Australian actor Richard Roxburgh plays late Bob Hawke

Australian actor Richard Roxburgh plays late Bob Hawke

Australians have heaved a collective sigh of relief at the welcome news popular historical drama series The Crown has cast one of our own to play the late former prime minister Bob Hawke.

No one else can do our accent justice. 

Acclaimed actor Richard Roxburgh steps into the shoes of the former prime minister in the much-anticipated Season 4 of the ratings hit.

It’s the second time the Australian thespian has portrayed the 'Silver Bodgie'.

Almost a decade ago Roxburgh played Hawke in the 2010 Network Ten telemovie Hawke.

The show portrayed the political life of the Labor leader – particularly his rivalry with treasurer Paul Keating, who ousted him as prime minister in 1991.

Whereas this time Roxburgh plays Hawke at the height of his political powers; shortly after the first of what would later prove to be four election victories.

He’ll feature in scenes recreating the 1983 royal tour of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, who visited Australia with 10-month-old son William.

Among the events portrayed in The Crown will be a visit by the royal couple to Government House in Canberra where they met the prime minister and his wife Hazel.

The scenes are being shot in southern Spain where a luxury villa has been transformed into the governor-general's Canberra residence.

Handily, this time Roxburgh is about the right age to morph into a 1980s version of the beloved Labor larrikin.

Doubtless he’ll nail the role yet again and do our third-longest serving prime minister proud.