BBC One commissions War and Peace adaptation
BBC One has revealed it is to adapt War and Peace by award-winning scriptwriter Andrew Davies – writer of Bridget Jones's Diary and the Pride and Prejudice TV series.
Announced by BBC One controller Danny Cohen, the 6 x 60 series will be produced by BBC Cymru Wales and is set to transmit in 2015.
The acclaimed 1869 Tolstoy novel is one of the longest ever written, and was last adapted for British television more than 40 years ago as a 20-part series starring Anthony Hopkins.
Faith Penhale, executive producer and head of drama, BBC Wales, says: “Andrew Davies is the master of the classic adaptation and it’s thrilling to be able to bring War And Peace, with its rich cast of characters and epic drama, to BBC One. Today’s audience will be drawn into the sweeping story of life and love during a time of conflict, with a dazzling production that brings to life the great vision and scale of the novel.”
Davies said: “Not just a great novel it’s a wonderful read and it’ll make a wonderful serial. A thrilling, funny and heartbreaking story of love, war and family life. The characters are so natural and human and easy to identify with and Natasha Rostova just beats Lizzy Bennet as the most lovable heroine in literature.”
You can track the production developments of War and Peace on Production Intelligence, the online database of advance productions from The Knowledge:
