David Suchet for Maxwell drama

Poirot star David Suchet is to play corrupt media tycoon Robert Maxwell in a new BBC2 drama.

He is currently filming for the show which looks at the last months of the former Daily Mirror owner's life.

He died in mysterious circumstances in 1991 as his huge investments collapsed, but before details of his theft of £440 million from the paper's pension fund emerged.

Suchet has revealed he only agreed to take the role with the approval of Maxwell's widow Betty, who is played in the drama by Patricia Hodge.

He also told the Radio Times the secret of depicting the controversial character: "For me, the voice is the entry point for any character and, in Maxwell's case, it comes from deep down within him. It's an expression of power, of self-assurance, of incredible self-confidence."

Suchet said he thought Maxwell liked to think he had a soft character: "He'd joke that had he been a woman, he would have been permanently pregnant because he just couldn't say no."