BBC One is reportedly to cast Dawn French in a new period drama for Sunday nights.

According to Broadcast, French will play the lead in Flora Thompson's literary trilogy Lark Rise to Candleford, which depict 19th-century village life.

BBC One controller Peter Fincham is believed to want the BBC adaptation to become a returning series. French has previously pulled in the viewers for BBC One, with the finale of long-running sitcom The Vicar of Dibley at Christmas managing 12 million viewers.