'Ladies' Detective Agency' goes to series

Anthony Minghella and Richard Curtis are making a series based on Alexander McCall Smith's No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books for the BBC.

A two-hour pilot film will be aired by the BBC and HBO, also a partner in the production, over the Easter period. They have now given the go-ahead to a 13-part series which will see Jill Scott return as Precious Ramotswe, who runs the agency in Botswana.

Minghella and Curtis wrote the pilot, which was filmed entirely in the country, and will executive produce the series.

Minghella in particular is said to be looking to stay closely involved. He said working on the original was an "amazing adventure".

"Particularly fascinating to me was working and filming in an African country where old and new are currently coexisting, where traditional values have not yet been eroded by the demands and efficiencies and neuroses of the modern," he said.

"It was a privilege to be working on a film which celebrates what we can learn from Africa, and not what we think we can teach it."

Harvey Weinstein's Weinstein Company is producing the show. He said: "It's always been a dream of mine to produce a series for HBO. I've often called over there to tell them that they make better episodes than we make movies.

"I knew the best way to do it (Detective Agency) was to have Anthony and Richard go out and make it. You can't explain this, or pitch this - sometimes you have to step up to the plate."