Russell T. Davies has long been hailed as a genius, but we think he’s managed to top himself with an upcoming episode of Years And Years. 

That’s because he’s teamed up Hollywood royalty Emma Thompson with none other than Lee from Steps for a particularly surreal scene. 

Next week’s episode of the dystopian BBC drama sees Emma’s character – populist MP Vivienne Rook – learning the steps (pun intended) to the Tragedy routine. 

Steps’ Lee Latchford-Evans appears on Vivienne’s TV channel in the midst of her general election campaign, and he takes the opportunity to teach her the group’s most famous dance. 

Despite having a plethora of acting accolades to her name and having starred in some of the biggest films, Emma says that performing alongside a member of Steps was her “finest moment”. 

She confessed: “Doing the dance with Lee from Steps was my finest moment. I do have to confirm that was the moment I thought, ‘hmm yeah I might have another career going here’.

“That was such good fun, hilarious, of course, because everyone in the studio was just pointing and laughing.”

Of his appearance in the show, Lee adds: “I was thrilled to be asked by Russell T Davies and his team to be part of his brilliant new series Years and Years.

“Aside from being in Steps, acting is a real passion of mine and being able to meet and act alongside the legendary Emma Thompson was an absolute dream come true and what a wonderful lovely lady she is.”

Years And Years kicked off on BBC One last Tuesday, and sees an ordinary family – the Lyons – catapulted through 15 years as they navigate a world made unstable by politics, the economy and technological advances. 

The end of the first episode saw us leap forward to 2024, with the world facing an uncertain future following the break-out of a nuclear war between China and the US. 

Years And Years continues on Tuesday at 9pm on BBC One, with episodes also available to watch on BBC iPlayer.