Toby Jones, Andrea Riseborough and Kim Cattrall to star in The Witness For The Prosecution for BBC One
A Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Productions drama.
Published: 12 August 2016
Filming began today in Liverpool on The Witness For The Prosecution, a major adaptation by Sarah Phelps of Agatha Christie’s classic title. This new two-part drama reunites the team behind And Then There Were None which was a critical and commercial success for BBC One last December, with ratings over 8 million.
Adapted from Christie’s 23-page short story of the same title, The Witness For The Prosecution will be directed by the acclaimed film and television director, Julian Jarrold (Kinky Boots, Becoming Jane, The Girl, Appropriate Adult) and produced by Colin Wratten, (The Musketeers, One Of Us).
The all-star cast includes Toby Jones (Detectorists, Marvellous, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Andrea Riseborough (Bloodline, Birdman, Oblivion), Kim Cattrall (Sensitive Skin, Sex And The City), David Haig (The Thick Of It, Mo, My Boy Jack), Billy Howle (The Sense Of An Ending, The Seagull, Cider With Rosie), and Monica Dolan (Appropriate Adult, Eye In The Sky, The Casual Vacancy).
1920s London. A murder, brutal and bloodthirsty, has stained the plush carpets of a handsome London townhouse. The victim is the glamorous and rich Emily French (Kim Cattrall). All the evidence points to Leonard Vole (Billy Howle), a young chancer to whom the heiress left her vast fortune and who ruthlessly took her life. At least, this is the story that Emily’s dedicated housekeeper Janet McIntyre (Monica Dolan) stands by in court. Leonard however, is adamant that his partner, the enigmatic chorus girl Romaine (Andrea Riseborough), can prove his innocence.
Tasked with representing Leonard is his solicitor John Mayhew (Toby Jones) and King’s Counsel, Sir Charles Carter KC (David Haig).
The Witness for the Prosecution is a Mammoth Screen and Agatha Christie Productions’ drama for BBC One, in association with A+E Networks and RLJ Entertainment’s development arm, Acorn Media Enterprises. RLJE’s streaming service, Acorn TV, is also the US co-production partner and will premiere the new adaptation in the US. The executive producers are James Prichard and Hilary Strong for Agatha Christie Productions, Karen Thrussell and Damien Timmer for Mammoth Screen, Matthew Read for BBC and Sarah Phelps.
A+E Networks holds rest of world distribution rights to The Witness for the Prosecution, and will launch the scripted special at MIPCOM.
Una Maguire - [email protected]
Joanne Sear - [email protected]
