New British Dramas Unveiled for BBC Two

LONDON: An adaptation of the Michael Faber best-selling novel The Crimson Petal & The White and a drama about famed British comedy act Morecambe and Wise are among the highlights of BBC Two’s upcoming slate.

The shows were announced by Janice Hadlow, the controller of BBC Two, at the Broadcasting Press Guild lunch yesterday. They are in line with the commitment made by Jana Bennett, the director of BBC Vision, to up the drama investment at BBC Two over the next three years.

"Strongly authored dramas, whether adaptation or original writing, are absolutely key to the creation of BBC Two’s confident new voice and these two dramas are excellent examples of the new direction we are moving in," Hadlow said.

The four-part Crimson Petal & The White from Origin Pictures is billed as a psychological thriller set in Victorian London, focusing on a young prostitute and a prominent businessman. "Crimson Petal & The White is an exciting combination of a 19th-century novel, written in the 21st century and adapted for screen by acclaimed playwright and screenwriter Lucinda Coxon," Hadlow said. It’s a riveting tale of life in the world of Victorian prostitution—packed with detail and texture in a way that has never been attempted before."

The as-yet-untitled Morcambe and Wise drama follows precocious child star Ernie Wiseman (Wise) and reluctant performer Eric Bartholomew (Morecambe) from a chance meeting on the kids’ variety circuit through their evolution to become one of the U.K.’s best-known comedy acts. Also on the slate is the 90-minute drama Christopher and His Kind starring Doctor Who‘s Matt Smith. "A drama about Morecambe and Wise’s formative years, written by the brilliant Peter Bowker, and, of course, the recently announced Christopher and His Kind, with Matt Smith playing writer Christopher Isherwood, are the kind of impactful, ambitious and intelligent dramas I want at the heart of BBC Two."

Hadlow also noted that BBC Two will become the permanent home for production from BBC Films beginning this July. Launch weekend will see BBC Two airing The Damned United, Eastern Promises and Is Anybody There? "I’m delighted that BBC Films will have a more permanent presence on the channel, so that audiences know where they can see these wonderful films for free after their theatrical release."