bannon, 29, of his character's storyline.

"[Alfie] is flourishing in the sense that he's running a large night club in the middle of Soho, which is a neutral zone, but he's not that invested in it really.

"He wants to get enough money together to get to America and start afresh.

"He's sort of a bit disillusioned with life and certainly not the kind of happy chappie he was at the start of season one."

It is a show entirely removed from the Gotham that Batman fans traditionally know and love, instead locating itself in an alternative London that combines fictitious events such as public executions with stylised elements of both the 50s and 60s.

"Obviously Michael Kane was a big influence," notes Bannon of his character.

"He was also the archetypal film star of the 60s, so we were able to watch Harry Palmer films and stuff like that and immerse ourselves.

"So that is definitely not an accident.

"We tried to get more and more slang and things like that in there, it's been quite fun.

"But obviously, because it's made for an American audience, you can't go too obscure because they don't really understand what you're on about half the time."

Pennyworth S2 is on on Starzplay