BBC Four Announces New Drama Slate

LONDON, November 28: BBC
Four has unveiled a lineup of four one-off dramas centered on the stories
behind well-known British television entertainers: Hughie
Green, Most Sincerely, The Curse Of
Steptoe, Frankie Howerd: Rather You
Than Me and Hancock & Joan.

Hughie
Green, Most Sincerely explores
the personal life of actor Hughie Green, who fronted British family TV shows
like Opportunity Knocks and Double Your Money. The drama stars Trevor Eve (Waking The Dead) as Green. It is being made by BBC
Drama Production and is written by Tony Basgallop (Hotel Babylon), directed by Dan Percival and
produced by Ben Evans.

Other one-off
dramas include the 60-minute The Curse Of Steptoe, offering a behind-the-scenes look at
the British ‘60s sitcom Steptoe And Son, and the two lead actors featured in it: Harry H. Corbett
and Wilfrid Brambell. The script is based on interviews with colleagues,
friends and family of Harry and Wilfrid, and Steptoe writers, Ray Galton and Alan Simpson.
Phil Davis stars as Wilfrid Brambell and Jason Isaacs plays Harry H. Corbett.
Also produced by BBC Drama Production, the film is being directed by Michael
Samuels and produced by Ben Bickerton.

Meanwhile, the
60-minute drama Frankie Howerd: Rather You Than Me is the story of British comedian Frank
Howerd's fight with his inner demons, as seen through the eyes of his long-term
partner Dennis Heymer. This is the first time that the true story of Howerd's
inner life has been told, as he kept his sexuality and relationship with Heymer
secret until his death in 1992. Writer Peter Harness has constructed this story
from intimate interviews with Heymer himself. A BBC Drama Production, the film
is directed by John Alexander and produced by Ben Evans. The film’s cast has
not been announced.

Rounding out
the slate of one-off dramas is the 90-minute Hancock & Joan, in which Ken Stott plays troubled
comic genius Tony Hancock. The drama charts the final year of Hancock's life
and his love affair with Joan, his best friend’s wife (played by Maxine Peake),
his battle with drink and his final series in Australia. Hancock & Joan is being made for BBC Northern Ireland
by World Productions. It has been written by Richard Cottan, directed by
Richard Laxton and produced by Simon Heath. Patrick Spence is executive
producer for the BBC.

George
Entwistle, acting controller at BBC Four, said: "The season celebrates
some of the most enduring icons from the history of British television. The
dramas show a different side to the various personalities—sometimes
funny, sometimes sad—always surprising and fascinating."

—By
Irene Lew