TV
The full cast of the BBC's £8 million adaptation of Charles Dickens' Bleak House has been revealed.
Former Stars In Their Eyes host Matthew Kelly will make his drama debut by playing a drama teacher, ex-Holby City star Denis Lawson will play lawyer Jarndyce, while Anna Maxwell Martin has agreed to star as orphan Esther.
Charles Dance will play Tulkington, Timothy West stars as Sir Leicester Dedlock, and Alun Armstrong is policeman Bucket.
Other stars set to appear include ex-EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks, former X Files star Gillian Anderson, Shirley Valentine's Pauline Collins, and Harry Potter's Richard Griffiths.
Alistair McGowan and Johnny Vegas have also joined the cast.
The Dickens adaptation will run for 16 instalments over 2 months in the style of a soap, with cliffhangers and plenty of storylines to keep viewers interested.
Producer Nigel Stafford-Clark told The Mirror, "Dickens wrote Bleak House as a monthly serial for popular consumption, complete with multiple storylines and cliff-hanger endings. A twice-weekly half-hour television serial felt like returning it to its natural state."
Andrew Davies, who is responsible for the adaptation, added, "If Dickens was alive today, he'd be writing for EastEnders."
Former Stars In Their Eyes host Matthew Kelly will make his drama debut by playing a drama teacher, ex-Holby City star Denis Lawson will play lawyer Jarndyce, while Anna Maxwell Martin has agreed to star as orphan Esther.
Charles Dance will play Tulkington, Timothy West stars as Sir Leicester Dedlock, and Alun Armstrong is policeman Bucket.
Other stars set to appear include ex-EastEnders actress Charlie Brooks, former X Files star Gillian Anderson, Shirley Valentine's Pauline Collins, and Harry Potter's Richard Griffiths.
Alistair McGowan and Johnny Vegas have also joined the cast.
The Dickens adaptation will run for 16 instalments over 2 months in the style of a soap, with cliffhangers and plenty of storylines to keep viewers interested.
Producer Nigel Stafford-Clark told The Mirror, "Dickens wrote Bleak House as a monthly serial for popular consumption, complete with multiple storylines and cliff-hanger endings. A twice-weekly half-hour television serial felt like returning it to its natural state."
Andrew Davies, who is responsible for the adaptation, added, "If Dickens was alive today, he'd be writing for EastEnders."
More: TV
Tube Talk
'Freaks and Geeks': Tube Talk GoldTube Talk Gold heads back to the '80s and remembers Freaks and Geeks.
TV Interviews
'Celebrity Apprentice' Debbie Gibson Q&ADebbie Gibson opens up about her Celebrity Apprentice experience.
Reality Bites
Does Simon Cowell have new SuBo?: VideoWatch a clip of Jonathan Antoine, who is tipped for success on BGT.
TV Ratings
Judi Dench draws 4.1m on 'Graham Norton'ITV1 pips BBC One to the highest primetime audience share.
