ONCE you’ve seen Sacha Horler play the title character of the ABC’s uniquely Aussie new comedy Sando, it’s hard to imagine anyone else playing her.

But initially, the role belonged to comedian Genevieve Morris, who was forced to pull out a week into production due to ill health.

With no research or rehearsal, Horler dyed her hair carrot red, cut it short (“don’t be jealous,” she says) and hit the ground running.

Victoria ‘Sando’ Sandringham is a furniture mogul, “the package deal queen”, a household name in the days when free-to-air TV was the only kind of TV we knew.

Estranged from her family for a decade – episode one outlines how she spectacularly fell out of their favour – she is back in their lives, looking for somewhere to live and the universal admiration she expects and demands.

The character was written by Phil Lloyd (who plays the ex-Mr Sando) and Charlie Garber with Gerry Harvey in mind.

“I also like to think of Bob Hawke, with his potty mouth,” Horler says. “And I think she’s got a bit of Alan Bond … Sando does love a good swear. A proper, serious swear-off.” While filming, Horler found it hard to leave the character on set at the end of the day, taking it home to her kids, who are 14 and 10.

“She’s a big character. It’s not just Sando, it’s this mad world of dysfunctional people, an Arrested Development-type family ... there’s a bit of crazy for everyone.”