Granada Distributes Mansfield Park

LONDON, September 19:
Granada International has picked up the distribution rights to Company
Pictures’ new adaptation of Mansfield Park.

This new version of Jane
Austen’s classic tale of love, betrayal and the agonies of the Regency class
system, adapted by Maggie Wadey (Adam Bede, Precious Bane), will star the award-winning Billie
Piper (Dr Who, Much
Ado About Nothing) in
the lead role and will be produced by Suzan Harrison (Elizabeth I, The Rotter’s Club).

Filming of Mansfield
Park will start this
month and it will air on ITV1 in 2007 as part of a series of Jane Austen
adaptations.

"We are delighted to be representing this
brand new adaptation and to be working with Company Pictures,” says Noel Hedges, the head of drama and comedy at Granada
International. “The casting of Billie Piper in the lead role is
inspired. I am sure her inclusion in the drama will increase the appeal of Jane
Austen's work to a younger and wider audience than ever before.”