Actor describes how Meryl Streep could play part of Margaret Thatcher

9 February 2011 Last updated at 05:41 ET Help

Film fans have been given their first glimpse of Hollywood actress Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher in upcoming film The Iron Lady.

Kath Burlinson played Lady Thatcher in Thatcher The Musical!

She described on BBC Radio 5 live how to portray the former prime minister and said: "We did lots of physical research. We looked at photographs, we looked at lots of the video material. We listened to the speeches.

"The early voice was really quite high," she tells 5 live Breakfast presenters Nicky Campbell and Shelagh Fogarty.

"The Thatcher that we really remember... had the authority, had that breathy depth of register and that slight sibilance.

"It was something in that voice that people really did respond to."

You can hear other BBC Radio 5 live highlights by visiting the Best Bits section on the website.

5 live Breakfast is broadcast Monday - Friday, 06:00 - 10:00 on BBC Radio 5 live.

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