BBC announce new Agatha Christie drama with star-studded cast - coming very soon

02 November 2023 , 13:00

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David Jonsson leads the cast of the BBC's new adaptation of Agatha Christie's Murder Is Easy (Image: BBC/Mammoth Screen/Mark Mainz)

The BBC have teased a lavish new adaptation of an Agatha Christie classic - and say that murder mystery fans will be able to watch it very soon.

While the past couple of years has arguably been dominated by the Wagatha Christie libel trial and the amateur detective skills of Coleen Rooney, iconic novelist Agatha looks set to reclaim her title as the UK’s most iconic detective fiction writer thanks to an adaptation of Murder Is Easy. The original novel was published in 1939 and focuses on the chase to track down a serial killer.

And while the novel has been adapted for screen, stage and radio multiple times in the past, the 2023 adaptation will bring together an impressive cast for a lavish adaptation. Viewers will see cast members from Downton Abbey, The Crown, Lord of the Rings and more bring the gripping tale to life.

An official synopsis for the two-part drama from the BBC reveals the plot: “England, 1954. On a train to London, Fitzwilliam meets Miss Pinkerton, who tells him that a killer is on the loose in the sleepy English village of Wychwood under Ashe.

Penelope Wilton stars opposite David in the lavish adaptation (BBC/Mammoth Screen/Anne Binckebanck)

“The villagers believe the deaths are mere accidents, but Miss Pinkerton knows otherwise – and when she's later found dead on her way to Scotland Yard, Fitzwilliam feels he must find the killer before they can strike again. Because for a certain kind of person, murder is easy.”

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Industry star David Jonsson leads the all star cast as police officer Luke Fitzwilliam while the fateful Lavinia Pinkerton is played by legendary actress Penelope Wilton. Lord of the Rings: The Power of the Rings star Morfydd Clark plays Bridget Conway, The Nevers star Tom Riley plays Lord Whitfield, ex-Shetland star Douglas Henshall plays Major Horton and Ghosts actor Mathew Baynton takes on the role of Dr Thomas, Humbleby.

Mark Bonnar, who featured in the recent hit show World on Fire, plays Reverend Humbleby - while a supporting cast includes Hullraisers and The Crown actress Sinead Matthews, Ms Marvel actress Nimra Bucha, soap icon Tamzin Outhwaite, River City star Kathryn Howden, Big Boys hunk Jon Pointing, The Last Tree star Demmy Ladipo, and Mission Impossible actress Gloria Obianyo. While newcomer Phoebe Licorish makes her screen debut as Rose.

Shetland star Douglas Henshall plays Major Horton in the new murder mystery (BBC/Mammoth Screen/Mark Mainz)

Lord of the Rings' Morfydd Clark and The Nevers star Tom Riley also star (BBC/Mammoth Screen/Mark Mainz)

The BBC adds that the show is “coming soon” and will be aired on BBC One and via iPlayer - with both episodes in the two-part thriller lasting one hour each. First look images show the lavish adaptation went to great eights to replicate the style of the 1950’s.

Snapshots show Penelope and David in character sat opposite each other on a train whizzing through luscious landscapes and dressed in sharp 1950s style. Penelope looks elegant in a pink ensemble while David makes the perfect leading man in a sharp suit.

Other images show the cast members posing in period houses filled with timeless antique items. While filming locations show that the scenery and properties of Scotland, where the two-part show was filmed, can duplicate the quiet towns of England.

Mirror.co.uk