Award-winning Aberystwyth actor, musician, writer and songwriter Jane Allison has released her much-anticipated third album Like Magdalene in collaboration with musician and producer Alonza Bevan of Kula Shaker fame.

Its release coincides with the launch of the second series of Intelligence on Sky in which Allison, also known as Jane Stanness, stars alongside Friends star David Schwimmer.

In the show, which returned to screens this month, Jane, already well-known for roles in Nighty Night and Hunderby, plays Mary Needham, an expert code cracker.

Jane was thrilled to be back on set, as she explained.

“We were all so happy and extremely grateful to be back to filming, especially during the first leg of the pandemic as not many productions were under way at that point in time,” she said.

“We all knew how lucky we were to have a second season ready and waiting to be filmed.

“It’s just lovely to get the chance to see the characters’ storylines develop and be back in the Intelligence family again.

“It was also great to work with the guest actors on this season, actors like Morgana Robinson and Diane Morgan who come in as new characters. I’m a bit of a fan girl of both of their work so I was super excited for that.”

And what will happen to her character this season?

“Mary’s a geeky, brainy cryptanalyst who still lives at home with her overbearing mother…

“I’m not sure what else to say without giving away spoilers, but let’s say there’s a lot of funny moments for Mary again in season two.”

She added: “It is such a huge amount of fun to film. Nick’s scripts and all the cast are so bloomin’ funny, it really is difficult to keep a straight face most of the time.”

As well as this series, Jane has been working hard on her music, and her latest collection harks back to the halcyon days of the late ‘60s, but with a modern twist.

Like Magdalene crosses boundaries of electric folk, pop, country and Americana to create something that is as unique as it is spellbinding.

Created in Berlin, recorded and produced in the Tea Rooms Studio in the heart of the Ardennes, Like Magdalene is a striking piece of work, rich with layers and textures with the subtle silken threads of influences such as Leonard Cohen, Indigo Girls woven through.

Embracing the darkness while also seeking the light is core to Jane’s song-writing.

Her previous two records explored themes of obsessive love, ill-fated relationships, abuse and its aftermath, grabbing the positive attention of reviewers and DJs, and featuring on Spotify’s New Music Friday playlist.

And all episodes of Intelligence series two are available on Sky One and streaming service Now TV.