Andrew Davies: 'BBC's Great Expectations was humourless'

Screenwriter Andrew Davies has criticised BBC One's recent adaptation of Great Expectations.

The three-part drama, based on the novel by Charles Dickens, aired over the festive period and featured an all-star cast including Gillian Anderson, Douglas Booth, Ray Winstone, David Suchet and Vanessa Kirby.

However, The Daily Telegraph reports that Davies has now complained about the adaptation, which was written by Oliver Twist screenwriter Sarah Phelps.

Davies, who has previously adapted classic novels such as Pride and Prejudice, Vanity Fair, Bleak House, Sense and Sensibility and Little Dorrit for the small screen, complained that the drama "didn't really feel like Dickens".

"With Dickens, you can leave characters out so long as you don't leave too much out," he said. "That was an adaptation of Great Expectations that left so much out it didn't really feel like Dickens."

Davies added: "It had the story all right but it left the humour out. Taking the humour out of Dickens, it's not Dickens anymore."

Great Expectations picked up around 6m viewers for BBC One when it aired between Christmas and New Year.

Watch our interview with Great Expectations star Douglas Booth below: